40 gallon Vert paludarium.

[housevibe7]

I am making a 40 gallon Vertical Paludarium for my brother. It will eventually house D. imitator. I guess as this will be my first vert. I have a couple of questions. First of all, on the premade fish tanks, does everyone run a bead of silcone around the black edging to seal it? I am wondering if plexi or glass would be the best option for building up the bottom (so the H2O doesnt come out when the door is opened.) I am thinking seven or 8 inches of glass or plexi just inside the door, so that you can open the door all the way but there is still a layer of glass just inside that on the bottom... does that make sense?

Whats the easiest way to build up so that the land area is above the water? I have seen various pictures and ways of doing it, but usually these are of horizontal paluds. Not 3ft verts. PLaying with the idea of just using eggcrate, and then cover it on the outside with black acrylic to cover the eggcrate. This of course will have drainage holes cut in the bottom for exchange so water doesnt become stagnant in the land area.

This palud. will have a waterfall, so is there still a necessity for a filter system... or.... is running it through the waterfall and substrate enough of a filter? If not.... it has been so long since I have actually had an aquarium, what would be the best arrangement of pump to filter to output? If a charcoal filter is used then I would need easy access so it can be changed periodically.

TIA for any help.

Egg crate is probably the easiest way to make the paludarium. I have a 40 breeder that I converted into a vertical with a large pond. I didn't lift the floor high enough so its essentially wet all the time. Thats ok for me. I planned it that way. I wanted to grow semi-aquatics emersed.
Yes, put that silicone around the inner black edging. And do it twice as high as you think the pond will be deep.
I have used glass in all my verticals to make the doors. I have no experience with plexiglass.
Waterfall, I had planned a water fall for mine. It didn't work for a few reasons. I didn't position it correctly so it would not get clogged with soil/substrate, I didn't position it correctly so I could hide it from view and still be accessible, and I didn't realize how much splash the water fall would make. It made so much, even at a low flow rate, that it splashed all over the front glass. It would then run down the glass to the bottom of the glass door and seep outside the tank through there. I discontinued the waterfall and am much happier.

[housevibe7]

Hmm... the splashing on the glass is definately something to keep in mind. Thanks for the advice Caesar.

Anyone else?