Top 5 Specs:
- Must hold water:
- The tank must hold water in order to be successful. This is fairly obvious but surprisingly difficult to accomplish.
- Durability:
- The tank has to be able to hold up long-term. I plan on having this tank setup for many years and therefore the glass and all other aspects of the tank need to be durable enough to work over long periods of time.
- Have to make everything look natural:
- In order to pull off a successful tank, all of the wires from the filter and heater need to be hidden in order for the tank to look as natural as possible.
- Water must not flow into land area from waterfall:
- This is currently the main issue that I am working on. I chose a rather porus piece of sandstone to create the waterfall feature out of and it has been leaking into the lan area of the paludarium. This means that the soil would be completely wet and that the water from the aquatic section would slowly drain into the land area as there is no way to pump it back out.
- Must complete aesthetic:
- In order to complete my nature/jungle aesthetic, the tank must be densely planted on both the land and water sections.
Top 5 Constraints:
- Must fit on designed table:
- I have a designated table that is only 30 x 14 inches, so the tank must sit on that table.
- Can only use fish safe materials:
- Since the tank will be home to several fish and invertebrate species, all of the materials used on the tank have to be safe for them.
- Has to have enough water for fish:
- Based on the type of fish being housed, the land area is limited in size due to the fact that there must be enough water for the fish to be comfortable.
- Plant selection must thrive in provided environment:
- Given that I am creating a simulated environment that is very limited in size and lighting, all of the plants both terrestrial and aquatic must be able to grow in the provided conditions together.
- Evaporation:
- The design of the tank currently does not have a lid, so the temperature of the water and the intensity of the light have to be suitable so that there is not extreme evaporation going on.
3 Comments. Leave new
Your list of specifications and constraints are very elaborate and detailed. It looks like you are at good pace and you will be able to complete in time even with the difficult project like this. I am excited to see the final product.
Hey Ben, I really like your idea of making a natural-looking fish tank. I also enjoy aquatic life and I think that by giving your tank a natural aesthetic you will finish with something really amazing. However, I was wondering there was a particular reason you choose to use sandstone as the land? It is a softer rock that quickly erodes in flowing water which you will have in your tank, have you considered using something else like granite that will hold its shape for a long time? I am excited to see how this comes out, great job!
Hey Ben! Great work, this looks like an awesome list of specifications and constraints. I love that you’re considering that you have to use fish-safe materials alongside the tank needing to hold water; I’m definitely not educated in fish tanks, but it seems like some glues/adhesives might leech into the water. Great job, I can’t wait to see the final product!