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17 gallon Alpine newt tank.

Chinadog

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Over the last few days I've been working on a new tank for my I. a apuanus juveniles. I wanted to give the plants some proper substrate to grow in, but also an area where I can feed the newts and easily clean up without disturbing the plants, so I split the tank 60/40 along its length with a divider that I decorated with bits of slate. This gives me a good amount of organic compost topped with play sand for the plants and a clear area with just sand at the front for feeding, although I might remove the sand from the front and leave it bare depending on how I get on with it.
I planted it with Hornwort, Rotala, Vallisnaria and Java ferns, they look a bit sorry for themselves at the moment, but hopefully they will fill out over the next few weeks and the tank will be as green as 'Castle pyrrho' next door.
I'm really pleased with the slate covered divider, if the tank was a bit bigger I think I would have decorated the back glass with them as well, but the tank isn't huge so I just bought a stick on background, that way I can maximise the amount of water in there.
 

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Stupot1610

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I was also thinking I would try something like this in my alpine tank, it's the perfect time as I have just put them into hibernation so have plenty of time to modify their tank.
Did you silicone the slate onto a glass divider?
Thanks,
Stuart
 

Chinadog

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Thanks! I wish I'd done the same in the pyrrho's tank, now. Maybe I will if I ever have to tear it down.
 

Azhael

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Aha, the dutch style. I used to have a couple of tanks with that divider design but ended up going with bare bottoms in all of my tanks xD It does work wonderfully for making stunning, yet practical tanks. Keep us updated of how it develops.
 

Chinadog

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Will do. Is there a catch with this kind of set up, or do you just prefer the ease of cleaning in a bare bottom tank?
 

Azhael

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Pure unadulterated lazinness.
By the way, love the slate decoration, it reminds me of the stone walls that are typical of northern Spain's meadows and that instantly brings me images of newts and joy.
 

Chinadog

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It was the dry stone walls round here that gave me the idea, there's hundreds of miles of them up in the Peak district dividing up the pasture land.
 

Chinadog

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I was also thinking I would try something like this in my alpine tank, it's the perfect time as I have just put them into hibernation so have plenty of time to modify their tank.
Did you silicone the slate onto a glass divider?
Thanks,
Stuart

Yes, I used silicone for the slate and then to hold the divider in place.
 

sde

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Great tank Chinadog! I too may ( probably will ) have to steal that idea from you ;) The only thing I would change ( just because I am lazy ) is to have the divided feeding area bare bottom, to allow for easier cleaning.

Well done. -Seth
 
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I love the tank I would send you a like if I knew how to do one ! Just one question how do you filter it? Much respect KB
 

Chinadog

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Cheers for the compliment! :) There's just an air driven sponge filter at the moment, the water and sponge were already cycled. Hopefully the plants will grow like crazy and do their bit for water quality as well.

I moved the newts in today, I'm not sure what the collective noun for baby Alpines is.
Maybe a Circus? :)
 

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Stupot1610

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They look really good. Nice and healthy! How many alpine newts have you got in your 'circus'? :lol:
 

Chinadog

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Great tank Chinadog! I too may ( probably will ) have to steal that idea from you ;) The only thing I would change ( just because I am lazy ) is to have the divided feeding area bare bottom, to allow for easier cleaning.

Well done. -Seth

Yep, the sand in the front is gone. The newts have always been given defrosted Brine shrimp with their worms and were struggling to find them all on the substrate, now it's gone they can go back to hoovering up anything they find down there without getting a mouth full of sand! :)
 

Stupot1610

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Where did you get your glass divider from? I've had a look online and can't seem to find anything, maybe I'm searching for the wrong thing.

Stuart
 

Chinadog

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I cut it myself, but you can get a piece of glass cut to size by a local glass/glazing company very cheaply, just make sure you use thick enough glass to support any substrate heaped up against it.The stuff I used was 6mm I think.
 
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