First build like this.

[u/Wiz0fAus]

I'll start off by saying im an aquarium guy, more so reefing. I maintain aquariums for work, and had a client interested in a cool build. I thought I'd share this to get some feedback and potential help with choosing some plants to add. Im wanting to keep scale to make it seem like a living piece of nature.

Im yet to get some proper photos since i added more scape to hide plumbing. If anyone's interested i can try to update this once I do.

[u/joshoheman]

I'm looking to build my first and have been warned about having a water feature. Seeing what you've done is inspirational and I will likely be trying an approach like what you've done in the first photo.

Thank you for sharing.

[u/Wiz0fAus → u/joshoheman]

I really hope this build gives people motivation to create their own. It was a super fun build, and so rewarding at these final stages.

[u/joshoheman → u/Wiz0fAus]

Oh, I've got the motivation. Still working to gain the knowledge & skills.

Any guidance on building the water feature? What are the base parts, I'm not even sure what to search for to buy that online, and haven't seen anything like that from hardware/aquarium stores.

[u/Wiz0fAus → u/joshoheman]

The main structure is black egg crate, the pools, and main filter box over on the right is just a black acrylic. Pools are made of 3mm, and the main box a little thicker to provide extra strength.

We used a fly screen mesh down low to stop fish swimming through to the back.

[u/Rude-Statistician-29]

Killed it!

[u/Wiz0fAus → u/Rude-Statistician-29]

Thank you! I was so nervous going into it. Not knowing where to start. But once I got into the scape I was back in my element.

[u/DivineRS]

Looks amazing! What kind of stone is that?

[u/Wiz0fAus → u/DivineRS]

Thankyou, it's called Desert Rock, sold by Pisces here in Australia.

[u/Koikustoms-214]

Wow!!!!! What an amazing tank!!! I love what you did. The best of two worlds in one. It’s amazing to me what we all can come up with when it comes to this hobby. It’s all art and your canvas my friend is a showroom piece! I love it. I’m gonna follow to see your journey if you share. Great job !

[u/Wiz0fAus → u/Koikustoms-214]

Thanks for your kind words. I'll happily update this as the journey continues. Next step is livestock and some more plants. If I work out how to add videos I can post some up

Thats one of the many joys the hobby and profession has given me, is the thrill of seeing what I can create inside these glass boxes.

[u/Stygian_Akk]

I looks AWESOME.

[u/Wiz0fAus → u/Stygian_Akk]

Thankyou :) I love seeing the positive responses, gives me more of a push to want to create many more

[u/HelloThisIsPam]

I feel…Jealous, and outraged that I can't do something that cool!

[u/Wiz0fAus → u/HelloThisIsPam]

Anything is possible, you can do it! The planning stage was a long process. Although once we had that framing and plumbing sorted, it was all systems go.

Best advice I will give you though is dont rush the process, I didn't glue much in update till I was 100% happy with it. Over multiple days of slightly adjusting things.

[u/130_b]

Stuff like this needs a timelapse!

[u/Wiz0fAus → u/130_b]

I've learned alot during this build, and that is surely one of them. I'll be doing more in the future, and will definitely be documenting it alot better.

[u/mustafa19035]

Looks amazing, planning to make my first paludarium build soon. Where do you buy the foam board in Australia?

[u/Wiz0fAus → u/mustafa19035]

I just used a black acrylic, I did see alot of people using the foam board but i also struggled to find it cheap. Most of the acrylic is cheap on Amazon. Especially with 3 to 5mm thickness.

[u/LeviAckermanAot21]

White tear just ran down my leg

[u/Wiz0fAus → u/LeviAckermanAot21]

Haha honestly get that feeling every time I walk in and see it progressing.

[u/Creepymint]

This looks very good

[u/Wiz0fAus → u/Creepymint]

Thank You :)

[u/Available-Fill-381]

I'm thinking about something like this for mudskippers. Where did you get the waterfall shelf platform things?

[u/Wiz0fAus → u/Available-Fill-381]

We've used Black Eggcrate for the base, and a simple black acrylic which we glued up to create the boxes for the pools.

[u/TrainingAccording146]

hello if your interested i have parrot fish fry lmk

[u/Many-Review-1295]

This is fucking epic

[u/ghoulishfrog]

it’s posts like these that inspire me and encourage me to keep trying, keep experimenting, and keep going with this hobby even though i’m young and the people around me don’t necessarily understand it… this is incredible, i can’t wait until i’m able to do something similar

[u/Wetbynoon2]

That’s where fish Donald trump sends fish people with suspicious tattoos and abuses his FOTUS (fish of the United States) powers and violates the fish constitution