Simulating An Island Ecosystem - 200 days!

[@alternateaquatics]

Please Don’t forget to like comment and subscribe! It helps me out a ton! Thanks! 🙏 😊

[@ThomasWalling-s4w]

You make amazing videos man!

[@allenpotter5473]

This paludarium is beautiful!

[@alternateaquatics]

Really appreciate that, thank you!

[@lappleton7151]

i love the cherry shrimp! for me they steal the show!

[@alternateaquatics]

They definitely fill the water section of the paludarium up nicely! I love watching them they’re super busy

[@ericwoodard2220]

Why do shrimp always do that??? I’ve had to block off numerous waterfalls 😂😂

[@alternateaquatics]

Idk! I had no idea they could climb like that before this lol

[@Coastalfishes]

An idea, you could add these things called water slaters, which are aquatic isopods into the water section. They're not known about in the aquarium hobby, and idk if they'd even be available for purchase anywhere. I somehow introduced some to a tank and they act as an underwater cleanup crew

[@alternateaquatics]

That’s a solid idea! I’ll look into it, thanks for sharing the thought

[@harrytatum28]

sick video! this makes me want to build my own island ecosytem!

[@alternateaquatics]

@@harrytatum28 do it! It’s easy just takes time! Check out my full vampire crab paludarium build guide

[@frowner_and_co]

​@@alternateaquaticshey, im working on a 10 uk gallon ecosystem tank (12.5 us gallons) with a small water section about 2/10 the size of the land area. Any reccomendations on species i could put in here? Also, are vampire crabs and Madagascar hissing roaches compatible? Will vampire crabs hunt all the prey? Also, is 90% Humidity too high? (That's about the humidity inside my house)

[@alternateaquatics]

Humidity should be fine! I can almost guarantee you the vampire crabs will hunt down anything that crawls around and is smaller than them, they even eat their own young when given the chance. But as long as there’s plenty of food options available to them I’d say you’re good to go! Cherry shrimp are always a solid option but you gotta get the water parameters right. I like them since they don’t require a lot of water!

[@borisliverten6052]

it always amazes me to see how crabs rub their eyeballs! I know their eyes arent nearly as sensitive as ours but it still freaks me out! lol

[@alternateaquatics]

I know it’s pretty metal! Haha

[@myboibenze7383]

No way u still have 5k subs after this

[@alternateaquatics]

Lol it wasn’t THAT bad…not enough to make people unsub 😅👍🏻

[@alternateaquatics]

I appreciate you comment (obviously just joshing with the initial reply 😉)

[@EdgarStyles1234]

Wonderful job, i couldn't do this, the crabs sometimes trigger my arachnophobia

[@alternateaquatics]

Haha yah they definitely are a little creepy

[@EdgarStyles1234]

@alternateaquatics when their legs come shooting out from their burrow... Yikes...

[@alternateaquatics]

@@EdgarStyles1234 hahaha yeah it startled me the first time too. Especially how Fast they are!

[@FamilyOfTake]

the tank look incredible , good video

[@FamilyOfTake]

but i have to say the song u used in the video are ooold and doesn’t fit the video in my opinion

[@alternateaquatics]

Thanks for the feedback! I’ll keep it in mind for the next one!

[@udjizi213]

I love your work

[@alternateaquatics]

Thank you!

[@Coastalfishes]

Maybe you could use a small silicone tube (like the ones on aquarium aerators) to do small regular water changes in the water section. I think it would help with water quality and PH

[@alternateaquatics]

Good call I’ll look into this as well!

[@Dartfrogguy]

The cherry shrimp population exploded in there!

[@alternateaquatics]

Yes it did! Hopefully the vampire crabs fish some of them out of there soon!

[@LunarSkySpark]

How do you warm up a paludarium?

[@alternateaquatics]

I have a heater in the tower part of my waterfall, also I keep the room this is in around 70 degrees at all times since my poison dart frog terrariums are in there also. The light also provides heat, especially since this paludarium isn’t very tall

[@LunarSkySpark]

@@alternateaquatics I didn't think about putting a heater in a waterfall part. I am gonna make a paludarium sometime next year.

[@alternateaquatics]

Yup it’s a good way to hide it and to make sure the water temp stays up. It also gives the paludarium a warm section as well

[@LunarSkySpark]

@@alternateaquatics What size and brand do you use?

[@alternateaquatics]

Just a regular 300w heater. The ones with the suction cups that are tube shaped.

[@lenz0]

Commenting to boost your algo!

[@alternateaquatics]

You’re the real mvp!

[@alternateaquatics]

Thank you 🙏

[@TheGlosko]

Love your work keep it up ❤ Be cool if you do a big ecosystem with monitor lizard or skinks.🦎🦎🦎

[@alternateaquatics]

It’s funny you say that, cause I have a terrarium on order to build a crocodile skink ecosystem

[@alternateaquatics]

Also thank you very much! 😊

[@TheGlosko]

What can I say I’m a manifested king

[@alternateaquatics]

Haha you flatter me 😂👍🏻

[@Mbaku074]

U make dream come true 💞

[@alternateaquatics]

Thank you! 🙏

[@ThomasWalling-s4w]

Your talented

[@alternateaquatics]

Thank you 🙏

[@Griffin13-o1m]

That’s cherry shrimp looks like a mosquito swarm

[@alternateaquatics]

Haha yeah when their numbers grow too strong I’m going to add a few of them into my other aquariums

[@mr.molerat663]

❤️

[@alternateaquatics]

♥️

[@itsredz2331]

Noice bro

[@alternateaquatics]

Thank you 🙏

[@jamestully156]

What plant is that that's overgrowing on your land section?

[@alternateaquatics]

There’s two, one is a strawberry plant (no idea how it got there) the other one I’m assuming showed up with the wet moss mix (which is what’s carpeting the entire backdrop) Sorry I know that’s not very helpful but lm rlly not sure 🤷‍♂️

[@smorc65]

Learned to love vamp. crabs after watching Indoor Ecosystems!

[@alternateaquatics]

I love that channel! I ask him questions on Facebook all the time, fantastic place to reference perfect vampires crab care. (He even has a small clip of my volcano Paludarium in one of his videos about different tank sizes) 😊

[@SimplyTankss]

Nice Build! What was the hardest part?

[@alternateaquatics]

The hardest part is always coming up with the basic concept, it’s a lot of research upfront for materials and overall layout. Once I had a good general idea of what I wanted to do it was pretty straightforward

[@alternateaquatics]

Also thank you!