Bog Filter inside a 150 gallon aquarium

[older Mama]

In January I started building a bog filtered 150gallon aquarium in my classroom. It was winter, the space was there so why not. About a month after getting it up and running we adopted our daughter and I left school for the rest of the year. I would go in every once in a while and check on things. It’s doing pretty well. The bog has monkey flower and a dwarf canna. I’m using some grow lights I had. They are good for the bog but might be too intense for the aquatic part. A student brought in a baby painted turtle and it is doing well. It does have a CO2 system. The goldfish and koi were taken out this weekend and replaced with crappie and yellow perch. Bluegill and maybe a small bass will be added soon. I’m going for a local gamefish collection. There is also a channel cat in there. I would love to screen in the space above it and try to have aquatic insects hatch and breed but it could be a year or two before I attempt that. I need to put up a sign in the lower left explain wetland filtration and a bit about what’s in the tank. I hope that will make that dead space more interesting. I wish I had made that area a window into the inner works of the filter. Thought I’d post it here and see what you all thought. View attachment 161121View attachment 161122View attachment 161123View attachment 161124View attachment 161125

Congratulations on adopting your little girl! Our adoption should be final this month and we are so excited!

 

[jgell]

Congratulations! Finalization is a great day. We are just starting the process to find baby number 2.

 

[j.w]

Thank you both @older Mama and @jgell for adopting. I was adopted and so very fortunate to be allowed to have a much better life.

 

[JMJ]

Nicely done , i love the tree stump, i use to get chewed out all the time for having an ordinary tree stump in my aquarium. i never followed the rules . I always tried to duplicate NATURE.... NOT WHAT SOLD....

This sings to my soul! I wish I still had pics of when I ran an open top saltwater native tank with a black mangrove tree and juvi stingrays and a diamondback terrapin. My wife said I took it too far when the periwinkle snails were trailing up the wall behind the tank lol.

 

[GBBUDD]

My too far was when the bird food really started to disappear quickly we thought one of the birds were a little pig. That was untill i looked up and saw a mouse looking down at me from the land section above the tank. i thought my head was going to roll and it did for a short time that is untill the wife saw the littlke guy from a distance and watched him from behind the bug screen and actualy called him cute and sweet, as she watched him eat and go down to the water and get a drink.

 

[jgell]

Here’s a little update on the classroom bog filter tank: The bog plants are having trouble due to persistent aphids. I’m thinking about getting some green lacewing larvae to help suppress them. String algae also has been an issue. I was pulling out huge amounts every few days until I added two small blue tilapia to the tank. So far they have done a great job on the algae and haven’t touch the other plants. The jungle Val could use some thinning. I added a lily tuber in the fall just to see what would happen. It started off very slow but since Christmas the stems have gotten thicker and the pads bigger. This week I got a flower bud and then a second. The kids are excited to see what color it will be.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Try thinning out the leaves and misting the plants to help control the aphids.

 

[jgell]

Thanks for the advice. I spray the leaves with some pressure when I top the tank off which is once or twice a week. The crappie pick at the floating adults but seem to spit them out immediately.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Also, try a small fan. Aim the fan directly on the leaves. It took me awhile to figure out how to keep my Red Mangroves bug free but circulating air, keeping the leaves (branches) thinned with frequent misting did the job. Again, that is a very nice tank. My goodness, your students are lucky!

 

[GBBUDD]

Your tank was very impressive. I found threads about it on here and at least one other site while looking around to see if any one else had tried filtering an aquarium with a bog. It is working so far. I have removed the goldfish and koi and the perch and crappie are in. They are pretty stressed but adjusting. They are in the 3-4 inch range. I caught some 1 in bluegill today that will go in tomorrow. I also netted a 3 in large mouth. I don’t know if I’ll be able to get it to take pellets but I’m gonna give it a try.

The shelf above the aquarium was peat moss and ROOTS lots and lots of roots that and the plants in the tank was the filter . yes i had an ehiem pro but i rarely cleaned it it was more for current

 

[GBBUDD]

I SOOOOOOOO MISS my planted tank