Living Paleo Diorama Terrariums

[karstic]

I've been working on an apparently novel concept with planted terrariums incorporating diorama features to recreate ancient environments. 

 

This setup in a 65-gallon glass enclosure is the best developed so far. It combines plants more or less representative of a Late Cretaceous Sequoia Redwood forest with a proposed  Hesperonychus elizabethae replica nest with eggs. This dromaeosaurid is known from a few fossils in the Dinosaur Park Formation of Southern Alberta and is apparently the smallest known non-avian dinosaur from North America. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by karstic

[Fossildude19]

Very cool concept!

Well done!

[karstic]

I'm also developing a couple of aquarium displays with this concept. This shallow 25-gallon glass tank houses simulated Stromatolites to recreate a shallow ancient sea.

 

 

I'll post some newer photos to show the limestone pieces colonized with stromatolite microbial mat flora. These were collected from rocks in the vicinity of live Stromatolites in Great Salt Lake, Utah. 

 

 

The most conspicuous organisms present in the aquarium are amber-colored benthic Diatoms and dark green Cyanobacteria. 

 

 

 

In order to simulate Great Salt Lake conditions, I'm maintaining the water at 85ppt salinity. This is more than twice as salty as seawater!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2022 by karstic

[Mahnmut]

Fascinating project!

So you are growing stromatolites in an aquarium.

And can you tell if they thrive yet?

Cheers,

J

[karstic]

9 hours ago, Mahnmut said:

Fascinating project!

So you are growing stromatolites in an aquarium.

And can you tell if they thrive yet?

Cheers,

J

 

Yes there is slow accretion of mineral (presumably CaCO3) deposit on the limestone top surfaces under the microbial mat growing there. Here's a more recent picture to show the Diatoms, Cyanobacteria and presumably other microbes colonizing the stones.

 

 

 I dose the tank with this 2-part reef aquarium product to maintain calcium and alkalinity and thus more favorable conditions for calcium carbonate development. 

 

[karstic]

Here are some more update photos for the stromatolites tanks. This is from last night at day 346. There is some green Cyanobacteria growing on the stone top surfaces, but most of the coverage is dark amber benthic Diatoms. 

 

 

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

What a fascinating project! 

[Wrangellian]

Interesting... I might have to follow this one.

I feel like I should point out the spelling mistake in the search term at the top..

[hadrosauridae]

very cool projects!

[mr.cheese]

Very good work! You must be pretty pleased with how that is developing? I like!

[karstic]

19 hours ago, Wrangellian said:

Interesting... I might have to follow this one.

I feel like I should point out the spelling mistake in the search term at the top..

 

Thanks. I see it. Unfortunately it looks like I am no longer able to edit the post.  

 

I'm getting old fast and I really need to invest in some reading glasses. 

Edited September 12, 2022 by karstic

[JohnJ]

7 minutes ago, karstic said:

I see it. Unfortunately it looks like I am no longer able to edit the post.  

No worries...done.

[karstic]

3 hours ago, JohnJ said:

No worries...done.

 

Thanks very much!

 

Here's something else kind of related I have also been working on. I've designed wall-mount enclosures that combine some CNC-cut parts with aluminum t-track extrusion. This one is designed as a nightlight with LED illumination to grow a live phytoplankton culture.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 12, 2022 by karstic