Creating a Star Wars-Inspired Paludarium with a UNS 45E Aquarium
Creating a Star Wars-Inspired Paludarium with a UNS 45E Aquarium
Our UNS 45E paludarium had been running for almost a year, but a clogged intake sponge killed the water flow, and fixing it without tearing the whole rockscape apart wasn't realistic. So instead of a simple trim, we went with a full freshwater (FW) rescape — and themed it as a Dagobah-inspired Star Wars paludarium.
Salvaging What Mattered
Rather than starting from zero, we saved the plants worth keeping: Bucephalandra Maneri, Alternanthera Reineckii, mosses, and Hygrophila Pinnatifida. Everything else came out for a clean rebuild.
Design Lesson From the Old Scape
The old layout left no access to the filter's pre-filter sponge or outflow pipes for cleaning — a mistake we corrected this time by deliberately leaving clearance around the UNS Delta 30 canister filter's intake for easy periodic cleaning.
Hardscape
UNS Dragon Stone, including a carved Dragon Stone arch
UNS Spiderwood mounted on slate
Kessil A80 for a more focused, dramatic beam of light instead of broad flood lighting
Spanish moss (readily available in Florida, or from floral supply centers) draped for a weathered, Dagobah-style look
The Star Wars Details
A Grogu figure sits on a floating rock positioned directly above the atomizer, so mist rises and flows through a cave feature right behind him — the exact effect we were after.
Maintenance Win
Thanks to the redesigned intake clearance, cleaning the Delta 30's pre-filter sponge one week in was simple: lift the intake strainer (breaking the siphon so the tank doesn't drain), pull the sponge, clean, and reinstall — no disassembly of the scape required.
