A recap of our live in-store workshop scaping the UNS Foresta 35E paludarium, a freshwater (FW) system that pairs full biological filtration with a misting system for terrestrial plant growth above the waterline.
How the System Works
An internal pump draws tank water through a set of sponges for biological filtration, then feeds a mister that creates fog rising through the terrestrial planting zone. A full glass lid handles cable management and works with any light you choose.
Attaching Plants to the Foresta Squares
The kit includes foam squares with string ties for mounting plants and mosses. Technique tip: tie off your first knot before threading the plant itself — trying to do both at once fights you the whole way. UNS is also beginning to sell pre-grown moss squares that snap directly into place. A key design advantage over cork board or pinned foam backgrounds: these squares are fully removable and repositionable without dismantling the whole layout, and water flows behind them continuously through built-in channels.
Plant Choices and Placement Logic
Cyperus Helferi — typically grown submerged with CO2, but naturally pokes above water in the wild; placed high for constant misty moisture
Borneo Fern — likes high moisture but not strong light or submersion; placed in a shaded back area
Fittonia — prefers more light and drier leaves; mounted higher up
Anubias — commonly grown fully submerged, but naturally grows emersed in greenhouse conditions given enough humidity
Cryptocoryne varieties — low light tolerant, expected to eventually flower leaves above the substrate line
Fontinas moss — glued into shaded crevices
A Fun Hardscape Detail
Alongside natural Wolf Stone and Black Forest wood, a small overgrown-temple decoration was worked into the layout, moss glued around it for a "lost ruins" look. Not every scape has to be strictly natural.
Maintenance & Cycling
Ongoing care is simple: top off evaporated water and liquid-fertilize. The tank follows standard fishless cycling (ammonia plus bacteria) for about 2 weeks before adding livestock. Despite its compact footprint, total water volume runs closer to 6–7 gallons once you count the full column, giving real room for shrimp, inverts, or a small school of something like chili rasboras.
Ready to build your own Foresta paludarium? Shop the UNS Foresta 35E at natureaquariums.com.
