THE BUILD
I build these small aquariums a bit like LEGO: Finish sections, which
later can be replaces individual, or pulled up for pruning. 
The background is the first I make.
Either a piece of bark, some great looking rocks or some interesting branches. They might have to
be screwed or glued together, but in a way they can twist, to get through the
opening. If they float, you have to boil them. One trick might be to take them from the boiling water to cold,
a few times. Then they suck-in a lot of water. Let them cool / heat through
each time.
I came up with a great idea for the background: It is attached by a
magnet, sitting outside. A screw in the bark or branch make it magnetic. Another
way is to screw some branches on, to act as "legs". That way, you can
open-up the centre, as it doesn't slide down.
As the appearance changes so much, when the water is added, I
recommend arranging the interior with water in the glass.
These two photos are of the same bark and branches, but without
and with water.
 The plants are treated
in several ways. I might drill some 1,5 mm holes in the bark and
branches, and tie plants to them. That way, the string will be (almost)
invisible.
Make sure you find the right place for the plants, with water in a round
aquarium! It change appearance so much! At the same time, be aware some
plants do need more light than others.
Single plants are attached to a small stone with string as well. Some
plants will appreciate a bit of sphagnum for the roots.
Ground covering plants are tied to their favourite soil; Gravel or sphagnum. You might have to add a
few stones to weight it down.
The bottom might no be covered, but you can't see it anyway, in a round
bowl or glass. And now, you can "vacuum-clean" it, while changing water,
while the plants can be removed for pruning.
I generally only use three species of plants in each glass .
With the limited amount of species, it is a way to make sure the glasses
does not look alike.
None have
the same combination of plants.
The light can sit on a
wire, attached to a washer on each glass. The washer sit on a strong magnet, glued to
the back of the aquarium. Else, the LED light might be hard to keep in
place over a wine glass! The bonus is, the light can be twisted to the
side, when you want to get into the water, and you don't loose the
light.
The wire doubles as core, and another thin one is glued on to it. I use
5V units, fitting any USB charger.
Another system is to let them share the light: The inside of a LED light-tube is mounted
inside a curtain-glider. That make it stiff, and direct the light straight
down.
The lit is 1 or 2 mm glass. For the
4,3 L bowl, I have glued some small pieces of glass along the edge, to
let some air in. The lit on the wine glasses have one flat side, letting
air in, but I have learned; it is not necessarily. Three dots of transparent glue
or silikone on the lit, hold it in position.
The
shelf is 12 mm plywood, sanded down in the edges to look thinner, polished
and oiled with organic sunflower oil. The shelf brackets are lowered into
the shelf in the back, to give the shelf a 2% angle. That way, should the
glasses vibrate, they move into the wall.
The metal-frame, holding the light at is three dry-cleaning-hangers,
attached to each other with string and glue, then stuck into two holes
in the back of the shelf. Then "artificial nappa" is glued on. The
thin belt from the inside of a LED tube is put inside a white
curtain-glider, making it stiff and controlling the light straight into
the glasses.
A small magnet is lowered into the underside of the shelf, to host the
tweezers.
The entire rack is attached with two screws to the wall, but it can
stand on a table as well.
Se my gear
on this page.
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