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Mini Ecosystem

Marc Davis

Member
Joined
16 Jul 2018
Messages
320
Location
Devon
Hi guys. This will be the journal for my mini ecosystem tank.

Edit: Latest video:


I'll be adding tons of critters and a couple of predators to the tank, sitting back, letting the plants take over and do it's own thing.

I did do a similar thing with a much smaller tank and it achieved its goal. It was too small for what I wanted to do though in terms of some predators and breeding.

So here is the setup.

Hardscape
Screenshot_20181210-184421_YouTube-1024x498.jpg


Soil with sand/gravel capping.
Screenshot_20181210-184506_YouTube-1024x498.jpg


Half filled with plants
Screenshot_20181210-184543_YouTube-1024x498-1024x498-1024x498.jpg


Finished result.
20181210_095122-1024x649.jpg


Here is a full setup video and the first of the series. Subscribe if it's something you like. I will do an update every other week. Follow along guys. It should be interesting :)


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Update: Aquarium upgrade
 
Last edited:
Very nice project. It's something I've been thinking about doing for a while. This guy also gave it a go http://www.tuncalik.com/2009/09/biotope-in-my-study/

IMG_0224_w800m_tuncalik.jpg
Yeah, i saw that one when researching. I think most people in the hobby for a while really like the idea of it.

I want it to run itself. Not because im lazy as i actually like doing the maintenance, but something about playing God and just seeing things evolve as time goes by....plus im a massive fan of the wild, jungle look tanks. Like Shrimpery's pond style on instagram.
 
I think you'd stand a better chance of building up invert colonies by allowing them to become established in a fishless tank first. But either way watching with interest to see how this works out ;)
 
I think you'd stand a better chance of building up invert colonies by allowing them to become established in a fishless tank first. But either way watching with interest to see how this works out ;)
I did think this myself...but I now have 3 berried shrimp and some strong males...I think there will be tons of food in no time!
 
Bit of an issue.

Really loving the tank...so much so that I just went and brought a new bigger tank to do the whole thing in haha.

I got this 80cm x 30cm x 25cm for £15.
20181216_202649-800x600.jpg


Couldn't turn that down. All it had wrong with it was a tiny chip that will not effect the water in any way.
20181216_202851-800x600.jpg


The wife has said I will need to wait until after Xmas when the tree is down for it to go in that area, so I will carry on with this tank at the moment...and probably after the new tank is set up, although she doesn't know that yet ;) haha.
 
What happens with the colony of water fleas then? Are they self sustaining or did you just end up with the fattest guppy in history?
 
What happens with the colony of water fleas then? Are they self sustaining or did you just end up with the fattest guppy in history?

Haha, I think about 90% were eaten (to be expected) and a lot of the tiny ones are hiding in the leaf litter and everything else. As the plants grow, i will continue to add them and hopefully more and more will survive. When i set up the 80cm tank above, i will add shrimp, water fleas and snails for a few months before any fish touch the water. Its all new for me and an experiment.
 
Ahh, ok cool. I thought the fleas were going to hit a point where they were breeding faster than they got ate which would have been cool.
 
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