Crazy idea, has anyone did this and is it possible.
- Thread starter Jared T
- Start date
I've seen some huge planted tanks with a small school of tetra an that's it, and they claim the tank is self sustaining. I doubt it would work with the stock most of us desire
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Def wouldn't work with a normally stocked tank on here. No way. The bottom would become covered in poo. And I'm sure the stangnant water would cause a low oxygen level at the bottom or top.
sent from below the water line
sent from below the water line
I've done this in a 30" long. I also stocked shrimp, snails, scuds, micro-crabs and clams. I wanted to see if a "self sustaining" tank was possible. I started with giant danios, switched to white clouds and later to rasbora's. Never did water changes, and in a years time I've only lost 3 fish and every species that I put into the tank would breed for me. My only problem was I couldn't sustain any of the other inverts because the fish would eat the Young. Which is why I reset the tank recently. I couldn't find a small enough fish that would let the shrimps and scuds thrive. From my experience if there is a large enough tank, and a small enough species of fish, Along with a little biodiversity it is very possible.
I've done it. Bichers, rope fish, and an archer in a 29 gallon.
I'm going to remove the filter cartridge, on my current tank and fill the filter with plants, and just use it for circulation.
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I'm going to remove the filter cartridge, on my current tank and fill the filter with plants, and just use it for circulation.
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Without a filter it could be done IF the bioload is small enough in relationship to the size of the tank. You couldn't have (10) 6 inch large predators in a 55 gallon and expect to do anything but have extremely high nitrate levels. Basically you need to rely on surface area (which relates to the amount of nitrifying bacteria in contact with the water), good water circulation and hope the bacteria can handle the waste. Then you need to have enough plants + light + nutrients + CO2 to suck up the nitrate.
It can be done without water changes but would take some extreme balancing of variables...
It can be done without water changes but would take some extreme balancing of variables...
You have some awesome setups, can you elaborate on that^^ setup a little. It looks awesome. and I would like to hear how You arrived at such a contraption. and how has it benifited You. what type of tank/stock does it filter?
Thanks aquapaw, This setup runs first through a underwater algae scrubber, that uses an airstone to aerate the water, and supply some co2 to the algae, then it runs into the next chamber that is sealed, and there is co2 pumped into it via a diy 2-liter pop bottle with sugar and yeast to create the co2. in this chamber there is a waterfall algae scrubber, and the next chamber is also the same as the one I just described, but I just wanted more filtering and water contact with co2. This system seems to strip all the nutrients out of the water column, thus keeping my tank algae free. I use Miracle gro ORGANIC potting soil and ORGANIC top soil as the base substrate for my tank. It's then topped with 1.5" of sand from the bottom of a local river, that locks down the soil. My plants seem to love this situation. I never do water changes.. ever. I only add whatever evaporates. Yes there is fish poo at the bottom, but it looks natural, and eventually feeds the plant roots. I have a 6" bluegill, about 30 baby black mollies, that just kinda chew on whatever.. (cuz I never feed them) and a bristle nose pleco to keep my driftwood cleaned up. It's not a huge stock, but I like having a natural display, that looks very real, and Frank (the bluegill) isn't good at keeping friends. I put some chubs in with him, and he chased them out.
