terrarium within an aquarium!

[captainahab]

I've been reading about using houseplants in aquariums. My top is too close to the water for it to work for me so hatched a crazy idea;

Invert a goldfish bowl trapping air, put your houseplant into it and then let it float up against my heavy lid! Seems like a cool idea. Then wondered if there were any symbiotic plant/insects that could be maintained in it.

Comments? Ideas?

 

[fish_sauce]

How would the plant take roots if the goldfish bowl is inverted? And how does the plant get fresh air? How are you going to feed insects that live in it? How is it going to stay afloat? And it wouldn't even look very natural.

 

[HackJob]

how heavy is your lid? seems to me the air would lift the bowl right out. As for air transference there would still be gaseous exchange between the water and the air trapped in the bowl. The trapped air should become oxygen rich with the plants over time, and humid. You might be on to something if you can get the mechanics worked out...

This would make for an interesting acrylic build.

 

[captainahab]

my glass top is very heavy, and there is an even heavier wood lid above that if needed. No problem holding the "bubble" down. As to the plant, I'm thinking of siliconing a piece of plastic mesh at the lid with some gravel on the inside. As you turn it upside down the gravel falls to the false floor! Roots of course grow out into the aquarium. And HackJob is correct with the gas transfer, the only ? would be if it would be fast enough to remove the oxygen to keep the plant alive. Could always place a bubbler below it, or in it.

 

[HackJob]

if you has a power head disturbing the water "level" you would get more exchange. The mesh might hide the neat trick you are doing there, I would opt for plants that don't need the rooting and let them grow into the air trapped. I suppose you could start off with a fly or some other non-aquatic insect to test. Not sure how happy it would be... especially if you have fish that would eat it.

 

[captainahab]

Well, for me I want the roots out in the tank. The whole project is designed to extract nitrates from the water. Will give it a try and put up some pix.

 

[captainahab]

Ok! here is what I have; coffee lid and a goldfish bowl from Walmart



Tied the Pothos to the lid with 30# monofiliment



My water is a bit murky from recent water change (algae from garden pond) but here it is



Admittedly, a bit strange! But gonna let it go awhile and see what happens.

 

[Oughtsix]

Cool! Experiments are great!!!!

 

[HackJob]

looking good, I will be expecting updates to see how well this works...I don't have a heavy enough lid, but this seems like a nice experiment.

 

[Inglorious]

Interesting idea, I'm curious as to how well this will work