Self contained tank

[asd159263]

Is there a way to make a self contained guppy tank?

[Watcher74]

By this I assume you mean a closed system?

No food in and no wastes out?

No.

Well, you could. But the fish wouldn't last too long.

[Seaman]

I bet you could do it.....If you had the tank planted with the right plants, and grow some hair alge, that will be food for the guppies, and then you dont really gravel vac a planted tank, but you would still have to do water changes....but if you stock the guppies lightly then with the plants you'll be doing less frequent water changes.

[asd159263]

i wanted to do this as a bit of an experament, you know make a self sustaining enviroment under water

[Blinky]

I don't think it's entirely possible, but you could get close. Nothing in nature (that I know of) is a closed system - water is constantly being replaced in streams/lakes/rivers etc. and there are many different types of organism living in natural bodies of water. Natural systems are balanced, but not closed.
If you kept many undemanding plants, a few fish, and there were microorganisms and algae in the tank you could probably have an aquarium where feedings and water changes would be minimal and things would largely look after themselves.
I'd be very interested in seeing how your project goes :)

[gonefishin]

I have thought of using the valve from a toilet (or simmilar)in a fish tank. Of course I wouldn't use one thats been in a toilet, but a new one, fresh outta the box. It would have to be hooked up to a watersuply that is ready to go into the tank, not just a house line. You could have a small eeety beeety hole or 2 at the bottom of the tank, going into a drain. When the water level drops below a certain point the valve would open, replacing the water that drained out. This could also serve as a subsitute for the gravel vac. I havn't looked at this from all the angles, just farted stinking about it one day.

[Watcher74]

Well, that's not a closed system then.

Are you trying to invent a maintenance free system?

Or a closed, self-sustaining system?

[gonefishin]

I think were not all that clear on the original question, but all the same, I thought it was a good idea for part of a maint. free system. Reading the above posts, and assuming blinkys theory (:))of water not staying put all the time is correct, this could simulate, say, rainfall replacing water lost due to runnoff or evaporation. Asd159263 just made me think of the idea i dreamed up a while ago and thought it was relevant to the conversation. So what are your thoughts, regardless of the original question, about using something like a toilet/float valve to create a natural waterflow?