Hello, I'm new here and to aquariums. I'm working on a school project and I need to make a self sustaining ecosystem, I chose a freshwater ecosystem but I am having trouble finding appropriate plants that can feed shrimp or fish (which ever would be easier) like I said I'm new to this and the information I found online was misleading or confusing. Any help would be appreciated.
Self sustaining shrimp aquarium
- Thread starter WeaverISU
- Start date
That is very close to what I need, but the closer to completely self sustaining the better.
It's definitely possible, people have done it. They just haven't documented it super well and some of it goes off assuming we have prior knowledge
Self sustaining as in self sustaining. I set it up and don't have to do anything. Maybe cleaning or something once a month but the less I have to do to it the better.
I had a 10g, very heavily planted, lots cherry shrimp that was "almost" self sustaining. I fed it maybe once a week or 2, a pea, a food pellet or 2, or tiny pinch of flake. I'm not sure they needed that much.
I changed water, well, maybe a bit more than once a month but not much. If the shrimp were happy (& mine were), they bred often & a lot. I gave away or sold many...Plants too.
Even a plant only tank needs some help. I've read it's "theoretically" possible, but not in any real life way, depending on your water supply, plants & animals. Even just topping up water evaporation seems maybe like it needs more effort than you want to give...What are you trying to do? Habitat sustainability, or...economics... or what? What are your water parameters? That could go a long way to inform us of your tank's "sustainability" possibilities. Even Walstad tops up as far as I've read of her method...
I changed water, well, maybe a bit more than once a month but not much. If the shrimp were happy (& mine were), they bred often & a lot. I gave away or sold many...Plants too.
Even a plant only tank needs some help. I've read it's "theoretically" possible, but not in any real life way, depending on your water supply, plants & animals. Even just topping up water evaporation seems maybe like it needs more effort than you want to give...What are you trying to do? Habitat sustainability, or...economics... or what? What are your water parameters? That could go a long way to inform us of your tank's "sustainability" possibilities. Even Walstad tops up as far as I've read of her method...
Welcome to the site.
I too question why. You're brand new to aquaria and yet you want/need something completely hands-off?
Even the Walstad method isn't about just tossing some contents into a tank and walking away from it. Major amounts of planning, measuring and just the right combo of plants and a few fish that will work with your hardware and conditions are the start of it.
I too question why. You're brand new to aquaria and yet you want/need something completely hands-off?
Even the Walstad method isn't about just tossing some contents into a tank and walking away from it. Major amounts of planning, measuring and just the right combo of plants and a few fish that will work with your hardware and conditions are the start of it.
Take it from me, when it comes to setting up an aquarium, there is no such thing as self sustaining. Definitely a lot of hard work involved.