Self sustaining tank

[aquaponicpaw]

Ok I am sorry everyone. I meant minimal maintenence tank. Good grief. Now I know it is possible. I just saw a person who hadnt changed their water in 8 months. This is possible.
BTW the heater is for the RCS. I might go with CPDs though. I might try snails too. But only with assassin snails as well lol

No need to apologize. People, myself included, often get caught up in the semantics of discussions. What you are wanting to do is a beautiful and spiritual act. Pardon my zeal but I like to think of my tank Like it's Able's offering to God. No additives or preservatives. Just natural purity.

 

[GodFan]

lol never thought of it that way. I am excited to see how it goes! BTW the link you posted was the same one I was refferring to earlier I love his tank but it is huge.

 

[aqua_chem]

Viability aside, it comes down to this for me: what matters more to you, the inhabitants of the tank or the novelty of the tank itself.


The previously linked tank is almost 70 gallons, optimized for surface area with 9 square feet, and being hit by direct sunlight and a MH light. Its is lightly stocked compared to most tanks, and is also fed by leaf litter. It is incomparable to a 5g setup.

 

[aquaponicpaw]

Viability aside, it comes down to this for me: what matters more to you, the inhabitants of the tank or the novelty of the tank itself.

The previously linked tank is almost 70 gallons, optimized for surface area with 9 square feet, and being hit by direct sunlight and a MH light. Its is lightly stocked compared to most tanks, and is also fed by leaf litter. It is incomparable to a 5g setup.

That is why things are done according to scale. I am sure the T/S is intelligent enough to stock accordingly. And the variable that most are missing is the plants that are being used. The plants mentioned earlier will eliminate toxins to the point that there is none left over for BB. I encourage some of you to do a little research. If we are gonna take the time to discuss this, then why not give yourself a greater understanding of it. People have done this in gallon jugs for great lengths of time.

 

[Terrance]

Keep researching everyone. If some of you still believe in self-sustaining tanks, then I advise you to put in many more hours of research.

If you know that self-sustaining tanks are not possible, then pat yourself in the back and I congratulate you for good research

 

[adadkins1]

I'm with Terrance, if you believe self sustaining tanks are possible, you need to do some more research.

Even with the most primitive system I can think of, Diana Walstad's NPT, you still have to do maintenance to some extent. Regular feedings (for fish and excess food for plant fertilizer), top offs as needed, and the occasional water change is still needed. I've noticed that my plants start lacking after about a month and a half without a PWC in this system.

If you want to do anything "self sustaining" come to terms with the fact that it is impossible. Then if you are still interested in a very low maintenance tank, just do plenty of research on Diana Walstad's planted tanks.

 

[aquaponicpaw]

Keep researching everyone. If some of you still believe in self-sustaining tanks, then I advise you to put in many more hours of research.

If you know that self-sustaining tanks are not possible, then pat yourself in the back and I congratulate you for good research

pure comedy! That statement oozes with logic and scientific evidence.
At least bring something to the table other than sarcasm. I bet you can't provide anything but somones elses non-scientific opinion to support your claim. thanks for trying though.

 

[adadkins1]

He's just stating a fact. You obviously don't realize that there is more of a likelihood of the system failing miserably than for it being a long term success.

 

[aquaponicpaw]

Well you know what, why don't you try a self sustainable system. What a joke.

Who me?

 

[adadkins1]

*Post edited*

 

[aquaponicpaw]

He's just stating a fact. You obviously don't realize that there is more of a likelihood of the system failing miserably than for it being a long term success.

How about the fact that I have such a system running currently that I've discussed at length many times on this very site and within this thread. Maybe you should reread this thread from the very beginning. And that way you won't just be agreeing to be agreeable. Most posters have posted legitimate reasons as to why they don't think it will work. He has posted none. and yours mentioned in the post where you agree with him are far off base of the overall goal.

 

[adadkins1]

No, I'm just agreeing with him about the fact that the overall concept is just a waste of time.

I'm tired of wasting my time on this.

 

[Mlani]

To me it sounds like both sides have viable points. With the tanks being smaller than the Eco systems that have proven to be sustainable (the wet lands) it does seem unlikely to have a small tank that isn't subject to the natural elements to provide the majority of the variables it would need to be self sustaining. How ever, if one was willing to do the proper research and set up a tank to include these variables I don't really see why it couldn't work? I do think it would be a lot more work in the initial set up stage and it would require all the natural elements in order to be successful. I keep thinking about man made lakes and even some rivers that have been built. Same concept isn't it? Just on a smaller scale?

 

[adadkins1]

I just think that over time it will not be possible. It may work for a little while, but you would need a very large volume of water to pull it off. If we were talking about a 100g low maintenance tank then I would agree all the way. However anything that is not a substantial amount of water just does not support the needs of the whole miniature ecosystem that we call aquaria.

 

[aqua_chem]

How about the fact that I have such a system running currently that I've discussed at length many times on this very site and within this thread. Maybe you should reread this thread from the very beginning. And that way you won't just be agreeing to be agreeable. Most posters have posted legitimate reasons as to why they don't think it will work. He has posted none. and yours mentioned in the post where you agree with him are far off base of the overall goal.

Actually, you've mostly given anecdotes without context, and have given almost zero relevant detail as to the exact nature of the tank.

 

[GodFan]

ok Aquaponicpaw I am talking directly to you. Can I have aragonite mixed in with sand for my shrimp? I have to add it to my filter usually because our water is awful for shrimp. Will it have the same effect in the sand?

 

[aquaponicpaw]

To me it sounds like both sides have viable points. With the tanks being smaller than the Eco systems that have proven to be sustainable (the wet lands) it does seem unlikely to have a small tank that isn't subject to the natural elements to provide the majority of the variables it would need to be self sustaining. How ever, if one was willing to do the proper research and set up a tank to include these variables I don't really see why it couldn't work? I do think it would be a lot more work in the initial set up stage and it would require all the natural elements in order to be successful. I keep thinking about man made lakes and even some rivers that have been built. Same concept isn't it? Just on a smaller scale?

Excellent observation! I commend you for looking at the big picture. In the states it is a common High School science project to setup such systems in two liter bottles. often at the beggining of the fall semester and they observed throughout the school year. there are all types of little orbs and cubes on the market Ecosphere Associates, Inc.: Closed Ecosystem, Self Contained Aquarium

 

[adadkins1]

Excellent observation! I commend you for looking at the big picture. In the states it is a common High School science project to setup such systems in two liter bottles. often at the beggining of the fall semester and they observed throughout the school year. there are all types of little orbs and cubes on the market Ecosphere Associates, Inc.: Closed Ecosystem, Self Contained Aquarium

As I said before it is possible, but not as a long term thing IMO. These such projects (also take place at my former HS) do not last for years and years. Rather they are short term experiments. Who knows what may materialize in the long term?

 

[aquaponicpaw]

Actually, you've mostly given anecdotes without context, and have given almost zero relevant detail as to the exact nature of the tank.

I don't quite understand what you are getting at. But if I posted anything that doesn't make sense to you, refer me to it, and I will clarify. If you are that vested you can do a search of my posts and see the other discussions, pictures and stuff that I have put up in other threads.

I tried to refrain from discussing my personal setup, because it is much larger than what the Thread Starter is using. and that changes a lot of the advice that can be given. I have provided a link and referenced things to search for. So that any who oppose will easily be able to see that this is something that is not a new concept. And that on almost every site, blog, and search engine you will see People who are already doing it being told that it can't be done by some who've probably never even attempted it.

 

[GodFan]

Im gonna ask a moderator to close this thread. After I have tried it I may post the results on here but this is ridiculous.