Karackle
Aquarium Advice Freak
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2008
- Messages
- 302
Funds are a bit low at the moment, and I need to get a new bed before I can get another tank, BUT I figured i'd toss my idea out there and start gathering feedback and ideas as to whether this is possible....
My thought is to make a tank with local (i live in the Albany region of NY) species....just go a'gatherin' from local ponds and streams. Plants and fish. I went to college about 20mins north of where I live now and for an ecology project we gathered some fish to try and identify them so I know there's an abundance of small minnow species around here, so the tank wouldn't have to be huge if I only housed a couple.
My questions are as follows:
1) Is this something that is possible to do?
If so then...
2) For water, I imagine I can still use conditioned tap water as long as the pH / hardness parameters are within the range of the water I gather from?
3) For substrate, would I want to buy substrate? Or would gathering some dirt and rocks from collection area and mixing it with whatever aquarium gravel i have in the house be ok?
4) I live in an area that gets very cold in the winter and warm in the summer, would I need a chiller for the tank? Or would just a heaterless tank be ok? We don't keep the apartment very warm during the winter so the tank temp would drop to the 60's in the winter, and get up to the 80's in the summer....probably less extreme than outdoors, but would that be ok?
What am I missing? not thinking of? is this a bad plan? I just thought it would be an interesting and different looking tank and might be cool to try, and, if it works, possibly save me a few $$ as a bonus
Any and ALL input would be greatly appreciated!!!
My thought is to make a tank with local (i live in the Albany region of NY) species....just go a'gatherin' from local ponds and streams. Plants and fish. I went to college about 20mins north of where I live now and for an ecology project we gathered some fish to try and identify them so I know there's an abundance of small minnow species around here, so the tank wouldn't have to be huge if I only housed a couple.
My questions are as follows:
1) Is this something that is possible to do?
If so then...
2) For water, I imagine I can still use conditioned tap water as long as the pH / hardness parameters are within the range of the water I gather from?
3) For substrate, would I want to buy substrate? Or would gathering some dirt and rocks from collection area and mixing it with whatever aquarium gravel i have in the house be ok?
4) I live in an area that gets very cold in the winter and warm in the summer, would I need a chiller for the tank? Or would just a heaterless tank be ok? We don't keep the apartment very warm during the winter so the tank temp would drop to the 60's in the winter, and get up to the 80's in the summer....probably less extreme than outdoors, but would that be ok?
What am I missing? not thinking of? is this a bad plan? I just thought it would be an interesting and different looking tank and might be cool to try, and, if it works, possibly save me a few $$ as a bonus
Any and ALL input would be greatly appreciated!!!