Setting up a self-sustaining shrimp tank

[Meowitzer]

Hello.
I have an old tank that appears to be no more than 5 gallons, as well as various vases of different shapes and sizes.
I want to set it up to be a shrimp tank with lots of plants that is completely self-sustaining, much like the eco-sphere (Ecosphere Associates, Inc.: Closed Ecosystem, Self Contained Aquarium).
Is it possible to make a tank that does not require filtering or feeding?
At the very least it would have to be turned off at night while i sleep.
What plants/shrimp/bacteria should i introduce to my tank?
Any general advice on setting it up?
Could it possible support few small fish? (without feeding?)

 

[fort384]

What about water changes? Are you planning sealing the tank so that you don't have to worry about evaporation?

With shrimp, and plants it would be possible to come up with a self sustaining tank. It would be much more difficult with fish, especially in a tank of only 5 gal.

 

[BBradbury]

Self Sustaining Tank

Hello.
I have an old tank that appears to be no more than 5 gallons, as well as various vases of different shapes and sizes.
I want to set it up to be a shrimp tank with lots of plants that is completely self-sustaining, much like the eco-sphere (Ecosphere Associates, Inc.: Closed Ecosystem, Self Contained Aquarium).
Is it possible to make a tank that does not require filtering or feeding?
At the very least it would have to be turned off at night while i sleep.
What plants/shrimp/bacteria should i introduce to my tank?
Any general advice on setting it up?
Could it possible support few small fish? (without feeding?)

Hello M...

You could float Aglaonema "Chinese Evergreen" in the tank. Just rinse all the potting mixture from the roots. The roots have to be emersed in the tank water with the leaves above the water.

The plant roots will take in the nitrogens produced by the dissolved wastes in the tank and the water stays pure. Just replace the water lost to evaporation.

Pretty simple.

B

 

[aqua_chem]

It's still going to require fertilization and good, strong light. Really no way around that.

 

[fort384]

If you allow water to evaporate you cannot just replace it forever without doing water changes. Ions and metals in the Water are left behind by evaporation. If you just continually top off you are adding more and more net TDS to the system. This is one of the reasons we have to do water changes - to export and keep things balanced.

I think there are plants you could select that wouldn't require fertilization if the tank was stocked well enough. But I suppose in the long run even these undemanding plants will run short on vital trace elements and potassium.

 

[DragonFish71]

For half the price you can find a decent set-up on craigslist and have more room for what you want.

 

[jcolon]

Hello.
I have an old tank that appears to be no more than 5 gallons, as well as various vases of different shapes and sizes.
I want to set it up to be a shrimp tank with lots of plants that is completely self-sustaining, much like the eco-sphere (Ecosphere Associates, Inc.: Closed Ecosystem, Self Contained Aquarium).
Is it possible to make a tank that does not require filtering or feeding?
At the very least it would have to be turned off at night while i sleep.
What plants/shrimp/bacteria should i introduce to my tank?
Any general advice on setting it up?
Could it possible support few small fish? (without feeding?)

All systems need filtration, you're looking for the Plants to both clear out the nitrogen compounds and provide Oxygen ... which is a cool idea.

There's really no true way as long as evaporation is in the equation ... and since evaporation is part of the natural environment balanced by precipitation, you'll need to do at worst PWC's to keep dissolved ions and other minerals from reaching exceedingly high concentrations as Fort384 alluded to. Also, plants need have macro and micro nutrients replenished.

I'll say you'll need to do the usual up keep for a few months, let microbes, algae and other food sources for the shrimp establish. Then maybe you can lower filtration gradually to the point where the plants and BB do the filtration.
But the PWC's and fertilizing would need to be ongoing.

 

[fort384]

The only way to avoid evaporation would be to to seal the tank lid. Even then there is bound to be some evaporation... but you could limit it.

 

[BBradbury]

Self Sustaining Tank

It's still going to require fertilization and good, strong light. Really no way around that.

Hello aqua...

Not necessarily. Attached are pics of a Terraphyte tank that requires no fertilization other than what the fish produce and the plants require only low, ambient light. The plants are Aglaonema and Nephthytis. There is minimal filtration and standard lighting for the aquatic plants. If those were removed, standard filtration and strip lighting wouldn't be needed.

The roots remove the ammonia, nitrites and most of the nitrates before the good bacteria does, so the water remains pure. No visible algae either, because there's no extra dissolved nutrients in the water.

Just top off the tank a couple of times a week because of evaporation. No water changes needed. You have a balanced tank. This tank has been running about 6 months.

B

 

[aqua_chem]

I realize that, but in the tank the OP is describing, he's looking to not be feeding inhabitants anything. The nutrients have to come from somewhere.

 

[jetajockey]

The self sustaining ecosystem/minimal ecosystem model works much better as you go into larger tank volumes. The theories behind why the model doesn't work indefinitely are quite sound and logical, but as you go into larger systems there is much more wiggle room so it makes this kind of setup feasible.

 

[BBradbury]

Self-Sustaining Tank

I realize that, but in the tank the OP is describing, he's looking to not be feeding inhabitants anything. The nutrients have to come from somewhere.

Hello again aqua...

Apologies. I apparently misread the post. It was my understanding the poster didn't want to have to feed the plants. Which is the case in the Terraphyte tank.

B

 

[Meowitzer]

Thanks for all the support!
I still would like to know what kind of shrimp I should be keeping.
And on a second note, I am not completely opposed to not having to feed the little critters, as long as it doesn't need excessive filtration.

 

[Autumnsky]

Did you decide on anything?