No Filter, No CO2, No Ferts....Ultra Low Tech thriving Tank

Hi Guys,

Not sure if this was ever posted here before. This has come up on my Youtube feed over and over again and I find it absolutely fascinating! I had to read the title a few times to fully comprehend that this is just a perfectly balanced and thriving ecosystem.....no filtration, no air stone....just a heater, compost based soil, high light output including natural sunlight and fast growing plants! Its also incredibly well shot video!

This is like a conceptual shift in tropical aquariums...




If you read through some of the links, she shows how it all started with a fish bowl version.

 

I have see that video a while ago. Dedication. To get the tank to the point where it is now is the hardest part. A lot of things can get screwed up in the first few weeks/months and then you have to start from the beginning. If I remember correctly she does wc on it. A bit risky for my nature to do something of that nature. I still want to try my hand at doing a Wahlstedt tank. No wc requered.

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I'm not sure, i think read that she only does top ups as the water evaporates. I believe she is using the Wahlstedt method here? Its an incredible feat....and its not just surviving, the entire ecosystem is thriving. This for me is like the ultimate mastery of tropical fish keeping....perfect balance and harmony.

 

Your key here is plant selection and not wanting to mess with something all the time.

Her book is well worth a read - more scientific than most

Later Ferdie

 

I would love to have something in perfect balance like this and never have to fiddle with it. I agree, its plant choice, substrate and something that was overlooked was natural/live food.....often i find the ruin of any tank is food that steadily accumulates in the tank

 

Apart from baby shrimp few live foods can be cultured in tank..

 

I started the same setup over the weekend... (Disclaimer tough, firs time effort, trial and error). It's key to be disciplined and patient before adding livestock. Wil see how it goes.

I first made a wall around the sides with the ands and front of the tank so the soil layer won't be visible.

I pre-soaked the soil with dechlorinated water and left it over night.

Then placed the hardscape, added soil (2.5cm) and then capped it with the sand (2.5cm).

Planting came next... Now, I cycle it... Allowing the plants to soak up as much nutrients for growth early on as possible. Results pending. I need to watch for algae though...

It will stay murky a while, as the soil will leech some tannins a while. WC can be done.

I need to get the Anubias Nana fixed to driftwood still. Will also swop out the filter.

Wish me luck.

 

good luck bud! keep us posted

 

My planted vase, no tech at all, indirect natural light only (light was only to take pic), has 4 little fishies and ramshorn snails

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Wow, Nice! Walk us through this? Theres a heater right? and do you just perform regular water changes? Potting soil?

 

No heater, no potting soil. It's just black sand, nothing special at all. Water changes when I see the water getting cloudy, can be every 2 to 4 weeks

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This is so awesome! Great work!

 

, Wil do. Ammonia surprisingly low... But high on the pH side but I'm patient. Will try do update on a week or two.

 

you doing a fishless cycle right? So ammonia is expected to be this low this early on?

 

These setups are enigmas to me....i focus on high levels of biological filtration, plant ferts, lighting schedules etc and here is a vase that is teaming with life in a self sustaining fashion....Im amazed and baffled at the same time

How long have you had this running and what fish are in there? Also how many Litres is the vase?

 

Haha
I think it's about 9 months now.. Can't remember the exact volume, probably 10-12L. The little fish I have in there is from a local dam, I don't know what they are, but some really tough fishies as we have had temps as low as 0 in the winter and they have been absolutely fine

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You've just inspired me to try this out! Saw a ~15L vase this weekend and will try with some valls and hornwort with 2 white clouds or zebra danios. No heater, no filter, no artificial light....will sit this on my desk and let it get morning sun. Will go with potting soil with a cap of fluorite though.

Need some advice on Potting soil though...is this just standard nursery potting soil? Guess i need to sift out the bark pieces etc?

 

In my other tank with potting soil I didn't remove anything or sift. I put a layer of clay cat littler, then peat, then potting soil and capped with pool filter sand

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so this is just good old potting soil you buy from a nursery right? Sorry if this is a dumb question

 

Yes, I'm no expert either, but this is the one I've been using, doesn't have allot of bark

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