Could you plop in a powerhead? While technically not a "filter", if you put a sponge on it, that may work to give you some normal-ish filtration without being a full fledged canister or HOB.
Requesting ideas for a filter-less office tank
I would like to have a small planted tank in my office but we're not allowed to have anything running when we're not in the office (due to power usage issues) so it'll have to be self sustained.
I know some members have such tanks/bowls and I would love to hear any ideas, inputs, and experiences, including what kind of tank you would recommend, and what kind of low-demand livestock it can sustain. Thank you!
I know some members have such tanks/bowls and I would love to hear any ideas, inputs, and experiences, including what kind of tank you would recommend, and what kind of low-demand livestock it can sustain. Thank you!
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
Can it be on a timer or does it have to run all the time? I should correct myself in my first post. I can't have anything running while I'm not in the office.Could you plop in a powerhead? While technically not a "filter", if you put a sponge on it, that may work to give you some normal-ish filtration without being a full fledged canister or HOB.
A power head immediatly makes this tank 5-10g minimum otherwise stuff will be blowing everwhere and it sounds like no filters because of electrical usage? Id go with a planted bowl, cfl light. Dwarf sag, dgh, s.repens, blyxa, hydrocotle, crypts and anubias are all good plants. Dirt with a sand cap. White cloud minnows, sparkling gouramis, badisbadis, danio species are good fish choices. Or neo. Sp shrimp
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Filterless, Self-Sustaining Tank
I have your solution and the tank would be quite a conversaton piece too. You could put together a small terraphyte tank. You simply emerse the roots of certain land plants in the tank water.
The roots take in the nitrogen given off by the fish and the tank water stays totally pure, no mechanical filtration is needed.
I maintain several of these tanks. Honestly, I can't quite understand why they aren't more popular. They require very little maintainance and the land plants only require ambient light.
Very simple, but unusual.
B
Hello LIC...I would like to have a small planted tank in my office but we're not allowed to have filters running when we're not in the office so it'll have to be self sustained.
I know some members have such tanks/bowls and I would love to hear any ideas, inputs, and experiences, including what kind of tank you would recommend, and what kind of low-demand livestock it can sustain. Thank you!
I have your solution and the tank would be quite a conversaton piece too. You could put together a small terraphyte tank. You simply emerse the roots of certain land plants in the tank water.
The roots take in the nitrogen given off by the fish and the tank water stays totally pure, no mechanical filtration is needed.
I maintain several of these tanks. Honestly, I can't quite understand why they aren't more popular. They require very little maintainance and the land plants only require ambient light.
Very simple, but unusual.
B
Thanks for the input. Yeah power usage issues. I corrected myself againA power head immediatly makes this tank 5-10g minimum otherwise stuff will be blowing everwhere and it sounds like no filters because of electrical usage? Id go with a planted bowl, cfl light. Dwarf sag, dgh, s.repens, blyxa, hydrocotle, crypts and anubias are all good plants. Dirt with a sand cap. White cloud minnows, sparkling gouramis, badisbadis, danio species are good fish choices. Or neo. Sp shrimp
Sent from my DROIDX
If biofilm develops I assume I would just have to change water? I've read how some members have managed to avoid this issue (maybe due to lower bioload). I think I'll go with the lowest bioload possible. Would shrimp be a good idea? I've never had them so I'm inexperienced with them.
That's a great idea! Thanks! Would you have a photo of one you did by any chance?Hello LIC...
I have your solution and the tank would be quite a conversaton piece too. You could put together a small terraphyte tank. You simply emerse the roots of certain land plants in the tank water.
The roots take in the nitrogen given off by the fish and the tank water stays totally pure, no mechanical filtration is needed.
I maintain several of these tanks. Honestly, I can't quite understand why they aren't more popular. They require very little maintainance and the land plants only require ambient light.
Very simple, but unusual.
B
Battery powered air pump running a small sponge filter. Plug it in while you are there and it will charge the batteries, and unplug it when you are leaving. If anyone asks make sure they know it is battery powered, but not let them know the batteries are being recharged by them!
A small vessel, well planted, with minimal bioload, in a reasonably temperature controlled environment and plants matched to the available lighting can thrive with no filter, no heater and only 1-2x weekly water changes.
My smallest 'tank' is a 1"x1"x2.5" acrylic box.
Substrate is 1/2" fluorite.
Flora: cardamine lyrata, java moss, dwarf baby tears.
Fauna: two baby ramshorn snails.
Ferts: 1 dab flourish weekly.
Topped off with distilled water every 2-3 days, 50% wkly wc.
Eventually I'll need to switch out for new baby snails, but so far their rate of growth (no feeding) is slow enough I should be good for at least a couple months.
My largest small tank is a standard 2.5g glass box that sits on my kitchen window sill (tree provides for filtered sunlight). No filter, no heater, no nada.
Substrate: Polished gravel, misc rocks, a handful of dry fluorite that fell in by accident... there's also a couple chunks of leftover driftwood scraps.
Flora: crypts, frog bit, bacopa ,java moss, a couple mystery plants (poss a small type of sword?) that's lived thru a billion aquarium renovations over the years. Whenever I have a smidge of a new plant left over, I stick it in to see how it does. Just added dwarf pennywort.
Fauna: 3 cobra endlers, 3 ghost shrimp, a variety of snails including a nerite.
Ferts: topped off with water siphoned from the main tanks
Weekly 25% wc with basic tap.
I've also got a .75g planted bowl with 5 orange halo shrimp, a 1.25 gallon bowl heavily planted with 2 ghost shrimp, and a 1g with a ghost shrimp and a couple horned nerites. No filter, no air pump, no heater and the fanciest lighting set up is a full spectrum bulb in a reading lamp.
My smallest 'tank' is a 1"x1"x2.5" acrylic box.
Substrate is 1/2" fluorite.
Flora: cardamine lyrata, java moss, dwarf baby tears.
Fauna: two baby ramshorn snails.
Ferts: 1 dab flourish weekly.
Topped off with distilled water every 2-3 days, 50% wkly wc.
Eventually I'll need to switch out for new baby snails, but so far their rate of growth (no feeding) is slow enough I should be good for at least a couple months.
My largest small tank is a standard 2.5g glass box that sits on my kitchen window sill (tree provides for filtered sunlight). No filter, no heater, no nada.
Substrate: Polished gravel, misc rocks, a handful of dry fluorite that fell in by accident... there's also a couple chunks of leftover driftwood scraps.
Flora: crypts, frog bit, bacopa ,java moss, a couple mystery plants (poss a small type of sword?) that's lived thru a billion aquarium renovations over the years. Whenever I have a smidge of a new plant left over, I stick it in to see how it does. Just added dwarf pennywort.
Fauna: 3 cobra endlers, 3 ghost shrimp, a variety of snails including a nerite.
Ferts: topped off with water siphoned from the main tanks
Weekly 25% wc with basic tap.
I've also got a .75g planted bowl with 5 orange halo shrimp, a 1.25 gallon bowl heavily planted with 2 ghost shrimp, and a 1g with a ghost shrimp and a couple horned nerites. No filter, no air pump, no heater and the fanciest lighting set up is a full spectrum bulb in a reading lamp.
1 - 9 of 9 Posts
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