Tresbling
Member
- Joined
- 15 Feb 2008
- Messages
- 49
Thought you might like to see this bedside 'pond'. It is my favourite tank due to extremely low maintenance/success ratio! Inhabitants are 6 crystal reds, 4 amanos and 1 small plec (not an intentional resident, rehomed). There are also small populations of snails and planktonic calanoid copepods that live around the roots of the Lemna.
I never used to feed the shrimps but have started giving them spinach, and they have started to breed in response. They certainly go nuts for it. No dosing, CO2 or heating, just small internal filter with flow diffuser. 12v halogen desk lamp. Occasional small water changes, filter media rinses and plant trims. It has been around for over 2 years and the substrate has not been disturbed in that time (except by the plec!). The original gravel is well covered in a natural layer of shrimp poop and plant matter, with many unidentified tiny beasties moving around in it. I'm sure this is key to the success of the tank.
As a biology student its rewarding to have a balanced 'picosystem' on my bedside table. Just waiting for the moss to cover the filter completely, and baby CRS to crawl out of the moss. I would be interested to know if this is El natural/low tech/Walstead etc?
Last edited by a moderator: