My Walstad Jar

[dan4x4]

Shortly after I set up my Walstad aquarium, I decided to get my fish some live daphnia. I had loads left over so I poured them into a Walstad jar I created the same day. I did approx 60% water change after the 1st day then I have just been letting the rain top it up and sometimes a bit of fish tank water if it gets low.

I tried planting hygrophila polysperma and it melted. I think it was too cold outside. This was probably march or april time. Anyway I kept putting a couple of prunings in which would otherwise go in the bin. Eventually the hygro started to grow!

I dropped another cutting it which has also grown. Its in a shady area of the garden. It also got a load of wood shavings in once by accident when I had the chain saw out.

Over time Ive had snails in it, most of which stay tiny. One are particularly big and ws there from the start. Crawled out and died.

Daphnia are still alive although since I got the algae in the picture in there they're numbers dropped quite a lot. Also had some white worms in there but they have since disappeared.

Now I have these black dots that shoot around all over.

The whole thing is really interesting to me. I know some of you people of here might find this interesting so I thought i'd share it.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Now I have these black dots that shoot around all over.

Sound like Ostracods. There is a small species <(Eucypris virens)> that is black and a speedy mover.


Because they have a persistent cyst that resists drying they are very efficient at finding transient water bodies.

cheers Darrel

 

[dan4x4]

Could be the Ostracods only smaller

 

[dan4x4]

actually no, the second video definitely makes them look the size of the ones that I have! Thanks Darrel!

 

[dan4x4]

I had a quick read about them and they are light sensitive so I'm going to go out with a torch later and see what happens!