Self-feeding Cube Aquarium update

Self-feeding Cube Aquarium update

Buy Springtails, Grindal worm, Scuds locally on Craigslist:

https://newyork.craigslist.org/search/sss?userpostingid=7726351448#search=1~gallery~0~0

I am going to use this cover from a plastic container for making a floating platform.

The platform will serve as a place for springtails and worms to stay and breed in an aquarium.

I use wilted leaves wilted leaves and tree bark as a medium.

Spray it slightly with water.

That's how I setup my Springtails cultures.

I am going to use my cube aquarium for testing this floating platform.

Make sure the platform is floating on the water surface.

Cover the aquarium and let it sit overnight for leaves to get moist.

All looks good on May 5th, 2022.

I feed my fish 3 times a week in addition to everything that fish find growing in the aquarium.

Here you can see one of my well established cultures of Springtails with Grindal worms.

Let's shake some Springtails right on top of the floating platform.

There is more than enough Springtails for seeding a couple new cultures.

Tiny springtails are great jumpers.

Let's cover the tank.

Many springtails will jump right in the water.

Springtails walk on the water surface where fish can easy pick them.

Here you can see fish already hunt Springtails.

Also, many Springtails will stay on the floating platform - hopefully long enough to breed.

A couple hours later I added some Grindal worms to the floating platform as well.

Springtails and Grindal worms thrive in humid environment at room temperature feeding on detritus.

I keep them in the same containers.

They seem to get alone very well.

So, I setup Springtails with Grindal worm cultures on the floating platform on May 5th.

It took another day for the tree bark to get soaked in high humidity of the tank.

Most of the Springtails and Grindal worms hide from light under the bark and leaves.

Here, take a look - a lot of Springtails :)

Wilted leaves and tree bark are the best medium among all I tried so far for culturing Springtails and Grindal worms.

And wilted leaves also serve as source of food.

Check my previous videos for more details about it.

So basically, Springtails and Grindal worms have everything for feeding and breeding right here.

It takes about a month to establish a colony.

I still have to feed my fish 3 times a week.

Let's drop some Grindal worms for my fish to eat.

Grindal worms stay alive in water for more than 15 hours.

That's enough time for fish to find and eat them all.

Fish also will pick any worms and Springtails trying to escape from the floating platform.

Three weeks later on May 25th.

Once a month I add more Springtails and Grindal worms to the platform.

That should be enough to keep the self-feeding aquarium going with live food for a month.

Larger land platform would be better for Springtails and worms to have bigger populations.

Fish, snails, and scuds feed on common green algae I give them occasionally.

That's one of the reasons I do not remove algae from my aquariums :)

Also, algae feeds serves as filter feeding on nutrition dissolved in water.

Live plants also serve as filters and as food in aquariums.

Once a month or so, I remove old bottom parts of fast growing plants from the aquarium.

It makes space for new plants to grow competing against algae.

It could take up to a week for the plants to fully dry at a normal room temperature.

Crush the dry plants and mix it with home-made fish flakes.

It's all made from what growth in my aquariums.

And now I feed it to fish back in the same aquarium.

And again, normally I feed my fish 3 times a week.

Give fish small amount of food that can be consumed in a matter of 2-3 minutes.

I have scuds that my fish eat in all aquariums.

And here I have the land platform with Springtails and Grindal worm cultures.

I can leave my aquariums unattended for 2-3 weeks at any time :)

Everything works great as it should.

Here you can see my fish happy after 15 days of no feeding on July 18th.

The female is pregnant...good thing I came back to feed her!

Setting up self-feeding self-sustaining aquariums takes time, but it's simple and very effective.

No water changes, no filters, no problems :)

All was fine until 7 months after the initial setup of the floating platform.

Do you see the water condensation on the cover?

I did not take it into consideration!

Drop after drop after drop...eventually overfilled the floating platform.

And the platform tipped over and sunk on November 23rd.

The lesson learnt and from now on I am going to use different versions of land platforms.

I will have to disassemble this aquarium to make space for other projects.

You will see it all in my future videos ;)

Have fun and happy aquariums :)