Sustainable Self-Feeding Aquarium Jars Evolution

 Sustainable Self-Feeding Aquarium Jars Evolution

I set up all my aquariums in the same way.

Add dechlorinated aged water and gravel.

 The next thing I add are live plants.

A small cutting of any fast-growing aquatic plant and some moss.

In this example, I want to check how this terrestrial moss will grow underwater.

Many terrestrial mosses and land plants can grow in aquariums.

Small glass jars make nice playgrounds for experiments.

Next, I add a cutting of Hornwort or any other fast-growing aquatic plant.

Then I add a couple of small-sized snails.

Bladder and Ramshorn snails are the most common and very resilient.

A healthy population of snails indicates good-quality water in any aquarium.

Cover the jar using a lid with a hole in it for air circulation.

The cover reduces water evaporation greatly.

The aquarium jar is all set and ready.

Add water to the level as necessary.

Plants and common green algae need only indirect sunlight and water to start growing.

Snails and scuds feed on common green algae and wilting leaves.

Here you can see snails and scuds in another aquarium jar that looks prettier.

Notice the amount of waste accumulated on the rocks.

This aquarium is about 2 years old at the time of the recording.

Plants keep growing, feeding on waste dissolved in water.

Scuds and snails keep breeding, feeding on plants.

It's a tiny perfectly balanced, sustainable, self-feeding aquarium.

The land plants on the top of the jar, growing with roots in water, help in keeping the water clean.

Notice the long green strings of terrestrial moss growing in water.

I've been trying different mosses, plants, critters in different combinations and various conditions.

Small aquarium jars work great for such experiments, taking virtually no space.

Here you can see a thriving colony of seed shrimp in another small jar with snails and scuds.

It's time to move them to a larger jar aquarium.

As time goes by, I learn more through observations and personal experience.

And I start experimenting with small fish in larger jar aquariums.

Algae, plants, snails, and scuds— all the same as in the small jars, but now with fish and in larger jars.

Beautiful, sustainable self-feeding aquarium jars that I can leave unattended for weeks.

And I went on weeks-long vacations, leaving my aquariums up to one month without anyone watching after them.

It took years of experiments.

The evolution never stops.

It's always a work in progress with unknown results.

Eventually, the idea of sustainable self-feeding aquarium jars evolved into a 29-gallon paludarium.

Eastern newts, fish, snails, scuds, algae, aquatic and terrestrial plants, and now with terrestrial critters to complement sustainable self-feeding aquariums.

Here you can see isopods.

Also, there are springtails and Grindal worms.

It all works in unison as intended by the design of Nature with very little human intervention.

The evolution of jar aquariums never stops.

I have some ongoing experiments mentioned in previous videos.

And I have new ideas to try.

Please share your ideas in comments.

Have fun and happy aquariums :)