Just curious

[dragoonwoman]

Has anyone here tried a "balanced" aquarium? This dates back to the mid-1800's and was based on the idea that you could set up a tank with the right mix, and not need any of the gadgets we rely on today.

The components were sand, snails, plants and a few fish. The idea was that the plants provided oxygen for the fish, the snails ate dead plants (and fish!) and laid eggs, and the fish ate the snail eggs. Apparently, people did meet with some success - everything lived and grew.

There were no heaters, filters, artificial lights, or added fish food. I read that this kind of tank was around up to the 1950's.

Has anyone on this forum actually tried this, or know of someone who did?

[MonkeyPox]

Yup. They are commonly sold with frogs or a single fish, a large bamboo style tree, and are less then 1g total.

A couple people on here have lightly populated and heavily planted tanks that undergo a water change once a year or so.

[dragoonwoman]

I'll have to poke around at the lfs to see if they have one.

The tanks of the 1800's were wooden with a single glass pane in front. I think they were similar to the "built into a wall" tanks I've seen some places. Not sure how big they were, but I'm sure they were larger than 1g.

I also read that they had slate bottoms so they could be heated from below (by what - a fire?). I'm really curious about this, because my husband and I have an 18th Century house, which may some day have Historic status. If we ever did get that, we'd need to open the house to the public one or two days a year, and I'd love to have an 18th C. style aquarium for people to see.

I think all they kept back then were goldfish, which were very much the rage.

[MonkeyPox]

Sorry, I realize my post wasn't clear.
The commonly sold ones run 1g or so in nature, though you could certainly design an eco-system of any size with the appropriate inhabitants.

It was common for aquariums in that era to be heated from below with a kerosene lamp.

[Crispy]

I remember doing an experiment like this in highschool biology. We had to use a large pickle jar. It worked with a few guppies, plants, snails, but after awhile the jar turned green (guess I shouldn't have left it on the window sill). But it does work.

[Mith]

Amazing... all this technology and still our fish die... lol

[Padams]

Amazing... all this technology and still our fish die... lol

And we still die too

[dragoonwoman]

From the sketches I've seen, the tank was usually positioned where it would receive a fair amount of sunlight, otherwise the plants would die. The "greening" of the tank would give the snails something to eat besides the dying vegetation. At least I think that was how it went.

MP - thanks for that bit of info on how the tanks were heated. Do you have a reference I can look at, that gave you that data? I really would like to learn more! I've tried Google, but what I get is very high-level, and I need more details.

Thanks everyone!

[MonkeyPox]

Try this book: Zoo and Aquarium History: Ancient Animal Collections To Zoological Gardens

Mostly what I've seen is in touring antebellum homes, some of which have replica aquariums set up.

[Mith]

And we still die too


Not if we lived in a pickle jar!!!

[Wiggs]

Not if we lived in a pickle jar!!!


I'd prefer to live in the cookie jar thumbs2:

[Red]

I have a 20gal long tank, that gets direct sunlight with just plants that I trim off, and always get tossed in there. I just refill it, and do it with rainwater. There is some shrimp in there, a long with a few other small fish. I don't do water changes on it, and every few months I check the parameters and perfect.

[Northernguy]

I think smaug has a densely planted tank that needs little care.
I have heard of green water tanks.They are very healthy tanks and they are great for the fish but all the owner gets to see is green water.lol
I can't find the link anymore though!:11:
My grandfather had a copper framed tank with a slate bottom.I never did find out what happened to it!