# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Isolate a tank to be self-going



## Izac (Nov 16, 2003)

Is it possible to start an aquarium and then glue a glasplate over it so it's totally isolated. I mean, like takeing some dirt and plants from nature, place it in a jar and close it, and let it handle itself. 
My teacher was thinking of maybe start an selfgoing aquarium, so it would be fun to know if it's possible.
I belevie it will look like hell sometimes, with all the algea overgrowth and so, but maybe nature solves itselfs.

Is it possible to have fishes in there? Or will they die (because of the bad environment, or not having any/or enough offsprings)?

I'm new here.
Excuse my english.


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## Izac (Nov 16, 2003)

Is it possible to start an aquarium and then glue a glasplate over it so it's totally isolated. I mean, like takeing some dirt and plants from nature, place it in a jar and close it, and let it handle itself. 
My teacher was thinking of maybe start an selfgoing aquarium, so it would be fun to know if it's possible.
I belevie it will look like hell sometimes, with all the algea overgrowth and so, but maybe nature solves itselfs.

Is it possible to have fishes in there? Or will they die (because of the bad environment, or not having any/or enough offsprings)?

I'm new here.
Excuse my english.


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## Cipla (Apr 25, 2003)

I think its a good idea to let the tank cycle before you isolate it totally, see what fgencoz wrote in another thread:



> quote:
> 
> For many years I have followed Waldstad's philosophy. I went farther, in fact. I covered a 40G tank with transparent plastic and made a real closed system. The only addition to the system was light. The system worked very well for at least 4 months. Then I begun see very resistant red algae. I did nothing. In one month it was everywhere. Then came the blue-green algae and covered everything including the red ones. When the red ones could not get light they eventually disappeared, but blue greens remained. Approximately at the end of the sixth month, because I needed a tank space for my breeding fish in another tank, I uncovered the plastic cover and changed 50% of the water. It was that night I saw the blue greens last time. Two ancistrus successfully survived in the tank. After changing the water they died within two months.
> 
> ...


As a matter of fact i'm in the planning stages of a project a bit like yours - if your teacher sets it up please give us some info.

/Lars


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

We touched on the topic of bio-spheres on the APD earlier this year. It's possible for these setups to last for several years however a careful balance needs to be acchieved between animal life and plant life. I'm sure it will take many attempts to find that balance. A larger system would probably be easier to maintain. Here is the link to the makers of the bio-spheres:

http://www.beachworld.it/old/eng/index-e.html

Hope that helps
Giancarlo Podio


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## James F (Sep 24, 2003)

The schools here do this every year. They get the ids to get 2 gallon jars, put in gravel, water, a small plant, some snails, and a few guppies, then seal it.
I personally despise this project ( I'd say 95% of the fish don't survive the experiment).
The last time I checked, there wasn't a glass cover over the lakes around here.

Regards,
James

Plants and supplies for Canadians at www.tbaquascapes.com


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