Aquarium Hobby

[Binary_Bark]

I’d love to see what setups you all have. I’m currently building a no-water-change no filter (Extremely basic), natural tank, the goal is a self-sustaining ecosystem with lots of elements harvested from local dams and rivers.
Here’s what I’ve done so far:

Substrate: A mix of gravel, garden topsoil, and some soil collected from a nearby dam.
Plants: All sourced from our local dam/reservoir for that authentic natural feel.

Image 1: The starting point about a week ago, just getting things going.


Image 2: Four days in, added plants and more dam soil. The milky water is actually a great sign! It means algae and microorganisms are blooming, which helps the system start balancing itself.


Image 3: Things settling nicely, just before introducing the fish stock.


I’ve also introduced brown snails to help control algae and break down detritus. They’re great for keeping things clean in a natural tank. However, it’s important to note that snail populations can explode if left unchecked.
To maintain balance, I plan to add natural predators later, such as Assassin Snails or even puffer fish, to keep their numbers under control. In a self-sustaining ecosystem, every species needs a counterbalance, and snails are no exception.

I’m aiming for a true low-maintenance, balanced ecosystem. If anyone has tips or wants to share their natural setups, I’d love to see them!

 

[Binary_Bark]

 

[Creag]

I had an aquarium for many years. I regret (big time) giving it up. I wish I could start again.

Best of luck with your build and journey @Binary_Bark

If I may ask, how many litres in this tank?

 

[Binary_Bark]

I had an aquarium for many years. I regret (big time) giving it up. I wish I could start again.

Best of luck with your build and journey @Binary_Bark

If I may ask, how many litres in this tank?

This one is a 15 gallon tank, not small and not very big. Always had fish as a kid, only now there is the funds for a proper tank with tropical fish, not a gold fish swimming around in a ice-cream bucket. What got me going again is at my new job there is a 200 gallon natural tank

Why can you not start again?

 

[Binary_Bark]

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

My son have a few tanks. Big tank he also made a 'planted" tank with normal top soil. Just a bit of soil mixed with gravel. That tank is full of plants and the plant grow well. But man, does not matter how many water changes, algae eater etc, the algae just wont stop.
When he(we) start over one day we will bite the bullet and buy the proper substrate. Only problen its a huge tank so it will cost a pretty penny.
Oh and he also had duckweed in at some stage. Problem is its prevents the light reaching the plants. And when you have proper expensive plants you don't need that. At one stage we also got plants from dams, but none of the are very good looking and mostly also don't last that long.

 

[Binary_Bark]

My son have a few tanks. Big tank he also made a 'planted" tank with normal top soil. Just a bit of soil mixed with gravel. That tank is full of plants and the plant grow well. But man, does not matter how many water changes, algae eater etc, the algae just wont stop.
When he(we) start over one day we will bite the bullet and buy the proper substrate. Only problem its a huge tank so it will cost a pretty penny.
Oh and he also had duckweed in at some stage. Problem is its prevents the light reaching the plants. And when you have proper expensive plants you don't need that. At one stage we also got plants from dams, but none of the are very good looking and mostly also don't last that long.

I am absolutely no expert, just a starter hobbyist, from videos and reading duckweed should only cover 20% of the tank, from the people that made the tank in the office, dam plants, top soil etc. However, everything you've said makes great sense, it's from experience and to be trusted, thank you for taking the time to write this, I will take it to thinking and managing.

 

[FiestaST]

What's the maintenance costs like on your bad boy?

(I have no skin in the game/horse in the race, just genuine interest)

 

[Binary_Bark]

What's the maintenance costs like on your bad boy?

(I have no skin in the game/horse in the race, just genuine interest)

Tank: Acrylic 15 gallon about R1.75k
Pump: Came with tank
Filter (Very Basic): Came with tank
Gravel: R50
Soil: R0
Plants: R0
Vulcanic Rock: R0
Plastic Ship: R200
Dechlorinate: R130
Starter: R130
Some cotton wool to help filtration at the start: R40

Natural tank, Maintenance cost at the end? R0

 

[Creag]

This one is a 15 gallon tank, not small and not very big. Always had fish as a kid, only now there is the funds for a proper tank with tropical fish, not a gold fish swimming around in a ice-cream bucket. What got me going again is at my new job there is a 200 gallon natural tank

Why can you not start again?

I wish I could start again. The space is an issue. I have an online store for Lego and it has since morphed (after giving away the tank) a bit in terms of shelves for the parts and pieces.

If I had the space, I would almost certainly go with a largish tank (possibly Juwel), and like you are doing, go slow, and build it to something that is beautiful. Definitely fresh water and tropical.

It will happen again, because it is an amazingly rewarding hobby.

(PS. Definitely no tiger barbs ever again. They looked great in the tank, but were way too aggressive.)

Thank you for creating this thread. It is bookmarked and I am looking forward to all the posts here.

 

[Binary_Bark]

What's the maintenance costs like on your bad boy?

(I have no skin in the game/horse in the race, just genuine interest)

Also doing this with no experience what so-ever, just lots of reaserch

 

[SauRoNZA]

I’m not sure how you can get away without a filter and no water change whatsoever.

Even in nature the water is changed otherwise it becomes poison from nitrates.

It’s kind of why you have a filter in the first place (other than adding oxygen) to reduce water changes, otherwise you need to do it more frequently to compensate for the lack of nitrogen cycle.

But oxygen is another problem, without some form of mechanical element to cause surface agitation your water will effectively become dead.

There is no such thing as no water changes in aquariums, just low water changes.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Also doing this with no experience what so-ever, just lots of reaserch

In that case I would hold off a month before you go burn money on fish, or at least start on the cheap ones to enhance your nitrogen cycle.

 

[Binary_Bark]

I wish I could start again. The space is an issue. I have an online store for Lego and it has since morphed (after giving away the tank) a bit in terms of shelves for the parts and pieces.

If I had the space, I would almost certainly go with a largish tank (possibly Juwel), and like you are doing, go slow, and build it to something that is beautiful. Definitely fresh water and tropical.

It will happen again, because it is an amazingly rewarding hobby.

(PS. Definitely no tiger barbs ever again. They looked great in the tank, but were way too aggressive.)

Thank you for creating this thread. It is bookmarked and I am looking forward to all the posts here.

There is always the cube, but I feel insulted just mentioning it, we want something big an beautiful.
Planning on adding fish tomorrow, but for all the starters, you need to check the nitrate and ammonia levels first

 

[SauRoNZA]

There is always the cube, but I feel insulted just mentioning it, we want something big an beautiful.
Planning on adding fish tomorrow, but for all the starters, you need to check the nitrate and ammonia levels first

So you have a test kit at least?

Please just don’t get so stuck on not changing the water to tick some kind of box when the test tells you levels are too high, because things will die and die quickly.

 

[Creag]

I’m not sure how you can get away without a filter and no water change whatsoever.

Even in nature the water is changed otherwise it becomes poison from nitrates.

It’s kind of why you have a filter in the first place (other than adding oxygen) to reduce water changes, otherwise you need to do it more frequently to compensate for the lack of nitrogen cycle.

But oxygen is another problem, without some form of mechanical element to cause surface agitation your water will effectively become dead.

In my tank, I only topped it up occasionally. Water change would not be good for the fish and environment. I was a real learner and by experience too (lots of mistakes in my journey).

Edit: in my system, I had to clean and maintain all aspects of my tank. I was not clever enough to develop something self sustaining.

 

[Binary_Bark]

In that case I would hold off a month before you go burn money on fish, or at least start on the cheap ones to enhance your nitrogen cycle.

I'm planning to stay patient with this, first fish would be some guppies maybe shrimp, to continue stabilizing the system and add tropical fish, assassin snails, bottom feeders, etc. in about 3 months time

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

I’m not sure how you can get away without a filter and no water change whatsoever.

Even in nature the water is changed otherwise it becomes poison from nitrates.

He just started. Give it an month and then we see if the results and excitement is still there
Then again thats how you learn

 

[SauRoNZA]

In my tank, I only topped it up occasionally. Water change would not be good for the fish and environment. I was a real learner and by experience too (lots of mistakes in my journey).

Yeah like I said you can get away with low water changes, but not none at all.

The bigger the tank the easier.

50% water changes have no ill effects on fish or environment and only benefits, assuming you’ve either harvested rain water, let the tap water stand overnight or treated it.

Generally 25% straight from the tap isn’t even an issue but it depends what you are keeping.

Worst I would go is once in three months, but that’s with large external canister filters and such.

No filter at all? I would change at least 25% once a month regardless of what the test says and obviously immediately if the test says otherwise.

Salt and water replacement are your best friends in keeping aquariums alive especially when **** starts hitting the fan.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I'm planning to stay patient with this, first fish would be some guppies maybe shrimp, to continue stabilizing the system and add tropical fish, assassin snails, bottom feeders, etc. in about 3 months time

I’m assuming the plan is extremely low live stock numbers and mostly planted to act as the filter?