how to create a ecosystem in my fishtank

[TheeMon]

dudes i wanna know how to create a whole ecosystem in my fish tank, but super mini...

you know i want small crabs tiny little bugs , grass maybey? i dunno id have tons of rocks n hiding spots and mini schooling fish that breed like crazy or very cheap?, must be like 1/4inch big and weighs less then 1gram...

that way id have big fish(my fish get like 4-6inch), really really tiny fish and little stuff at the bottom...

i dont care if id have to have a microscope too see the stuff

i want to be able to see the stuff to of course

 

[endparenthesis]

This is probably the best you can do: http/naturalaquariums.com/aquariums/art01.html

Ecosystems don't really exist in miniature... something external is always necessary.

 

[TheeMon]

what external things you mean?

 

[Sorrell]

Actually, you can get them. They have two at the University of Wyoming.
Here's a link, they're actually pretty reasonable
http/www.eco-sphere.com/aboutecosphere.htm

 

[Opcn]

I think there are some sort of mini tetras that only grow to about 1 cm
and you could get a killifish that could eat them but you would need about 500 gallons to breed enought tetras to feed the killi. I personaly dont think that its phesable to have two teers of fish w/ the exception of canables like red gupies.

Good luck

Opcn

 

[endparenthesis]

what external things you mean?

Very specific levels of light... new water... something always needs to be replenished.

Even those EcoSpheres someone mentioned end up dying off after a while (the website says around 2 years) because the sunlight isn't balanced... the nutrients don't last... things just don't live long enough... etc.

But you could at least have something resembling a basic ecosystem with that first link I mentioned.