Is a self sustaining tank possible?

[GenericReefer]

Out of curiousity, I wondered if there is a way towards making a "self-sustaining" tank. I used "self-sustaining" in quotes, because in this hypothetical tank, it really wouldn't completely self-sufficient. There'd be the occasional dose and maybe changing of a filter.

Hear me out: how would it sound if a 125-gal tank, with standard hobby equipment in it, could create a sustaining ecosystem for just a pair of clowns and hardy corals. A few turbo snails. The entire aquarium would only house softies and zoas, maybe a hardy LPS or SPS. There'd also be a crap ton of filter media and bricks in the sump.

Before adding any livestock, the entire system would be seeded with a variety of 'pods, mysis, brine, and phyto, and given ample time for them to breed and reach a stable level. From here, the two clowns can be added, and then the corals. From there, it's just dosing two part and trace elements every so often and changing filter pad just so the tank can stay clear.

It sounds crazy to have a 125-gal tank, and I'm sure nobody in their right mind would go through setting up that big of a tank to house just two small fish and soft corals, but could ?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Out of curiousity, I wondered if there is a way towards making a "self-sustaining" tank. I used "self-sustaining" in quotes, because in this hypothetical tank, it really wouldn't completely self-sufficient. There'd be the occasional dose and maybe changing of a filter.

Hear me out: how would it sound if a 125-gal tank, with standard hobby equipment in it, could create a sustaining ecosystem for just a pair of clowns and hardy corals. A few turbo snails. The entire aquarium would only house softies and zoas, maybe a hardy LPS or SPS. There'd also be a crap ton of filter media and bricks in the sump.

Before adding any livestock, the entire system would be seeded with a variety of 'pods, mysis, brine, and phyto, and given ample time for them to breed and reach a stable level. From here, the two clowns can be added, and then the corals. From there, it's just dosing two part and trace elements every so often and changing filter pad just so the tank can stay clear.

It sounds crazy to have a 125-gal tank, and I'm sure nobody in their right mind would go through setting up that big of a tank to house just two small fish and soft corals, but could ?

That is kind of what bulk Reef supply is trying to accomplish in their new ULM series. Essentially having a thriving reef tank that only requires a couple minutes of maintenance a month. Check the videos out on YouTube

 

[boisblancboy]

I think he was alluding too that the tank would harbor the food sources as well.

But I agree on the other aspect of what BRS is doing in their ULM series.

 

[GenericReefer]

That is kind of what bulk Reef supply is trying to accomplish in their new ULM series. Essentially having a thriving reef tank that only requires a couple minutes of maintenance a month. Check the videos out on YouTube

I saw their new videos, and I'm pinching myself for being able to hear their advice when I was creating my tank. Great series

 

[SDReefer]

I don't think that you would be able to create a self-sustaining food source in anything less than 2,000 gallons. There is much more algae on the reef than we'd like in our tanks, too. Everything else is feasible, though.

 

[User1]

Anything is possible. We went to the moon with less compute than we have on our cell phones...you just have to plan and size it properly. You may not end up with the heaviest stocked tank with regards to fish but I do think it is very much possible even without a skimmer.

 

[hart24601]

double post

 

[hart24601]

You lighting with sunlight, no heater but what for water movement? Or self sustaining in the respect of just not adding food?

I would think that using an algae eating species of fish like a lawnmower blenny would be a key component. Just add a good deal of phosphate (few ppm) and nitrate when setting up and never export any of it. Nutrients go into algae, then into algae eating fish, then back into algae. Eventually need to replace the amounts used by the growth of the fish and other animals but it wouldn't be all that much. Trying to build the food web up a level higher for fish food would be hard I think, that is have enough algae to raise pods that are then consumed by larger organisms that then are consumed by fish (depending on fish species).

Called ecological pyramid or tropic pyramid, a few people toss out the number that from an energy perspective each step is only 10% efficient (to build biomass). So direct algae consumers would help a lot imo!

 

[Reefin Dude]

not in a substrated system. all resources need to be as readily available as possible. when resources become locked long term populations will collapse.

G~

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

You'd need a whole food chain, probably something a bit bigger than microfauna that readily reproduced that was eaten by the fish, it would require a huge tank

 

[fish farmer]

You need to read "Dynamic Aquaria" by Adey and Loveland. It focuses on microcosms of various marine and freshwater ecosystems, including reef tanks, this is where algal turf scubbers came into play. If you only want a couple of fish and a few corals then your DT should be 25 gallons with HUGE sump/refuge. At least thats how I would do it.