The jar/bowl thread

[NearMeBettas]

So one of the plants I wanted to grow in a jar melted and just broke one of the stems, so I grabbed a couple pieces and threw together a jar.

So here's to hopefully saving and propagating ludwigia mini super red! I added a few pics of the set up and jar, and the last one was the plant I took these pieces from. I'm assuming it's dying from lack of nutrients so I'm hoping having South sun and dirt substrate will help develop some nice roots for transplanting. It looks so puny now, lol.

What is the name of that plant?? I have been trying to find out lol! I have it and absolutely love it, but have no idea what the name is. Thank you!!

 

[JustAFishServant]

Ha! Hiya! I’m in HarCo.

I have to go back through... I feel like I’ve missed a bunch of posts!

I scrapped my 2g vase and redid it. I was NOT feeling the dirt. I just can’t NOT mess with plants and stuff and was constantly pulling up dirt into the water column. And that big chunk of wood was growing weird stuff and smelling stinky. So I used what I had left of washed BDBS and white aquarium sand. Of course, I now hate the black and white speckle look. Sheesh. I’m gonna get some pool filter sand to build out a new home for Rally the Betta, and I’ll use some of that and root tabs in the vase...so I have one more rescape to do before I leave it alone (ish). Went to the LFS and got some spiderwood and lava rock for the betta rebuild so boiled all that...to my family’s dramatic eye rolls. In the meantime, I put my (rather ugly brown) ramshorns in a tiny vase with loads of plants and a few seashells (one snail had a broken shell). They’re pooping like madmen.

Oh! I am now o-fish-ially offended! Brown Ramshorns are my favorite! XD

 

[NearMeBettas]

Oh! I am now o-fish-ially offended! Brown Ramshorns are my favorite! XD

I love them 2!! Gerrr... XD

 

[LHAquatics]

The jar is ready, but It is not looking so good right now (plants not straight and the water is cloudy)

 

[Gudgie]

Following! Been on a bit of a hiatus with life being busy, but hopefully I'll be back more regularly. Can't wait to see how your bowl progresses!

My no-tech Walstad bowl is still going strong, with its three orange neo shrimp and several least killies (plus some small pest snails). Just over 6 months in. I do shockingly little maintenance, outside of topping up the water.
Gudgie’s No-Tech Walstad bowl journal | Freshwater Aquarium Builds Forum | 476957

 

[bettafairy]

Hi guys! Just wanted to show off my recent filtered 3 gal vase that I started working on tonight. I’m going to fill it with more water, but so far it has drift wood, Bacopa, El Niño fern, Anubias, and an Aponogeton, as well as a Dieffenbachia inside the filter. I used clay hydro balls, potting soil, and a mixture of pool sand/gravel. I’m hoping to add more plants to it soon. And maybe a heater? I don’t know if it would be necessary but I do want to keep snails (but I’m kind of scared of them escaping).

 

[BruinAquatics]

Hi guys! Just wanted to show off my recent filtered 3 gal vase that I started working on tonight. I’m going to fill it with more water, but so far it has drift wood, Bacopa, El Niño fern, Anubias, and an Aponogeton, as well as a Dieffenbachia inside the filter. I used clay hydro balls, potting soil, and a mixture of pool sand/gravel. I’m hoping to add more plants to it soon. And maybe a heater? I don’t know if it would be necessary but I do want to keep snails (but I’m kind of scared of them escaping).

Lol they always make it back in the water.....sometimes

 

[Magua]

Hi guys! Just wanted to show off my recent filtered 3 gal vase that I started working on tonight. I’m going to fill it with more water, but so far it has drift wood, Bacopa, El Niño fern, Anubias, and an Aponogeton, as well as a Dieffenbachia inside the filter. I used clay hydro balls, potting soil, and a mixture of pool sand/gravel. I’m hoping to add more plants to it soon. And maybe a heater? I don’t know if it would be necessary but I do want to keep snails (but I’m kind of scared of them escaping).

It’s perfect!!! I’ve only had my ramshorn snails for a week but so far no one has come OUT of the water. They all come to the surface (and poop their brains out -_- ) but only just to stick their heads out. I have my water about 2 inches from the top. I put 3 cherry shrimp in a couple days ago.

What’s that light green thing close to the top? And is that a plant coming out the top (or is it behind the vahhhz)?

 

[Basil]

Hi guys! Just wanted to show off my recent filtered 3 gal vase that I started working on tonight. I’m going to fill it with more water, but so far it has drift wood, Bacopa, El Niño fern, Anubias, and an Aponogeton, as well as a Dieffenbachia inside the filter. I used clay hydro balls, potting soil, and a mixture of pool sand/gravel. I’m hoping to add more plants to it soon. And maybe a heater? I don’t know if it would be necessary but I do want to keep snails (but I’m kind of scared of them escaping).

So far my snails have not tried to escape my open top bowl.

 

[bettafairy]

It’s perfect!!! I’ve only had my ramshorn snails for a week but so far no one has come OUT of the water. They all come to the surface (and poop their brains out -_- ) but only just to stick their heads out. I have my water about 2 inches from the top. I put 3 cherry shrimp in a couple days ago.

What’s that light green thing close to the top? And is that a plant coming out the top (or is it behind the vahhhz)?

Thank you so much! And that’s great to know! I think I might do ramshorns as well. The light green thing close to the top is my my main piece of filter media, you can see it because I chose to take the lid off my filter. I did this so that the plant inside can have its stem exposed to air and won’t rot! The plant inside the filter is called a Dieffenbachia and can grow with its roots fully submerged in water

 

[NearMeBettas]

Hi guys! Just wanted to show off my recent filtered 3 gal vase that I started working on tonight. I’m going to fill it with more water, but so far it has drift wood, Bacopa, El Niño fern, Anubias, and an Aponogeton, as well as a Dieffenbachia inside the filter. I used clay hydro balls, potting soil, and a mixture of pool sand/gravel. I’m hoping to add more plants to it soon. And maybe a heater? I don’t know if it would be necessary but I do want to keep snails (but I’m kind of scared of them escaping).

Nice and clean looking tank. I would give the snails a try, and maybe a few neo, Orange, or cherry shrimp. I night doubt they will escape. I have the same tank but have a lid on it lol! It is a brackish for my fiddlers. Pick below- (my camera stinks so it looks cloudy and gloomy lol!)

 

[Mhamilton0911]

You can trust ramshorns to stay in thier water, however don't trust a nerite. I had to treat a tank once and needed to remove snails I cared for, and nerite's don't do jars, even for 5min. I think the ramshorns are the perfect jar snail.

 

[StarGirl]

My Nerite got out of my rimmed tank. A jar would be too easy for them.

 

[bettafairy]

Do ramshorns need a heater? I could stick a small 5W in the jar, I just don’t know if it’s completely necessary

 

[StarGirl]

Do ramshorns need a heater? I could stick a small 5W in the jar, I just don’t know if it’s completely necessary

No they do not.

 

[mattgirl]

Ramshorn snails are definitely the way to go in an open top container. Both nerites and mysteries will go on walkabouts. So far Miss Sneller (my mystery snail) has come out of my 55 gallon tank but just to lay eggs. She just came out far enough to lay eggs on the front of one of the HOB filters. Thankfully she has gone no farther.....yet

 

[Magua]

I have the same tank but have a lid on it lol! It is a brackish for my fiddlers. Pick below- (my camera stinks so it looks cloudy and gloomy lol!)

What is that pinky purple plant!? Stunning!

So.... I ended up upgrading my betta boy, Rally, to a 7.5 tank today and since I was in fishy mode...

I scaped the 3 gallon he was in and moved the ramshorn and 3 cherry shrimp into it. I was finding the view through the cylinder of the 2 gallon vahz to be a bit distorted. So now they have a 3 gallon cube and I’m reeeeeeally hoping there’s at least one female cherry that populates the lil tank.

And the 2 gallon is now a mini desert using some leftover substrate and old aquarium rocks. LOL! 8 hours of “work”. I love this hobby $o $o much!

 

[NearMeBettas]

What is that pinky purple plant!? Stunning!

So.... I ended up upgrading my betta boy, Rally, to a 7.5 tank today and since I was in fishy mode...

I scaped the 3 gallon he was in and moved the ramshorn and 3 cherry shrimp into it. I was finding the view through the cylinder of the 2 gallon vahz to be a bit distorted. So now they have a 3 gallon cube and I’m reeeeeeally hoping there’s at least one female cherry that populates the lil tank.

And the 2 gallon is now a mini desert using some leftover substrate and old aquarium rocks. LOL! 8 hours of “work”. I love this hobby $o $o much!

It is a polka dot plant. You can find it in most green houses- just make sure to wash the roots really well. If you can't find it, I can sell you some. (Love hour tanks btw!!)

 

[StarGirl]

What is that pinky purple plant!? Stunning!

So.... I ended up upgrading my betta boy, Rally, to a 7.5 tank today and since I was in fishy mode...

I scaped the 3 gallon he was in and moved the ramshorn and 3 cherry shrimp into it. I was finding the view through the cylinder of the 2 gallon vahz to be a bit distorted. So now they have a 3 gallon cube and I’m reeeeeeally hoping there’s at least one female cherry that populates the lil tank.

And the 2 gallon is now a mini desert using some leftover substrate and old aquarium rocks. LOL! 8 hours of “work”. I love this hobby $o $o much!

That looks really good! Rally has a nice pad! You may want to keep a eye on your pH with the shell decorations though.

 

[attheworld]

Hello hello, inspired by this thread I have began my own jar. As you can see I have used sea soil potting soil, capped with gravel from my established tank. It will be plants-only freshwater, since it holds under 1 gallon of water and it'd be a death sentence to place any critters in there. In addition, it is not heated or filtered. Due to the nutrients being leaked from the potting sea soil and decaying organic matter, I shall do a 90% water change daily for the next week, and then test. I set it up yesterday and it tested for 2 ppm ammonia today!

I used an extra piece of tiger wood and added some dwarf water lettuce from my 10g. Since this photo, I have added bacopa and limnophila trimmings on the left (little babies, it doesn't make much difference to the photo).


You can see it is on my windowsill but since it's an east-facing window it'll only receive direct sunlight for a few hours in the morning (~6 hours max). I wonder how these plants will do, compared to my 10 gallon.

 

[Magua]

That looks really good! Rally has a nice pad! You may want to keep a eye on your pH with the shell decorations though.

Thanks! Actually hoping to raise it a bit...it sits at 6 generally. I should probably look up what bettas like though!!

 

[StarGirl]

Thanks! Actually hoping to raise it a bit...it sits at 6 generally. I should probably look up what bettas like though!!

I wouldnt worry about it. If you do want to raise it crushed coral does really well.

 

[bettafairy]

Update: I added a Quartz crystal and two more Anubias. I think the wood has a started producing tannins so the water is a nice golden color already! I’m kind of unsure as to where to go from here. I’m very interested in getting a single ramshorn, so I think I need to start getting beneficial bacteria and algae growing for him. Has anyone had success cycling their jar/bowl? Is it necessary? Or has everyone used the walstad method and stuck to testing then topping off their water? This is my first time setting a dirted tank up like this, so the whole process feels a little unfamiliar. I don’t have any household ammonia, so I think if Its necessary to add ammonia, I’ve decided on using fish food. I just want to have perfect conditions for the snail, and for shrimp if I decide to keep them in the tank in the future.

 

[Magua]

Update: I added a Quartz crystal and two more Anubias. I think the wood has a started producing tannins so the water is a nice golden color already! I’m kind of unsure as to where to go from here. I’m very interested in getting a single ramshorn, so I think I need to start getting beneficial bacteria and algae growing for him. Has anyone had success cycling their jar/bowl? Is it necessary? Or has everyone used the walstad method and stuck to testing then topping off their water? This is my first time setting a dirted tank up like this, so the whole process feels a little unfamiliar. I don’t have any household ammonia, so I think if Its necessary to add ammonia, I’ve decided on using fish food. I just want to have perfect conditions for the snail, and for shrimp if I decide to keep them in the tank in the future.

Oooh! Looks awesome! That’s one impressive chunk’o driftwood!
Honestly, I didn’t cycle my vase. I did use a ton of plants and lava rock from an established tank. Ramshorns and 3 lil shrimp are doing well so far.

 

[Basil]

Update: I added a Quartz crystal and two more Anubias. I think the wood has a started producing tannins so the water is a nice golden color already! I’m kind of unsure as to where to go from here. I’m very interested in getting a single ramshorn, so I think I need to start getting beneficial bacteria and algae growing for him. Has anyone had success cycling their jar/bowl? Is it necessary? Or has everyone used the walstad method and stuck to testing then topping off their water? This is my first time setting a dirted tank up like this, so the whole process feels a little unfamiliar. I don’t have any household ammonia, so I think if Its necessary to add ammonia, I’ve decided on using fish food. I just want to have perfect conditions for the snail, and for shrimp if I decide to keep them in the tank in the future.

I didn’t plan to cycle mine but as I mentioned, I tested it a few days after set up and there was ammonia, nitrites, and a smidgen of nitrates. I did pull the plants from cycled aquariums so it makes sense that there was bb present.
Umm, I haven’t tested it since :embarrassed:
I have about a half dozen ramshorns in there and they are doing fine.
I got the light today and moved it upstairs to its home.
Now fingers crossed everything starts to grow well!

 

[Magua]

I didn’t plan to cycle mine but as I mentioned, I tested it a few days after set up and there was ammonia, nitrites, and a smidgen of nitrates. I did pull the plants from cycled aquariums so it makes sense that there was bb present.
Umm, I haven’t tested it since :embarrassed:
I have about a half dozen ramshorns in there and they are doing fine.
I got the light today and moved it upstairs to its home.
Now fingers crossed everything starts to grow well!
View attachment 793353

Looking great!!!

 

[Basil]

I think the bowl is definitely growing!
But it’s a terrible picture lol!

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Jar updates!
I haven't done much to this jar other than a couple waterchanges, I see some nuisance algea creeping up I should probably tackle, buuuut..... I added 9 tetra fry!!

The story....
So it was unexpected. In my main tank I have glo tetras. I know, not for everybody, but I like them. They are the black skirt type. I have 6, 2 blues, 2 greens, 2 pinks. I caught 2 spawing the other day and they covered everything in eggs. Out of pure curiosity, I collected a few floating plants that caught eggs and let them float in a container. 2 days later a have no eggs and little clear slivers with eyes. I collected 19 in total, which was more than I thought, I only saw about 10 eggs on the plant roots. Anywho. Now what? Food, that's what. I have no micro live foods that these tiny fry need, so I get the light bulb idea to use my jars. I know it's not the biggest container, but the jars are hosting many micro fauna that would serve as food for these tiny fry. I split the batch into the ludwiga jar, and my planted shrimp cube.

So far it's been 5 days and they are definitely getting bigger. I haven't seen as many in the cube, but there are way more places to hide in there, with moss and more floaters. But I can count all 9 that I put into the ludwigia jar. And I definitely see them eating in the jar. When I rotate the jar, it makes the seed shrimp, or copepods jump around and I see the fry chase and eat. So cute. So the main question is, what color will they be?? Who actually knows the genetics of the glo colors? It'll be an interesting experiment.

 

[Magua]

Jar updates!
I haven't seen as many in the cube, but there are way more places to hide in there, with moss and more floaters. But I can count all 9 that I put into the ludwigia jar. And I definitely see them eating in the jar. When I rotate the jar, it makes the seed shrimp, or copepods jump around and I see the fry chase and eat. So cute. So the main question is, what color will they be?? Who actually knows the genetics of the glo colors? It'll be an interesting experiment.

OHMYGOSH!!!! They're so tiny and so adorable! Good catch...literally!

 

[Basil]

Jar updates!
I haven't done much to this jar other than a couple waterchanges, I see some nuisance algea creeping up I should probably tackle, buuuut..... I added 9 tetra fry!!

The story....
So it was unexpected. In my main tank I have glo tetras. I know, not for everybody, but I like them. They are the black skirt type. I have 6, 2 blues, 2 greens, 2 pinks. I caught 2 spawing the other day and they covered everything in eggs. Out of pure curiosity, I collected a few floating plants that caught eggs and let them float in a container. 2 days later a have no eggs and little clear slivers with eyes. I collected 19 in total, which was more than I thought, I only saw about 10 eggs on the plant roots. Anywho. Now what? Food, that's what. I have no micro live foods that these tiny fry need, so I get the light bulb idea to use my jars. I know it's not the biggest container, but the jars are hosting many micro fauna that would serve as food for these tiny fry. I split the batch into the ludwiga jar, and my planted shrimp cube.

So far it's been 5 days and they are definitely getting bigger. I haven't seen as many in the cube, but there are way more places to hide in there, with moss and more floaters. But I can count all 9 that I put into the ludwigia jar. And I definitely see them eating in the jar. When I rotate the jar, it makes the seed shrimp, or copepods jump around and I see the fry chase and eat. So cute. So the main question is, what color will they be?? Who actually knows the genetics of the glo colors? It'll be an interesting experiment.

That is soooo cool!

I need to do a water change to my bowl! It’s just about finished cycling and the nitrates are pretty up there at about 40 or 80 as I can’t tell the difference lol!
Not too bad since the salvinia minima is going crazy and probably eating quite a bit of nitrates.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

I did a 50% water change before I added the fry and I just tested, 5ppm nitrate. I do have a couple snails in there and 1 cherry shrimp. The fry are bigger in this jar so they must be eating enough for now. I have powdered fry food I'll try in a day or so. For now I keep turning the jar to spook the food to move.

 

[Basil]

My bowl today. I’m happy with it! Plants are growing and the snails are breeding!

 

[RedOnion]

Heres my newly set up 4g Walstad Bowl. I dont know if there will be any inhabitants in it but for now the snails will live in it while the plants grow in. Here's the set up vid!

 

[Rose of Sharon]

Following!

 

[NearMeBettas]

Same!!

 

[Coradee]

Just an fyI, you don’t need to post on a thread to follow it, just click on the watch button at the top

 

[Basil]

My bowl today. I don’t think you can see it in the picture, but the red tiger lotus is starting to grow nicely. Eventually it may get too large. Big for how, it’s perfect!

 

[Basil]

Dark, stormy weather here this morning. Great contrast to the bowl.

 

[CHJ]

My NASA bowl before and after cleaning.
This is a 5gal bowl that got sealed up with plastic wrap so I wouldn't have to add water. After several years the 3 gold back cull shrimp died, having never had babies and it was gross.

So I cleaned it.


When I was cleaning I found jello had grown in the aquarium.

I put this back in when I refilled the bowl.
Next run was not sealed and I tried some blue scuds. It was too warm for the scuds.
I suppose I can go take a pic of it. It should probably be cleaned again and maybe try sealed bowl again.

 

[WagglePets]

I know this is an Old thread but when I attempted to make a jar/bowl ecosphere and the snails (rams horn and bladder) all died? I put water conditioner in there and stuff