Prometheus

This summer I want to set up a small aquarium/pot outside, using only sunlight. I'm thinking to get a pair of paradise fish since they can withstand cooler temperatures. I think it will be nice. If it rains it will collect in the bowl and then if then the fish can eat the mosquito larvea, if there is any.

I have this oriental pot (I think maybe it's 2-3 gallons more or less, I'm not quite sure yet) I want to use. NO FILTER. Also I have a Nymphaea Water Lilly. I think it is the kind used in ponds. Has anyone ever done something similar? I'm not sure if I should use soil and gravel top layer and just put the bulb on top. Or if soil is not necessary in this case? And I'm thinking about putting water sprite on top until the lily grows. Also, I'm wondering if the lilly will just end up covering the whole surface of the bowl? Has anyone tried to set up something like this outside?

yum

sounds interesting. keep us updated.

Wilder

I have a 20 gallon half-whiskey barrel pond set up outside that I wanted to put one of those lilies in, but was advised against doing so -- the lilies can grow up to four feet long and would not fit very well in my pond. If that is the same type of lily, you might want to get something else to use; frogbit or water lettuce would be nice in place of the lily, I imagine.

dwalstad

For 2-3 gal, a lily would really take over, and you'll need soil for it. Thus, I would just use the Water Sprite and not try to plant anything. Make sure that any plants you add gets acclimated to sunlight over a period of several days. Otherwise, the sunlight will kill them.

Also, you'll have to watch the water temperature closely if its going to get direct sunlight of more than 1-2 hours.

Outdoor summer ponds can be fun, but with such a small one, you'll have to monitor it carefully.

amkid247

i'm currently doing this with guppies and water lettuce.

Prometheus

The few pieces of water sprite I put in the pot really haven't grown. The guy at the LFS gave me a a mosquito fish for this..instead of paradise fish. They are pretty hardy.

I did put the lilly in there but it came in it's own bag and the directions said to put it in with the bag. I didn't use soil. The lilly sprouted a lot of small leaves but hasn't bloomed yet. The water in there is pretty yellow. The fish is doing well so far. He's very fast at snatching the food! But the water sprite looks sad It hasn't died and it has lots of roots but I didn't notice any growth unfortunately.

Diana K

One fish and whatever falls onto the surface of that small tank does not provide much in the way of fertilizer to grow plants. Without any soil in the pot there is no other source of fertilizer.

Prometheus

Yes I also thought this would be a good idea.

But the sack that the lilly came in is quite big and solid.. I imagine the bulb is wrapped up in some kind of mulch or something that provides fertilizer.. I got this bulb from a gardening magazine. On the package it said no soil necesary or something like this... and just to drop the whole thing in the water. But maybe you're right.. although I assume I'd get tons of algae in such a small bowl with no moving water? Even if I did have soil, I wouldn't be able to plant the lily bulb because the size of the sack is around 4-5 inches high. it would just have to sit on top of it. I'm not sure.

If there is yellow water doesn't that mean that there's a lot of organic nutrients that could be soaked up by the water sprite?

Prometheus

This is probably unlikely but I'm wondering if the mosquito fish is compatible with a beta or would work well in a community tank?

fshfanatic

Yes, you shouldnt have an issue.