Saltwater Ecosphere?

[derpychicken777]

Ive kept freshwater ecosphere before, a little system in a jar that requires minimal maintaince, such as a gallon or two jar or bottle with some sand, hornwort, and snails, but can one do the same for saltwater? A friend's kid was interested and I thought of trying it out to give them one. Probably something along the size of a two liter and then upgraded to a gallon or two, but its going to be a container of unheated, unfliltered water with no water changes sitting somewhere with ambient light. I'm mainly concerned about temperature, I have plenty of stuff like aptasia, bubble algae, bristlworms, vermiteds (probably wont survive but i'm more than happy to get rid of some) but im mainly concerned if these "indestructable" organisms like aptasia and brisltworms can really survive, grow and reproduce in room temperature water that will probably sit in the high sixities. And what organisms might go well with this? I'm thinking about things like amphipods and ulva that might thrive in such a container.

 

[brandon429]

QUESTION OF THE DAY - REEF VASE: Have you ever consider keeping a reef in a vase, jar, bowl etc? Check these out!

I'm a sucker for little pico and nano reefs and I'm really a sucker for them in unique vessels like a vase, cookie jar, bowl etc. Let's talk about these tiny, amazing reefs today! 1. Would you ever set up a little reef in a vase or very small container? 2. Have you ever set up a little reef...

www.reef2reef.com

just because everyone voted no doesn’t mean they realize the fun they’re missing

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

QUESTION OF THE DAY - REEF VASE: Have you ever consider keeping a reef in a vase, jar, bowl etc? Check these out!

I'm a sucker for little pico and nano reefs and I'm really a sucker for them in unique vessels like a vase, cookie jar, bowl etc. Let's talk about these tiny, amazing reefs today! 1. Would you ever set up a little reef in a vase or very small container? 2. Have you ever set up a little reef...

www.reef2reef.com

just because everyone voted no doesn’t mean they realize the fun they’re missing

I was actually just about to reference a different thread of yours that I came across the other day (it took me a bit to find it):

Why its easier to grow sps in a fishbowl than in a normal reef tank

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/369846-pongpits-2gal-pico-its-a-13-months-vase（update2016108）/ these threads show some real changes in the hobby. literally reefs in goldfish bowls and the like...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[derpychicken777]

QUESTION OF THE DAY - REEF VASE: Have you ever consider keeping a reef in a vase, jar, bowl etc? Check these out!

I'm a sucker for little pico and nano reefs and I'm really a sucker for them in unique vessels like a vase, cookie jar, bowl etc. Let's talk about these tiny, amazing reefs today! 1. Would you ever set up a little reef in a vase or very small container? 2. Have you ever set up a little reef...

www.reef2reef.com

just because everyone voted no doesn’t mean they realize the fun they’re missing

oh wow, that is really cool, thanks

 

[Tamberav]

Ive kept freshwater ecosphere before, a little system in a jar that requires minimal maintaince, such as a gallon or two jar or bottle with some sand, hornwort, and snails, but can one do the same for saltwater? A friend's kid was interested and I thought of trying it out to give them one. Probably something along the size of a two liter and then upgraded to a gallon or two, but its going to be a container of unheated, unfliltered water with no water changes sitting somewhere with ambient light. I'm mainly concerned about temperature, I have plenty of stuff like aptasia, bubble algae, bristlworms, vermiteds (probably wont survive but i'm more than happy to get rid of some) but im mainly concerned if these "indestructable" organisms like aptasia and brisltworms can really survive, grow and reproduce in room temperature water that will probably sit in the high sixities. And what organisms might go well with this? I'm thinking about things like amphipods and ulva that might thrive in such a container.

Aiptasia can... there is a tank on nano reef similar... no flow or heater and they reproduce like mad.

I also found asternia stars to be pretty hardy. They can live without algae. I had some in a live rock basement tank at 1.035 salinity without a heater or light and it got really cold in winter and they were just fine eating bacterial mats or such.

There was also a predatory live whelk in that basement tank. No live snails so I guess it was eating the starfish or maybe bacteria/debris.

 

[brandon429]

Nothing beats a vase for salinity control

though the big tankers get the good fish, they toil over top off and automatic ways of doing so but not vase reefers. A vase with a fitted plastic dish lid resting on the inside lip, inner diameter of the vase, has tighter salinity running control over a four day period than any tank on this board, any size / irony of the small reefs

plus for a young kid you can wait on the sensitive sps, can start with easy stuff and nobody will cry foul if you put in a small cabbage coral frag or three, some mushroom corals, with any decent basic care they will do fine


aiptsia as T said, all the easy anems will do great