A Second 12 Litre No-Tech Aquarium Follows

Only several weeks after I had decided to use some free space on my window ledge to install a tech-free aquarium, which is supposed to be filtered by the umbrella papyrus Cyperus alternifolius only, I've set up a second 12 litre tank directly next to it.

First Fish Dwelling in 12 Litre No-Tech Tank

Several days after setting up the 12 litre no-tech tank on my window ledge, I could observe little copepod-like invertebrates in the aquarium. They must have been brought in when I introduced the umbrella papyrus in the tank. Now they were feeding on the microalgae that had started to grow.

Nitrate was at 20 mg/l which is about the same as in the tap water I am using. That means that the umbrella papyrus ad not yet started to significantly consume nitrogen. As the nitrite levels were below detection limit, I decided to add the first fishes: 6 a-few-days-old Heterandria formosa, born in my 25 litre tank. I figured they might welcome the copepods as a snack and at the same time wouldn't adversely affect the water quality too much.

A group of adult male Heterandria formosa.

A 12 Litre No-Tech Aquarium Filtered by Umbrella Papyrus

I have recently installed a 12 litre aquarium on a large window ledge in my flat. Inspired by a low-tech aquarium project I have seen in the web [1], I wanted this aquarium to run without any means of technical equipment (no-tech).

12 litre no-tech aquarium on my window ledge.