kuyper wrote:



I was thinking about setting up a planted aquarium along those lines,
but the experts in the aquarium groups I went to for advice seemed
pretty adamant about it not being feasible in an aquarium of any
reasonable size. It occurred to me it might be more feasible to do
this as a pond, so I searched this newsgroup and found your message.

The problem with attempting a self-sustaining aquarium is that it is a
closed system whereas nature will take over with a pond. A pond will
attract wildlife that will become a source of food for the fish and
other creatures living there. An aquarium will generally only have what
you have introduced. Because the area is enclosed it becomes very
difficult, if not almost nigh on impossible, to sustain sufficient
foodstuff to maintain without supplemental feeding. In a pond, nature
will supply the foodstuff.

Can you point me to any information or advice about setting up such a
pond? The phrase "low maintenance" sounds trivial, but I'm sure it
requires careful design and an initial period of "high maintenance"
while working to reach the necessary state of balance.

Thanks!


I'm in the process of constructing a pond, and like yourself, want it as
low maintenance as possible. I'm taken with the idea of using a veggie
filter to keep it as natural as possible but will probably chicken out
and use conventional filtration as well. I will be very interested in
the replies that you get.

Gill