Climate change and other planetary problems have driven many companies to campaign or plan initiatives that can help preserve the earth. However, what can each individual do to celebrate life on this planet?
We spoke with a Tompkins Cortland College Conservationist student and her suggestion was a tiny ecosystem to help purify your own space.
It is a tiny aquarium that you can make without the use of mechanical filtration systems of special chemicals- all you need is the right soil, plants, fish and clean water.
It’s called a planted vase using the Walstad Planted Aquarium Method which basically has a mini aquarium that uses plants that clean the water without an aquarium. This method uses special plants and it makes it so that you don’t have to do as many water changes.
Some of the benefits are:
- Use of an organic soil layer under the gravel
- No extra fertilizers
- Bacterial processes provide CO2; no CO2 injection system needed
- Minimal maintenance and water changes
- Minimal to no filtration (maybe just a pump)
- Adequate light levels
The setup of a plant vase aquarium are great homes for shrimp! Looking for a home project this is a great start.