local pond's muddy ecosystem

[FishHugger]

Most everyone I've seen doing this has been in tiny setups, like small jars or 2.5-5 gallon aquariums, but here's the thing, they're always fishless. It's more like an experiment, a little self-contained ecosystem where you might do the occasional small water change. I've never come across anyone who's actually tried this in a real aquarium with fish swimming around.

I've considered some natuflake waters around me that aren't ideal, but there are a couple that stand out. They're pristine, no swimming allowed, so you wouldn't have the usual suspects like sun tan lotion polluting the water. Those are the ones I thought might be worth a shot, but now I'm not so sure.

[infold]

As the weather warms up this summer, take a walk in a shallow pond or creek and stir up the water. The smell that rises up should be enough to make you think twice about using mud in your tank.

[FishHugger]

I'd still be cautious about using pond soil, to be honest. The risk of introducing pond creatures is pretty high, and you can't always predict what's lurking at the bottom. Plus, there's the issue of potential fertilizer or insecticide runoff from the surrounding land - that's a big unknown. I do know someone who tried this in a 40-gallon tank, and it seemed to work out okay, but I think he might've just gotten lucky.

I think he's legit, despite the online name. The way he runs his tanks seems pretty down-to-earth. I'm all about trying unconventional methods, and he's definitely got some experience to back it up. He mentioned in one of his videos that his family's been keeping fish tanks since WW1, long before all the fancy equipment we use today.

I've recently gotten back into the hobby, mainly to teach my kids about ecosystems and how to grow things through hands-on learning. I'm not looking to break the bank on the latest and greatest equipment. Keeping things simple and low-maintenance is more my style. If I can find a way to make it mostly hands-off, that'd be perfect.

So far, my 7-year-old is the only one really interested in getting involved. She's been helping me with water changes, testing water parameters daily, and noticing all sorts of new things like root growth and microorganisms. It's been a great few weeks, and I'm loving every minute of it.

Thanks for the input, everyone. A small-scale jar experiment might just be the way to go for this idea.

[boomer]

I've got a major concern here. The pathogens in tropical water courses are different from those in temperate ones. Fish in tropical waters have adapted to their local pathogens, just like temperate water fish have their own ways of dealing with theirs. This is why governments, like the US and Canada, are strict about not releasing non-native aquatic life into local waters. The US Agriculture department is also very particular about importing plants, and for good reason. I'm afraid this idea of using local pond soil in aquariums is just not worth the risk. There's no real benefit, and the danger to the fish is very real.