# Windowsill Nature



## NotCousteau (Sep 25, 2014)

Nice tank. What kinds of plants do you have? 

I've only kept planted jars in front of the window, and mine struggle a bit through the winter. (I'm in the USA Midwest.) Yours must hold out well, right?


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

Thanks @NotCousteau it does alright this is it's 2nd summer approaching it was set up around May last year. And I had no issues with it during the winter. It slowed right down though.
The plants I have in there are,

sagittaria subulata 
hygrophila siemensis
ludwigia repens
egeria densa
crinum calamistratum 
hygrophila polysperma
crypt walkeri 
A stem of rotala macrandra (holding on)
touch of marsilea 
Water lettuce
duckweed


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

Here's a better view of it


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## Eutexian (Mar 11, 2015)

Excellent. what soil did you use?


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

@Eutexian thanks, just regular top soil. Soaked and reasinably dried out but wouldn't call it mineralised


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## Eutexian (Mar 11, 2015)

Akwaskape said:


> @Eutexian thanks, just regular top soil. Soaked and reasinably dried out but wouldn't call it mineralised


Thanks for that. a chap on the practical fish keeping forum is thinking of doing something similar and Ive been trying to convince him that its a perfectly spiffing idea. He's half convinced already but linking this post should help his confidence immensely. he wants a 'natural' habitat for aquatic frogs.


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

Sounds good. It's pretty straight forward to get established. Just a bit of patience really. Imho gravel grade of the capping is critical. So as long as they can work with 2-4 mm grade natural gravel with the frogs, all should be cool.


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

The dwarf sag flowering


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

Sunset over the tank


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

It's pretty tuff getting a clear pic with it being back lit by the sun.


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

Here's one I took with a spare led I had. On here just for the photo.


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## ovenmit331 (Mar 27, 2007)

Awesome! how much direct sunlight does it get, if any?


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

Thank you, it gets from about midday till sundown. It's a long time. You may have noticed in the last pic I've had to put a background on it to give it a little protection.


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## Aplomado (Feb 20, 2013)

Really nice!


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## mwei (Mar 31, 2013)

wow, the tank looks amazing! How often do you do plant trimming/maintenance and such for this full natural tank?


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

Thanks you all.
Plant trimming is minimal, although it could prob do with one atm. Maintenance is also minimal like 3/4 80% pwc a year. And a weekly top up.

Sustainable Aquaria


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## mwei (Mar 31, 2013)

wow, very very impressive! Looking at the pics of the tank makes me kind of want to attempt a all natural tank, like yours, more and more now, haha!


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

Cool the more of these around the better. So rewarding as well. I actually enjoy the tank and don't have to stress about what it's doing or not as the case may be 
And my fish seem very relaxed and colourful.










Sustainable Aquaria


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

Sustainable Aquaria


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

A happy shrimp in the tank.










Sustainable Aquaria


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

At sunset the light is amazing.




























Sustainable Aquaria


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## rodstewart (Apr 25, 2014)

Wonderful tank !!!! Thank you so much for sharing the beautiful photos and info ;-) Very inspiring !!!


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## The Big Buddha (Jul 30, 2012)

Very nice! What's hanginging in the tank on the right hand side in the sunset photo?


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

@the big buddha it was an airline with no stone on, just gently blippin away. Not essential. I started it in May 14 without and then ran the line for a few months over the winter. I was aware that the higher oxygen via surface agitation would speed up decomposition and increase natural co2 levels. It would also help shift natural nutrient around the tank. But it's not necessary at all. And I'm not planning to use ot again. It's absolutely fine without. My friend set one up the same time and he didn't use. And if anything his is doing better than mine plant growth wise. But not style wise mine id def better lol 😂😂😂

Sustainable Aquaria


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

Thanks all 👍

Sustainable Aquaria


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

Couple of weeks after set up









Sustainable Aquaria


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

Today









Sustainable Aquaria


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

My favourite picture of it










Sustainable Aquaria


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

It's also looked like this in the past.










Sustainable Aquaria


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

And this bit you need to have confidence and patience to get through all of this to the other side. I just let it go mad, didnt worry about green water, hair algae. It was blooming every couple of weeks and the amount of spaghetti I pulled out of it was unreal. Now a year later, it has really settled and found its groove. Here's a picture when it wasn't so pretty, I still liked it (thought it was great) like an indoor pond. But now it has matured and has come into a class of its own. I am a fan of it and nature takes the credit.










Sustainable Aquaria


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## terrapedes (Jul 5, 2013)

I think this is awsome! If I ever get an apartment of my own I'm making one to fit a whole windowsill!


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## adive (Oct 30, 2013)

What you posted in your 1st post is almost exactly what I have (a no tech tank). Except for some differences such as I have different fish (native Indian), and I dose when I remember and I do water changes more often.


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

@terrapedes I've got something planned. It may go outside my window, a little taster for you  and could be a real British native set up.

Sustainable Aquaria


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

@adive excellent I do love natural set ups


Sustainable Aquaria


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## Raith (Jun 27, 2014)

Some of the tanks in the windowsills are incredibly well-lit, unfortunately (or maybe fortunate) for me, I don't have something like that.


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

@raith the key is to have it in a window that gets the morning direct light. But not the potent midday onwards. These work best. I'm in between property currently and renting. This is not the best window choice for me atm may but my options are limited.

Sustainable Aquaria


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## Water7 (May 19, 2013)

This is so beautiful and very inspiring. I had a tank years ago that got window light and I ended up with fur algae that I could not cure. A more recent tank getting some sunlight ended up with hair algae. But my plant load wasn't very heavy in either case. I wish I could get the courage to try this some day. I do have a small emersed setup growing HM and rotala in a morning-sun window. It does great and I love it that it doesn't cost anything!


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

@Water7 thank you of course that's the best bit 'free bee' I love it. And to boot this is long term and I can enjoy it. Not to be torn down and re done in 6 months 😆 

Sustainable Aquaria


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## zozo (Dec 28, 2014)

It's beautiful!  Big fan of your instagram account & would love to start a tank like this when I'm settled in a more stable location. What tank is this? Did you de-rim yourself?


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

@zozo thankyou! it's a Clearseal 24x8x8 inch tank. No I didn't de rim it. Although I did de rim the parva tank again it's a Clearseal. 

Sustainable Aquaria


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

I notice you're in the UK and mentioned in a previous post that this tank ran through winter on a windowsill. Did you ever check water temperatures? I'm curious how much it would change between winter and spring/summer.


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## Akwaskape (May 5, 2015)

Hi AquaAurora
I have yep, I used s food hygiene grade probe that registered an hourly read onto a usb stick. And set it to read 9000 points. The results range min/max was 12 degrees to 28 degrees.

Sustainable Aquaria


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