There are a bunch of different closed aquatic ecosystems you can make. Some you can purchase ready-made, and others you can make yourself by gathering the materials from your local environment.
If you try to gather dirt from your yard, water from a pond, and plants from your garden, your ecosystem won’t survive. You need to gather materials that already live together. Some waterways may be protected by conservation laws, so double check your local laws to make sure it’s okay for you to take water, sediment, and plant samples first!
The most popular brand of miniature closed aquatic ecosystems is called EcoSphere. You can order them online and have them shipped directly to you. They usually last for about 2-3 years.
You can then place the container somewhere nice and sunny such as a windowsill and enjoy your new closed aquatic ecosystem. It’s important that you collect water, sediment, and plants from the same location so they’ll survive together.
You don’t need to feed aquatic shrimp, snails, or copepods, either. They’ll find food and nutrients in the sediment and your plants will continue to supply oxygen.
If the entire ecosystem fails, your best bet is to start from scratch. Empty the container completely and clean it really well before you make another closed aquatic ecosystem.
