Jar tanks

[tsc]

Anyone else do jar tanks? I started this one a few weeks ago, current inhabitant is one nerite named Jason Momoa 😂 I know filters aren't typically used, but I'm being cautious as I do want to add shrimp.

Trimmings from my "big" 10g tank are pretty happy in there! And a random petco mossball that needs some reshaping.

 

 

[Cory]

It's forever on my "todo list" but I haven't done any jars.

[Danny]

I filled a jar with water from a local pond last year and sealed it. Most life died, so I thought, and I "forgot" about it until recently I saw some duckweed! It isn't looking very nice because algae covered the glass but it's interesting to see the duckweed grow.

[TheDukeAnumber1]

I think it can be a lot of fun with the right jar. Attached is my favorite one I had running, a lone pea puffer and snails. The duckweed kept the water clean and the puffer ate the baby snails. It got so spoiled on snails that it wouldn't accept blood worms or baby brine, it would only eat the baby snails. All I had to do was feed the snails the right amount and remove duckweed as it grew to maintain the tank.

[FishLove]

This is really great! Love the little dog house.

[Steph’s Fish and Plants]

My sister recently cleaned out some old candles so now they’re just empty glass containers. I was gonna do planted terrariums but now I might try and do one as a mini jar. I might try and do some daphnia or something like that as a culture or perhaps snails for my puffs, along with some cuttings from plants from my tanks

[kkarsten]

We have a betta named Lil' Trouble in a tea jar. A couple pcs of driftwood, java fern and moss, and a home made ugf made from a salad spinner.  This was an experiment on the long term cost of a $4 betta that we bought out of pity from the grocery store he was the lone survivor.  I know... I shouldnt have bought a fish at the grocery store).  The experiment is still going 4yrs later and Lil Trouble still hates me.

[Daniel]

I have been feeding the daphnia (collected in a ditch in the front of my house) in this jar of green water for about a month and the population seems stable. But calling it a tank might be a stretch as my jar doesn't have any aquascaping other than duckweed. But I do feed it and change the water, and I sit and watch it. There are cyclops and planarians in there also. I made a short video of the cyclops.

 

[shkote]

I am very interested in doing this. A full sized aquarium at work wouldn't be feasible right now, but a jar or bowl would be perfect if I could find the right size/shape. Does anyone have any tips on what NOT to do with these? I will be looking for something around 4-5 gallon range. Is there any truth to curved glass distorting vision and stressing fish out? If so, I will keep it as a shrimp/snail jar to avoid stress, but that pea puffer jar looks fascinating. 

[Brandy]

Love this idea too. Especially with something like a pea puffer, but I am definitely having trouble finding a big enough container.

My kid beat me to it tho--"rescued" a guppy runt that was too small on moving up day. He will get a boost in this little home until he can hold his own with my kid's betta and danios. I suspect this may become a standard practice...

[KBOzzie59]

Just started one a week or so ago.  Early 1900's Corning Nonex railroad signal battery jar.

 

[RovingGinger]

I have a lot of jars and glass cylinders that I’ve been using for basically in-tank terrariums/plant holders/faux Walstad method with easy dirt removal. They do fine out of the aquarium too it seems. Easier than a real terrarium. 
 

 

Edited August 17, 2020 by RovingGinger

[Kat_Rigel]

Very interesting! I recently had a coworker giving away those 1 gallon "growler" bottles that her husband had previously been using to brew beer. They were free and I wasn't sure what to do with them, but I took a couple anyway. I am considering doing one of these jars now, especially for a daphnia colony. I live in a 3rd floor apt so space is super limited and it would be great to have live food for my fish. I am hesitant to put any fish in it because it seems too small (1gal) and I am concerned there is not enough surface area for the water, but if I keep it a little lower than the bottle neck it may work... thanks for the ideas!

[shkote]

@Brandy- same issue, so far I haven't been able to find anything over 2.5g if ordered, and locally over 1g. Will have to keep looking or settle for a 2.5g shrimp jar. 🤔

[Brandy]

@Lynze I can find big ones but they cost as much as aquariums! 5g iced tea jars are over $60. Crazy pants.

[StephenP2003]

I've been trying to grow java moss in a small jar. I added baby cherry shrimp to it as well. Every time I clean my prefilter in the live-bearer tanks, I always have to rescue baby shrimp from the sponge. I probably don't save them all because so many embed themselves in the holes. 

 

 

[shkote]

It looks good @StephenP2003 lots of green bits in there. Have you had issues with the jar moss dying off or is it making a comeback?

@Brandy I'm going to keep my eyes open for marketplace/craigslist containers, bowls and jars, I may have better luck there than I have with searching. 

[StephenP2003]

12 minutes ago, Lynze said:

Have you had issues with the jar moss dying off or is it making a comeback?

I put it in the jar because it won't grow worth a crap in any of my tanks. So far it's only shown a positive response. It's been in there for about 40 days now.

Here's the sad state it was in when I first set it up.

Edited August 18, 2020 by StephenP2003

[shkote]

My 3 gallon bowl.... it's a start 🙂 still looking for that 5 gallon jar though. 

 

[Colu]

I think jars are only suitable for snail or shimp I I would no put fish in them

[H.K.Luterman]

This thread is inspiring! I do have some window sill space... hmmm.

[kammaroon]

My Ikea 1 gallon jar and led light setup. Plants taken from my other tanks and livestock is pest snails. The dwarf hairgrass is growing surprisingly well.

[tsc]

Love seeing everyone's jars!

 

Here's my update with a seasonal hat. Currently home to some water sprite, a buttload of pogostemon octopus, a moss ball, a snail named Jason Momoa and a shrimp (unnamed).

[Levi_Aquatics]

Does anyone have experience trying to grow java moss for profit in sunlit jars?

[Karen K]

I had a great Aunt that had tanks back in the 70's and 80's that got me started with fish.  She had a little sun room with 4, 10 or 20 gal tanks and use to raise up baby guppies, black mollies and swordtails in large mayonnaise and mustard jars.  They were probably a couple gallons.  I can still see them up on a window sill.  She was a really good fish keeper.. 🙂