Things You'll Need:
- Coarse washed sand
- Rocks
- Native or tropical live plants
- Glass aquarium
- Native or tropical fish
- Biofilter
- Tank hood with fluorescent light
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Step 1
Find a source for natural coarse sand. Look for sand and rocks in local streambeds, beaches and outcrops or roadcuts. If you can’t locate good clean coarse sand, many aquariums stock a natural sand or fine gravel product.
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Step 2
Wash your sand thoroughly if it’s from a natural source, using a hose and colander or sieve to rinse out clay, silt and fine organics. Wash dirt and algae off rocks and let materials dry before bringing them inside.
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Step 3
Shovel or pour at least a 2-inch depth of washed sand into the aquarium. The coarse sand matrix will become a biologically active substrate that will help keep your water crystal clear.
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Step 4
Slope the sand substrate from back to front of the aquarium and from the sides toward the middle to make it easier to scoop out debris and create some perspective. Arrange rocks in layers if they are sedimentary, or in groups if they are crystalline rocks.
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Step 5
Put a porcelain plate or saucer in one end of the tank to prevent eroding the sand when you fill the tank. Add water to the tank with buckets of filtered or aged water, or with tap water and dechlorinating solution. Fill by pouring water onto the plate until the water is about two inches from the top.
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Step 6
Search for native plants growing in streams if it’s summer or if you live in a sub-tropical area. Otherwise, find live plants of different sizes in an aquarium store or an internet natural aquarium resource (see Resources below). Plant live plants by hand in groups, with smaller plants in the front of the aquarium and larger plants in the back.
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Step 7
Assemble an external filter, preferably one with a skimmer wheel. Fill the tank to about ½ inch from the top and start the filter. Let the filter system run for at least a week or 2 to let the tank and filter develop a bacterial filtering substrate. The water may cloud up once or twice during this process. Wait until the water is crystal clear for a few days before introducing fish.
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Step 8
Decide whether you want exotic tropical fish, or native fish and invertebrates. You can use you natural aquarium to showcase native fish, crawfish or other local fauna you collect from streams and lakes.
