Nate Reinhart can help you take the houseplant trend to the next level. The Humboldt Park–based ichthyologist has long tinkered with aquaponics systems — contained water gardens that cultivate a symbiotic environment for flora and fauna, like, say, basil plants and betta fish. Five years ago, he began selling handmade wood and glass microbiomes through Big Fish Interiors, the Etsy shop he cofounded. For Reinhart, each system inspires “a sense of exploration and discovery in everyday life.” But he cautions that the habitat is “not like a rotisserie chicken — you don’t put it in and forget it.” Here, he shows how you can use a standard aquarium to build your personal oasis.
1. Drill a 1½-inch hole through the center of the plastic box’s base. Insert the bulkhead so its threads are outside the box. Tighten the locknut. Inside the box, add the washer to the bulkhead, then lodge the PVC piece in, like a cork, so it juts out. This maintains a 2-inch water level.
2. Drill a ¾-inch hole through one of the box’s shorter sides, about 2 inches above the base. Push the L-shaped end of the sponge filter all the way through. The filter’s suction cups, which will secure it to the tank’s inner side, should face outward.
3. Plug the duct of the sponge filter with the air pump’s hose. This creates a conduit for air to push water into the box. The air pump will sit outside the tank.
4. Drill two 3-inch holes into the box’s lid to hold the net pots. Position the box so its lid rests on the tank’s rim, and fill the tank with enough water to reach the box. Plug in the air pump to turn on the system and start your life as a junior botanist.
3. Plug the duct of the sponge filter with the air pump’s hose. This creates a conduit for air to push water into the box. The air pump will sit outside the tank.
1. Drill a 1½-inch hole through the center of the plastic box’s base. Insert the bulkhead so its threads are outside the box. Tighten the locknut. Put the washer on the bulkhead inside the box, and then stick the PVC piece in like a cork so it sticks out. This maintains a 2-inch water level.
Nate Reinhart can help you take the houseplant trend to the next level. The ichthyologist from Humboldt Park has been playing around with aquaponics systems for a long time. These are contained water gardens that create a good environment for plants and animals to live together, like basil plants and betta fish. He began selling handmade wood and glass microbiomes five years ago through Big Fish Interiors, the Etsy shop he helped to start. For Reinhart, each system inspires “a sense of exploration and discovery in everyday life. There is a catch, though: “it’s not like a rotisserie chicken—you don’t put it in and forget it.” ” Here, he shows how you can use a standard aquarium to build your personal oasis.
4. Drill two 3-inch holes into the box’s lid to hold the net pots. Fill the tank with enough water to reach the top of the box. Place the box’s lid on top of the tank’s edge. Plug in the air pump to turn on the system and start your life as a junior botanist.
2. Drill a ¾-inch hole through one of the box’s shorter sides, about 2 inches above the base. Push the L-shaped end of the sponge filter all the way through. The filter’s suction cups, which will secure it to the tank’s inner side, should face outward.
I’m not going to put fish in them because the water would make them too heavy, but my fiancé suggested we use them as temporary “pots” for some plants, probably herbs since vegetables need a lot more space.
Good morning, everyone! My fiancé and I really want to have our own garden, but we live in an apartment with four cats that are known to eat plants. That being said, we’d like a good garden that can be outside or inside. I have a bunch of 5 and 10 gallon fish tanks lying around because we used to have more room for them, haha.