Our EcoAquariums are balanced, self-contained, self-filtering and self-cleaning ecosystem environments.  All of the parts of the aquarium play a vital part of that environment.  Below are explanations of all of the integral elements of your EcoAquarium.

Bamboo
Wild Creations utilizes Chinese lucky bamboo (Dracaena Sanderiana) in our EcoAquariums and decorative arrangements because of the remarkable little care it requires.  Lucky bamboo also has a long and rich history. Giving and receiving lucky bamboo is an ancient tradition, dating back thousands of years.  According to Asian folklore, lucky bamboo was given to loved ones and friends during times of celebration. It has lasted the trials of time and stand still today as a symbol to enhance the flow of energy, otherwise known as feng shui.

In a technical role, the lucky bamboo inside our EcoAquariums is meant to provide valuable services to your system, such as oxygenation and photosynthesis.  It is acting as a natural aerator for the aquarium, so no external one is needed.  The lucky bamboo stalk also will not get any larger and outgrow your EcoAquarium.  Its leaves will grow but can be peeled back or trimmed as needed.  Also, you can trim the roots as they grow, though you should always leave short stubs at the end.  Aside from that, because they are always submersed in water, there is no additional care needed.

Our decorative lucky bamboo arrangements also require very little care.  The bamboo only needs to be placed in water at all times (any water is fine because it is not a functional part of the EcoAquarium) and requires very little light to thrive.  Every few months, you can treat your bamboo to a good diluted bamboo, bonsai, or indoor fertilizer.  The stalk will not grow any longer, and leaves can be peeled back or trimmed as necessary.  It is important never to cut or scrape (wound) your bamboo stalk, as this could cause the whole stalk to become ill and die.  When this happens, the stalk will become very yellow and brown and will often smell rotten.  If it does happen, it needs to be removed immediately so that it does not infect any other nearby bamboo stalks.  The water also should be changed.  

Note that lucky bamboo included with our EcoAquarium and bamboo arrangements are new and often will be light green and have short leaves.  After being in your home or office for a while, however, they will become a dark, rich green and pleasantly lush.  You can expect your bamboo to last as long as you provide water, care and love.

Snails
Wild Creations utilizes a variety of fresh water snails for our EcoAquariums.  Depending on the size of the snail, each aquarium includes one or two snails.  It is the snail’s job to clean the aquarium and limit the growth of algae.  As long as the EcoAquarium is not kept in bright light or sunlight and the aquatic life is not overfed, then the snail should be able to keep up with the cleaning.  While the lifespan of the snails varies with the species and the conditions in the aquarium, you can expect yours to live between 6 months and 2 years.

Most of the time, your snail will be busy cleaning the sides of your aquarium, rocks and bamboo.  It is not uncommon for the snail to nestle into the gravel for a few days after a long feeding.  It’s an aquatic siesta, if you will.  If you see that your snail has not been active for several days (more than five), or it has turned upside down and the white underside is exposed, it is time to replace your snail.  For the most part, any fresh water snail will do the job in your aquarium.  Wild Creations does sell and ship replacement snails, which can be purchased by phone with a major credit card.

“Living Gravel”
The unique part of our EcoAquarium is the “Living Gravel”.  This is the bottom layer of gravel under your decorative colored gravel.  It is specially conditioned at our facilities and contains important organisms that act as the natural filtration system for the water, constantly filtering, cleaning and conditioning the water.  It is because of this “Living Gravel” that no external filtration system or additional chemicals are needed.

The “Living Gravel” is very sensitive, and it is important to never thoroughly wash it off or mix it with tap or other unconditioned water.  While it is possible to condition water for a fresh water aquarium, using natural spring water is just a safe and effective way of assuring that all damaging elements are removed.

As long as there is aquatic wildlife in the EcoAquarium providing nutrients to the “Living Gravel”, there is no additional care needed.

Decorations
Our EcoAquariums include small decorative.  Each aquarium usually includes a large stone that is used to anchor the small bamboo plant in the corner.  The other decorations do not play a functional role in the EcoAquarium and can be changed as you desire.  If you add decorations that have small holes or other crevices, note that your aquatic pet (especially frogs) will often hide and burrow in these areas.  

Aquatic Animals
The last vital part of your EcoAquarium is the aquatic animal.  Our miniature EcoAquariums work very well with most fresh water fish or frogs.  We recommend using small, durable aquatic animals that do not need a great deal of space to thrive.  Some good options for your EcoAquarium are:

• Betta Fish
• Tetra Neons
• Fancy Guppies
• Mollies
• Platties
• African Dwarf Frogs
  

Regardless of which pet you decide to add to your EcoAquarium, it is important to first learn and make yourself familiar with the needs and care required of your new pet.

Additional sections on our website are dedicated to the aquatic animals included in our EcoAquariums.