Chicago Magazine - 09.2019

62 CHICAGO | SEPTEMBER 2019

HAB ITAT

PHOTOGRAPH: MARTHA WILLIAMS

Illustrations by JOHN KENZIE

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.

Drill a 3⁄4-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.

Plug the duct of the

sponge filter with the air

pump’s hose. This cre-

ates a conduit for air to

push water into the box.

The air pump will sit out-

side the tank.

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.

N

ATE 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 envi-

ronment 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. — TAYLOR MOORE

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Turn a Fish Tank Into a Garden
HOW TO ...
SUPPLIES NEEDED
Q1½-gallon clear
plastic box
QBulkhead fitting
with 1-inch slip, locknut,
and washer
Q1-by-2-inch PVC
pipe (most home
improvement stores
can custom-cut this)
Q5-inch-long
sponge filter
Q2-watt aquarium
air pump
Q5-gallon fish tank
Q3-inch plastic net
pots to hold plants (pick
ones that aren’t sus-
ceptible to root rot, like
pothos, basil, and mint)
QClay pebbles
to fill the net pots
and encourage
microbial growth
Want some pets? Wait two
weeks for bacteria to create
a healthy ecosystem, then add
small creatures like guppies,
betta fish, shrimp, or snails.