u/Unhappy_Minimum997

In my mind I want to build a (mainly?) self-sufficient jar with some animals that are a bit bigger than your typical critters. Something like snails, small fish or shrimp.

I'm looking for sizes up to one inch / 2-3 cm.

First of all: is it possible to build something that I could "close and forget"? Or do I need to add food regularly?

What animals to aim for?

Also: plants!

Any tips like "if you add shrimps you will need some XY as well otherwise YX" are highly appreciated.

I'm thinking of going to the local pond, get some water and soil and start an ecosphere. But how do I do that best?!

Is there a rule of thumb on how much soil and how much water you should put in the glass?

I plan on adding some plants to the glass. I guess sweetwater aquarium plants should work, right?! Any suggestions on what to get?

Can the ecosystem survive on it's own like it is? What should I look out for?

Can/should I add the plant on day one or let the water-soil-thingy sit for a few days?

Maybe adding a few shrimps would be nice. Again: right in at the start out let the water sit a bit?

Do I need to feed the shrimp or can they survive on the plant-matter etc?

I guess some place to look up all this information would be awesome. Could you guys link some websites etc?!

Thanks in advance