So I recently discovered the Jartopia YouTube channel. He makes what he calls ecospheres – aquatic ecosystems sealed in Mason jars. He starts with the native substrate, makes sure to add live plants, then adds the native water; then he lets it develop over time and sees what appears.
There is a creek flowing through town, forming a green corridor with its riparian willow woodlands. I decided to learn more about the life of this creek by making a set of three ecospheres from three different points along the creek. They have been going for a few weeks now, and things are definitely moving around in them – organisms that I doubt I could have seen from just staring into the creek as it flowed by.
I recall some users on this forum mentioning that you live in urban areas where there is seemingly little nature to be found. I offer this as an idea for ways that you might be able to discover more than you were aware was there.