Purple-Jacket
- #41
Ooooo interesting
To each their ownSuum cuique
What’s the fun in never doing water changes when you have fish?
I like changing the water, making them happy, and keeping them healthy. Doing no water changes ever is like setting up a tank, and just leaving it there to be a piece of decoration in a house, where’s the fun there?
The Maintenance Free Aquarium, that’s a myth.
That's not really a water change. The minerals in the water stay the same. Only pure water is evaporated and somewhat pure water (depending on location) replaces it. It's like topping off your tank. In a river with a good flow you could say there are natural water changes but not in a pond or lake.In nature, there are water changes. Rainwater + evaporation.
Basically it's how to setup an in-tank aquaponics rig--the buckets with holes in them are attached to the bamboo rods, and filled with some lavarock and the Chinese Evergreen. Me, I like using a cheap planter outside of the aquarium with nitrate fixing plants (pothos in my case), a powerhead to get the water in, and a bulkhead/pipe to return it after it has run through the planter.
I also am a fan of cutting the bottoms out of buckets/bottles and siliconing in some craft mesh (can be found in the embroidery section) to make a high-exchange area for plants suspended in the tank. Did that with some peace lilies, but fry kept getting in, so I recommend doing it in a setup where there are no tiny curious fry.
No water changes?!??
Oh, I don't doubt it. I've known a lot of old hippies who were pretty ingenious when it came to creating systems that were fairly self sufficient. As you say though, the maintenance lies elsewhere, just not in water changes. As it was explained to me, we don't keep fish, we keep water.Hello Pes...
That's right, No water changes, ever. I just top off the tanks every couple of days with distilled water. The tanks are open, no cover. This is to allow the house plant to grow above the tank. The roots of the plant remove all forms of nitrogen from the dissolving fish waste material and I feed the fish a diet that replaces the minerals in the water. That's it.
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Oh, I don't doubt it. I've known a lot of old hippies who were pretty ingenious when it came to creating systems that were fairly self sufficient. As you say though, the maintenance lies elsewhere, just not in water changes. As it was explained to me, we don't keep fish, we keep water.
Do you think it's possible to extend such a setup to a 3 gallon Betta tank? Curious because I own a tank that was ostensibly designed for such. Made by Top Fin.
When I first got the little tank (I keep one of my Betta's in it) I called the plant lady at the locally owned garden center. She's been there since the early 80's and knows her plants but she was stumped on what sort of plant would work in such conditions. She just doesn't know aquatic plants, what will work submersed and emersed etc... I'll look into the Chinese evergreen. The tank has a plant container on the top of it that the water filters back thru and has some clay ball media. There's also a clip on grow light of sorts that would allow about an 18" tall plant to fit underneath it. Thanks for the thread topic, one old salt to another.Pes...
Absolutely...
The system will work for any sized tank. But, you'll have to use a small Chinese evergreen house plant. The plants will get fairly large, so it works best for a larger tank. But, give it a try.
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This thread has really peaked my interest. I am sitting here looking at my huge Chinese Evergreen plants and my tank. I can see how great they would look if combined. One of me CE's does need to be repotted
Do you occasionally lift the plants and trim the roots?
No, you don't have to add GH for top offs. Evaporation is water turning into gas. Salts and magnesium don't turn into gas at this temperature, so they stay behind.HI everyone
I have a 5 gallon tank that I recycled after my betta died, it now houses 4 endlers and some RCS I haven't needed to change water in 36 days due to heavy planting and a Chinese evergreen growing out of the top, I have been regulary topping it up with treated water
In regards of water top offs should I not be adding any GH crystals that I get from the LFS?
I believe it's mostly salts and magnesium, do these get left behind when the water evaporates?
I was going to do a partial change this weekend in case something I can't test for is being used up or accumulating but would rather leave the tank to its self if I can
To each their own I suppose..
I just wouldn't feel comfortable not doing a water change at the very least every 3 weeks even with that setup.
But hey if everything is and has been working out for you thus far I give you props good job
So where's the picture of this ecosystem?With the plant load and the surface agitation from the water return, they do great. No signs of lack of oxygen, and they are very happy. Six of them are pregnant atm so the parameters are doing great.
I agree. I kinda like watching my fish. If I wanted to watch my plant roots grow, they wouldn't all be in pots o' dirt lol!Suum cuique
Hello FL...
I've set up and have been running for the past couple of months, an aquarium that requires no water changes, ever. Anyone interested in the subject?
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I'm curious to see how this looks...
You couldn't keep growing or breeding fish in there though right? The GIHs (growth inhibiting) and breeding hormones would be too high...Hello Pes...
That's right, No water changes, ever. I just top off the tanks every couple of days with distilled water. The tanks are open, no cover. This is to allow the house plant to grow above the tank. The roots of the plant remove all forms of nitrogen from the dissolving fish waste material and I feed the fish a diet that replaces the minerals in the water. That's it.
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Is that a Saguaro Boot floating, upper right?! THAT'S an awesome looking addition!You couldn't keep growing or breeding fish in there though right? The GIHs (growth inhibiting) and breeding hormones would be too high...
I have a blackwater forever QT tank that I don't do water changes in very often. I use distilled to top off. NitrAte is processed by plants, as it is lightly stocked with fish that were exposed to Lymphocystis (I suspect).
But growing or breeding fish (basically all my other fish) need water changes imo.
Here's a pic if anyone is interested
View attachment 557466
I also have emersed plants growing out my tanks. I love how they suck up nitrates and clean my air too! And I can still watch my fish. They are in there I swear! Just a bit shy.
You couldn't keep growing or breeding fish in there though right? The GIHs (growth inhibiting) and breeding hormones would be too high...
I have a blackwater forever QT tank that I don't do water changes in very often. I use distilled to top off. NitrAte is processed by plants, as it is lightly stocked with fish that were exposed to Lymphocystis (I suspect).
But growing or breeding fish (basically all my other fish) need water changes imo.
Here's a pic if anyone is interested
View attachment 557466
I also have emersed plants growing out my tanks. I love how they suck up nitrates and clean my air too! And I can still watch my fish. They are in there I swear! Just a bit shy.
But you can't see the fish! (nice plants though)Hello angel...
Actually, the fish reproduce normally. The tank currently has Corydoras, Zebra Danios, White Skirt Tetras, Guppies and Platys.
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I'm not saying they won't reproduce. But alfa fish will leach hormones to prevent others from maturing into Alfa. So baby fish will almost certainly grow slower and may even stay smaller longterm. Maybe not all fish types, but some like cichilds and plecos I'm sure. Also at times my cichlids get confused with eggs. Like they think they are still there because of the hormones I assume. A water change fixes that everytime. I just don't know how to deal with that with no water changes.....Hello angel...
Actually, the fish reproduce normally. The tank currently has Corydoras, Zebra Danios, White Skirt Tetras, Guppies and Platys.
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