Interesting setup
21 posts • Page 2 of 3
-
lostlast - Posts: 5
- Joined: Fri Dec 25, 2009 10:37 am
Did a nitrate and nitrite liquid test today. Nitrite practically 0ppm. The Nitrate was roughly 40ppm. Reading the instructions they say that’s getting high. So I will give a water change a go. Give it a test and get back to you. Cheers for the advice. Please don't take my question as arrogance. I was simply interested in how it works and why things 'seemed' to be working fine. Again, cheers for the advice. I will post update.
-
bennyphan - Posts: 75
- Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:38 am
yeah, you water can be crystal clear, it doesn't mean the water condition is not harmful for the fishes. Kind of like carbon monoxide for human, can't see it or smell it, but it can kill you instantly. 40 is pretty high, so yes, good idea in changing the water.
It is true that some people tend to forget that when people are posting questions, they actually might not know the answer. So some responses are rude and stupid. Like your tank though....
It is true that some people tend to forget that when people are posting questions, they actually might not know the answer. So some responses are rude and stupid. Like your tank though....
-
natalie265 - Site Admin
- Posts: 746
- Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm
cmarti: thanks for posting your story. It's good evidence of the importance of water changes.
lostlast: if some of us reacted defensively (me) it's only because we DO sometimes get arrogant people who post questions but then don't like what we have to tell them. Best of luck with your tank. Keep up on those water changes :)!
lostlast: if some of us reacted defensively (me) it's only because we DO sometimes get arrogant people who post questions but then don't like what we have to tell them. Best of luck with your tank. Keep up on those water changes :)!
-
LUVMUFF9326 - Posts: 119
- Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:00 am
imagine your taking a bath n BOOOOM you shit in your tub.now stick ur head under water n live there in YOUR SHIT!!! fun? no! so y would u make ur fish live in there shit? . so unless u trained your fish to jump in the toilet, shit , flush n return to your tank..water changes are IMPORTANT
-
cmarti - Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 7:56 pm
That's a serious analogy.. :)
"so unless u trained your fish to jump in the toilet, shit , flush n return to your tank" <---- You forgot about wiping.. :D
"so unless u trained your fish to jump in the toilet, shit , flush n return to your tank" <---- You forgot about wiping.. :D
-
yasherkoach - Posts: 1306
- Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm
well the reason you may be able to go without a water change is your tank is 500 Liter or approx 125 gallons, that is, there is less likely a chance of problems in such a spacious environment.
Nevertheless, practically 0 nitrites is not good enough, must be 0 nitrite ppm ALL THE TIME...40 ppm is not too bad, should be about 25 ppm especially considering you have fake plants (real plants can absorb some of the nitrates).
the reason for a water change is equivalent to the moving waters of the ocean, streams and/or rivers. The water is constantly never the same. So with a water change by us humans we move the water about plus we add new atoms to the water with other nutrients.
But I do agree that what experts say is best is not always best. I use all natural sunlight regulated by mini blinds, and with a little pruning of algae once a week, the tank is doing impressively well.
If you tank is by a window, you may run a hose into the tank and siphon the water out the window then add water conditioner into the tank during the interval (I did this for some time at the other house, but recently we moved (again)). This time I have the tank in the west window instead of the south window, more sunlight. The ecosystem is flourishing much better.
So I understand lostlast. It is very true, some things the so called experts say is utterly wrong. One other example, I never ever vacuum the tank. Ammonia is always 0, nitrite 0, and nitrate between 25-30 ppm. Experts - ha!
But a water change, this is a habit we must all get into. It's just best. Let us know how things are going, I am always open to learn new ideas or new processes in our tanks.
Thanks for the thread
Nevertheless, practically 0 nitrites is not good enough, must be 0 nitrite ppm ALL THE TIME...40 ppm is not too bad, should be about 25 ppm especially considering you have fake plants (real plants can absorb some of the nitrates).
the reason for a water change is equivalent to the moving waters of the ocean, streams and/or rivers. The water is constantly never the same. So with a water change by us humans we move the water about plus we add new atoms to the water with other nutrients.
But I do agree that what experts say is best is not always best. I use all natural sunlight regulated by mini blinds, and with a little pruning of algae once a week, the tank is doing impressively well.
If you tank is by a window, you may run a hose into the tank and siphon the water out the window then add water conditioner into the tank during the interval (I did this for some time at the other house, but recently we moved (again)). This time I have the tank in the west window instead of the south window, more sunlight. The ecosystem is flourishing much better.
So I understand lostlast. It is very true, some things the so called experts say is utterly wrong. One other example, I never ever vacuum the tank. Ammonia is always 0, nitrite 0, and nitrate between 25-30 ppm. Experts - ha!
But a water change, this is a habit we must all get into. It's just best. Let us know how things are going, I am always open to learn new ideas or new processes in our tanks.
Thanks for the thread
-
Mikaila31 - Posts: 5
- Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:21 am
@ yasherkoach- there are always exceptions in this hobby, very few things are set in stone. IMO the "experts" know this, but the common beliefs you find online are focused for the more general hobbyist. A tank will often function fine w/o gravel vacs, they are suggested because I tank usually runs better and is more stable when it is gravel vac'ed. Just remember the exceptions. Like it is not helpful to vac a well planted tank.
I also have a tiny tank that holds about a gallon of water. It is unfiltered, unheated, and has only ever been topped off. It has been running extremely well for much longer than the OP's tank. Its never had its water tested. It has a couple snail, cherry shrimps, and occasionally a young male endler.
40ppm of nitrate is not all that high, but you should be doing WC's in your tank. A tank normally becomes very unbalance without water changes. You can develop what is called Old tank syndrome. Just because (IMO) your NO2 and NO3 are fine does not mean you tank is. Phos is not of real issue either IMO. Your water hardness will be slowly increasing, keeping hard water in a tank will ruin(go ugly) it much faster than normal through lime and calcium build up. Fish are deprived of key trace minerals that they would normally absorb from the water. It can also effect their osmoregulation system. It is important to approach a "old" tank carefully, it often develops paramaters very diff than tap. Doing a large WC can shock the system. ect ect ect....
What is important is how much higher your nitrate is compared to your tap. With only 10 fish in a 125gal you have a light stocking level. I would not expect you to see much in the terms of high nitrate, phos, and other common parameters. With your stocking levels you would be fine doing water changes once every 2-3 weeks. If you increase your stock, you should increase your water changes.
I also have a tiny tank that holds about a gallon of water. It is unfiltered, unheated, and has only ever been topped off. It has been running extremely well for much longer than the OP's tank. Its never had its water tested. It has a couple snail, cherry shrimps, and occasionally a young male endler.
40ppm of nitrate is not all that high, but you should be doing WC's in your tank. A tank normally becomes very unbalance without water changes. You can develop what is called Old tank syndrome. Just because (IMO) your NO2 and NO3 are fine does not mean you tank is. Phos is not of real issue either IMO. Your water hardness will be slowly increasing, keeping hard water in a tank will ruin(go ugly) it much faster than normal through lime and calcium build up. Fish are deprived of key trace minerals that they would normally absorb from the water. It can also effect their osmoregulation system. It is important to approach a "old" tank carefully, it often develops paramaters very diff than tap. Doing a large WC can shock the system. ect ect ect....
What is important is how much higher your nitrate is compared to your tap. With only 10 fish in a 125gal you have a light stocking level. I would not expect you to see much in the terms of high nitrate, phos, and other common parameters. With your stocking levels you would be fine doing water changes once every 2-3 weeks. If you increase your stock, you should increase your water changes.
-
lostlast - Posts: 5
- Joined: Fri Dec 25, 2009 10:37 am
Finally back to report. Few more posts to read, cheers again all. Did a gravel vac as well as water change, about 30%. Nitrates already down to 10ppm. Going to leave it for a bit now. Give it a monthly test and see how it goes. I'd say you're right; it's a lightly stocked tank for its size. In the end I'm only interested in keeping the Mangrove Jack. They "apparently" can't get along with any other fish and "supposedly" spend most of their time hiding as juveniles. yaaaah right.
