Natalie, I wouldn't mind selling you some of the stuff I have, but the thing is, in order to have gotten to the point I am at with the current tank I needed the filters, heaters and/or water pumps and air pumps.

The key to getting to this point is building up enough good bacteria in the gravel bed - on the plant side I have about 2 to 3 inches of gravel, it is literally mud about 1 inch down (for I haven't vacuumed the tank for over 2 years). Without this established gravel bed I could never have a filterless system.

This type of system, no filters, no heaters and no overhead lighting can only be done in an established tank to begin with. One should never ever attempt this with a newly set up tank or even one that's been going for a year or several months. Two years is the minimum along with absolutely no vacuuming. Unless these 2 conditions exist, forget about this type of system.

But I will tell you this, if you need something - a filter, a heater, a water flow pump, lighting, (ornaments I have thrown out over a year ago), test kits for copper, silicate, iodine, CO2 (these kits have never been used), various scrapers and/or whatever else is in the bin...let me know, and I'll send a private message with my address and yours to me, and we'll work something out). I will provide pictures of any of the stuff, I will also provide the model name of each component, the original price, if it's never been used or it is brand new and/or like new...and I will sell you anything I have at 75% to 90% off with postage free...but I will need to keep a few things because I do plan to own a 180 gallon tank sometime next year, so I'll need a few basic things to start it going, understand?)

If you decide it's more of a hassle than it's worth, then let's forget about the selling of any product I may be able to sell you, and continue on with this thread -

I will keep all you guys up to date on the water testing every 7 to 10 days (I keep a log book of every day, all the situations in the tank; I plan to test the tank at least twice a week for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, temperature, as usual, every day; oxygen once a week - I figure by January 2011 I will have an excellent idea on how well the tank handled itself without a filter and heater so I will only test the tank for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and oxygen once a month for the lifetime of the tank)

Whew! enough from me -

until the next results.....Happy Fishing!

It's about time Yasher.

Well done yasher...sound like the tank is doing well!

latest rundown on tank as of 11/28/2010:

I've been running this tank for one month now as the following:

Remember, the 55 gallon freshwater aquarium has no filtration, water flow pump, heater, overhead lighting system.

The tank does have a Fusion Air Pump 700 that puts air into two flexible bubble wands (in order to create plentiful oxygen). The lighting is provided by the sunlight regulated by mini blinds. There are live plants (naturally grown algae: cladophora; java fern and all types of anubias). There are a few pieces of Malaysian wood. There are assorted pieces of rock (slate, sandstone and river pebbles).

Sixteen gallons of water is changed out each week (8 gallon on Thursday and 8 gallons on Sunday). Every Sunday the fish are unfed (to clean out digestive systems). On Monday, fish eat pea pulp; on Thursday, fish eat (3) algae wafers; Monday through Saturday I give the fish a high quality flake with freeze dried blood-worms. As a treat I will give the fish minced chicken and non-oily oysters (rinsed off).

Tank inhabitants consists of:

1 red-tail shark
1 yellow platy
4 dwarf chain loaches
4 silver tip tetras
4 scissortail tetras
4 black kuhli loaches
6 harlequin rasboras
8 cherry barbs
8 zebra danios
15 cardinal tetras
15 red platy

1 african dwarf frog
5 olive nerite snails
10+ ramshorn snails
12 ivory mystery snails
12 golden (apple/mystery snails)
12 blue mystery snails
12 black mystery snails
40+ trumpet snails

Live Plants:

anubias barteri
anubias coffeefolia
anubias Congensis
anubias hastifolia
anubias nana (in gravel)
anubias nana (on driftwood)
Java Fern

Algae:

cladophora (naturally grown by sunlight, water & fish poop)

Rock:

sandstone
river rock
river pebble
slate


Wood:

bogwood
malaysian

Shell:

trumpet snail shells
apple snail shells
ramshorn snail shells

Today's water tests:

Temperature: 82-84 (helps slowdown any bacteria, parasite that may enter)
Ammonia: 0.25 (consistently tested each week)
Nitrite: 0 (consistently tested each week)
Nitrate: 35-40 (consistently tested every other week)
Oxygen: 9 (plentiful rich oxygen in water column)
Hardness: 4 (for the fish I have, just about right)
Iron: 0 (the live plants are deep green - very little need for iron, go figure)
Phosphate: 0.5 (consistently tested every other week)
PH: 8.1 (tap water tested at 8.1...so far, no harm to fish)

So all but one water test shows that the tank is performing quite well without filtration. The PH is higher than I would like (prefer it to be around 7.4) but I have been in this house for almost a year, and I have little choice. I refrain from using any chemicals. I do plan to put more anubias attached to Malaysian wood in the coming year (possibly this will help lower the PH). If not, it's okay for the fish appear fine. In other words, it is not toxic for the fish at a PH of 8.1. The main thing is, it is consistent at 8.1 rather than fluctuating every day or week. This is the most important thing to remember in this hobby, consistency is key when it comes to the water chemistry in our tanks.

I will keep all of you up to date every week or so on the water testing. In January 2011 I plan to test only once a month, then in February I will test only when I observe there is a problem or a fish death. Ammonia and nitrite I will test periodically, possibly once or twice a month but not on set days just to get a fraction of the window open to make sure all is fine.

With no vacuuming (provides nutrients for the trumpet snails & permits them to reproduce which provides constant shifting of the gravel via their burrowing which in turn the snails provide food for the loaches; also provides plentiful nutrients for the live plant roots) and the several assorted snails provide cleaning and a snail gives off micro-organisms out of their intestinal tract which provides food for the fish, I have created the perfect all natural ecosystem.

No one should ever try this with a newly set up tank. The tank must be at least 2 years old. The aquarist must have a good basic understanding of water chemistry and the fish should be compatible. Live plants is a requirement. Observation on a daily basis is a requirement. Periodically testing the water is a requirement. Keeping a log book for the lifetime of the aquarium is a requirement.

But once these measures are taken, you will mimic the streams, rivers, and ponds that only a fish knows best by instinct. You will develop absolute respect for nature. You will provide more for the fish their needs rather than satisfying the human's desire to make it look pretty with all types of man-made gadgets.

Tell me your thoughts, I am always open to new ideas.

latest results as of 12/12/2010:

Temperature: 82-84 (post water change 78-82)
Ammonia: 0.25 (post water change 0)
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 40 (post water change 30)
Oxygen: 8
PH: 8.1 (post water change 8.1)

So far the tank is moving along quite well. I will continue to keep you guys posted every week or so on test results up until the end of January 2011. In February 2011 I plan to do very little testing. By mid-May 2011 (6 months), I will know if the tank worked well without filtration, lighting (except for sunlight regulated by mini blinds), water flow pump and a heater.

I have found two things that must be in place for such a set up as this:

feed sparingly & consistency

By keeping the temperature at a steady level, keeping the ammonia always below 0.50, nitrite at 0 and nitrate at no more than 40 with plentiful oxygen, live plants, a tank like this will work.

Also one must feed sparingly. Making sure every fish gets its due share, so the food must be spread out thinly all over the tope of the water making sure some of it sinks to the mid-level swimmers. The loaches will feed off of uneaten debris as well as snails.

I'll keep you guys up to date every week or so

Happy Fishing!