That is VERY untrue
Part of Diana's methods is NOT to do no water changes, it is to lessen the frequency of them, not to give them away altogether
Again, just proves you pick the bits and pieces you want and ignore the rest.
So stop saying its me that put you onto this as i have stated many many times that doing NO waterchanges at all is laziness, and detrimental to your fish in the long term.
But you will do as you please i'm sure, you are deluded, blinded to the real truth.
This is not something i wuld recommend to anyone ever, water changes ARE a requirement of fishkeeping, doesnt mean they must be weekly, but geez at least do some.
You to me are not a fishkeeper, or not one i admire or advocate for at all.
No Water Change In Six Months
65 posts • Page 7 of 7
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yasherkoach - Posts: 1306
- Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm
Re: No Water Change In Six Months
Alasse, if you read the statements that I wrote to Diana, I told her I do not perform any water changes, and yet she agrees that I am following the techniques spoken about in her book.
Of course you merely recommended I read the book for I did away with the filters; I didn't realize at the time of learning about Ms Walstad that what I was doing - that is, filter-less aquarium - had been done before, only I took it a step further by eliminating the water changes.
What I have yet to have others including yourself Alasse explain to me, that suppose I had said I was doing water changes and the liquid test results are within their proper parameters (ammonia 0; nitrite 0; nitrate 30-40 - though of course 20 on nitrate is optimal...at 30-40 it is not lethal or toxic, but it is a bit high, but my tank has always registered between 30-40 nitrate for the past 4+ years), then others and yourself would say, well you're doing water changes and the test results are fine, so the tank is healthy........but once I say I do not perform water changes yet the tests are still within non-toxic range, all of a sudden I am being cruel to the fish or I am a bad fish-keeper.
If you could Alasse - and I do respect you as a fish-keeper for you've in depth experience on freshwater fish-keeping - explain to me in reasonable terms the above paradox, this would be gratefully appreciated above all our tiffs we have had over the years.
Of course you merely recommended I read the book for I did away with the filters; I didn't realize at the time of learning about Ms Walstad that what I was doing - that is, filter-less aquarium - had been done before, only I took it a step further by eliminating the water changes.
What I have yet to have others including yourself Alasse explain to me, that suppose I had said I was doing water changes and the liquid test results are within their proper parameters (ammonia 0; nitrite 0; nitrate 30-40 - though of course 20 on nitrate is optimal...at 30-40 it is not lethal or toxic, but it is a bit high, but my tank has always registered between 30-40 nitrate for the past 4+ years), then others and yourself would say, well you're doing water changes and the test results are fine, so the tank is healthy........but once I say I do not perform water changes yet the tests are still within non-toxic range, all of a sudden I am being cruel to the fish or I am a bad fish-keeper.
If you could Alasse - and I do respect you as a fish-keeper for you've in depth experience on freshwater fish-keeping - explain to me in reasonable terms the above paradox, this would be gratefully appreciated above all our tiffs we have had over the years.
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yasherkoach - Posts: 1306
- Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm
Re: No Water Change In Six Months
UPDATE!
It's been over one year without water changing. Last month I started to liquid test kit the tank for ammonia and nitrite only once per month. I wanted to see if I could rely on observation alone.
Today, I tested the tank for ammonia and nitrite: both tests were 0. Therefore, observation alone can and will work. I plan to test once per month for six months, then every other month, then once every three months, then once every six months, then once per year, and then in about a few years from now, no testing unless observation deems it appropriate (of course I will read the (glass stick-on) temperature every day which will place me in a position to observe on a daily basis as I have since May 2008 (the time I started this hobby or tank).
Therefore, the only two human interventions I will have in the tank will be: feeding and pruning the naturally grown cladophora (algae).
In the last 9 months, I lost less than a handful of fish. The tank chemically balanced itself. Via observation and a chemically balanced ecosystem I have achieved an all natural habitat.
I have had those on this forum and elsewhere - even those with much more experience in this hobby than I have had - tell me this type of ecosystem will potentially harm the fish and/or does harm the fish. I have proven this to be a fallacy.
So I will continue to update you guys with the tank. Once again, only the highly advanced in this hobby should attempt this type of ecosystem in their tanks. If there is any hesitation, my word of warning is, do not do what I am doing; instead, continue to water change at least 25% per week, have overhead lighting and at least twice the gph (gallons per hour) filtration system (that is, if your tank is 40 gallons, you should have at least 80 gph running through the system or 80 gallons of water running completely through the filters) - note: there is never enough filtration, in this case, the more the better), stay away from any type of algae growth and do not mix semi-aggressive and community fish in the same tank (and if you need to, periodically vacuum the gravel, the top layer).
Until the next update, happy fishing!
It's been over one year without water changing. Last month I started to liquid test kit the tank for ammonia and nitrite only once per month. I wanted to see if I could rely on observation alone.
Today, I tested the tank for ammonia and nitrite: both tests were 0. Therefore, observation alone can and will work. I plan to test once per month for six months, then every other month, then once every three months, then once every six months, then once per year, and then in about a few years from now, no testing unless observation deems it appropriate (of course I will read the (glass stick-on) temperature every day which will place me in a position to observe on a daily basis as I have since May 2008 (the time I started this hobby or tank).
Therefore, the only two human interventions I will have in the tank will be: feeding and pruning the naturally grown cladophora (algae).
In the last 9 months, I lost less than a handful of fish. The tank chemically balanced itself. Via observation and a chemically balanced ecosystem I have achieved an all natural habitat.
I have had those on this forum and elsewhere - even those with much more experience in this hobby than I have had - tell me this type of ecosystem will potentially harm the fish and/or does harm the fish. I have proven this to be a fallacy.
So I will continue to update you guys with the tank. Once again, only the highly advanced in this hobby should attempt this type of ecosystem in their tanks. If there is any hesitation, my word of warning is, do not do what I am doing; instead, continue to water change at least 25% per week, have overhead lighting and at least twice the gph (gallons per hour) filtration system (that is, if your tank is 40 gallons, you should have at least 80 gph running through the system or 80 gallons of water running completely through the filters) - note: there is never enough filtration, in this case, the more the better), stay away from any type of algae growth and do not mix semi-aggressive and community fish in the same tank (and if you need to, periodically vacuum the gravel, the top layer).
Until the next update, happy fishing!
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celowe2014 - Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 10:58 pm
Re: No Water Change In Six Months
I know you wrote this years ago. But, I just came across it now.
I do the same thing you are doing, but I use a wet/dry filter and light. That is the only difference. I haven't done water changes for over 5 years. I am now planning a 125 gallon planted tank. Fish and plants do much better when nature takes over.
I have found that the plants grow much better and faster with a natural setup. I only use lights because of the lack of light in my house.
I do the same thing you are doing, but I use a wet/dry filter and light. That is the only difference. I haven't done water changes for over 5 years. I am now planning a 125 gallon planted tank. Fish and plants do much better when nature takes over.
I have found that the plants grow much better and faster with a natural setup. I only use lights because of the lack of light in my house.
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Thisfish88 - Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2008 7:10 pm
Re: No Water Change In Six Months
Talkin to some of the old fish heads I used to work with, they told me in the old days water changes were done rarely and or if something was wrong.Nowadays most keepers do frequent changes. Working at a pet store tho, I talked to people who never changed their water, of course that usually explained the problem they were having. With good plants to control the nitrates the only reason to do water changes is to regulate salt content. Tap water has small amounts of salt that build up over time from top offs for evaporation loss. Not a problem if you use r/o or distilled water.
