Do I Need A Filter? [Important]

[BOGaming_]

Hello all,
So basically I'm expecting fry anytime this week. This is a repeat of my preg fish from about a month ago but sadly they all died because at the time i was new and did not meet the fry requirements. I currently have 1 fry i am raising in my main tank (in a hatchery) who is doing very well by himself, i have no idea where he came from but he just appeared when doing a water change! 
 
So today, i went out and brought a 10 litre tank, i added half new gravel (Roman gravel) and the other half was from my already established tank. 80% of the water in the new tank is also from my already established tank and the rest is new with Quickstart (API) and water conditioner of course
 
Now i've added my single pregnant platy fish since i think the tank should already be okay because i've also got ornaments from my last tank so basically apart from 20% of the water it's already established. My issue is i do NOT have a filter. I got a sponge filter but have no air pump so i can't use that and i won't be able to get an air pump for a week or so
 
Will my one platy fish be okay without a filter if i did about 10% daily water change or something like that? (if so what should i do) and will it be okay once my fry are born? I know they're very fragile so i'd hate to lose them to something like that. My other tank is doing well but sadly my fish are just true scavengers and any fry born never survive more than a week....
 
What is my best plan or option?
 
Thanks!

 

[BettaBettas]

um.. I don't have anything but one suggestion
 
 
 
 
be prepared in advance

 

[fish48]

 
 
Will my one platy fish be okay without a filter if i did about 10% daily water change or something like that? (if so what should i do) and will it be okay once my fry are born? 
What is my best plan or option?
 
Thanks!

yes you can keep platy/fry without a filter keep up with water changes.

 

[StevenF]

Do you have anything to circulate water.  a water pump or air stone?  if you don't circulate the water your water might not have enough oxygen in the water  for a healthy tank.

 

[AbbeysDad]

In order to determine the need for a filter, we need to examine all that it does.
The filter is in fact an eco-system of it's own....
> It traps organic waste and is home to bacteria that break down (decompose) the waste into nitrogenous compounds and plant nutrients.
> It serves as a living platform for the beneficial bacteria nitrosomonas and nitrospira that convert ammonia to nitrites and nitrites to nitrates. 
> It clarifies and oxygenates the water.
> It circulates water in the tank breaking up thermal gradients and distributing nutrients.
 
In some aquariums plants do much of the filtering of water, but in general, a filter is a very good thing. So you can get along without a filter for a time with water circulation, oxygenation and partial replacement, but of course long term, a filter is invaluable in maintaining a healthy aquarium.

 

[fluttermoth]

If you decide to run the tank without a filter (and, even if you do add a filter, unless you can use some media from the filter in your main tank, it won't be cycled for a few weeks anyway);

Get as many live plants in the tank as possible. Live plants will; use some ammonia, nitrite and nitrate (helping keep the water quality up), give hiding places for the fry (many livebearers are quite happy to eat their own fry) and provide a source of food for the fry, in the form of microorganisms/algae.

You must have test kits and test every day. Fry are, in general, more sensitive to pollutants than adult fish, so it is vital that you be able to monitor the situation, and know how much water you need to change. There's no way of knowing whether 10% daily will be enough; it depends on how many fry your fish has, how much ammonia the plants use, how many bacteria are on the gravel/plants etc, all highly variable.

 

[BOGaming_]

Thanks for the help,
So i'm getting a sponge filter this weekend! Until then I'll be doing 10% water changes daily

 

[BOGaming_]

Hey everyone!
Thank you for the help, I've now added a sponge filter with a good pump connected as well as 3 live plants to help with oxygen & i added a heater to maintain a stable temp, all is great now!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite.  That filter isn't 'cycled' yet, so there's no beneficial bacteria (of consequence) dealing with the poisons.  
 
 
And you'll need to do large water changes as well to remove a hormone that can reduce the growth rate of the fry.