Hello kev. There is. I have a 300 gallon tank that has roughly 15 Goldfish in it. It has no filter. It just has a lot of plants and good aeration and gets a 50 percent water change weekly. The tank has been running several years and the fish are three to six inches long, all doing very well. I've found that if you change enough water and change it often enough you don't need mechanical filtration. The problem is, most people who keep fish tanks aren't willing to follow this type of water change routine.Is there any type of aquarium that is filterless? If so are they hard to run?
Hello kev. There is. I have a 300 gallon tank that has roughly 15 Goldfish in it. It has no filter. It just has a lot of plants and good aeration and gets a 50 percent water change weekly. The tank has been running several years and the fish are three to six inches long, all doing very well. I've found that if you change enough water and change it often enough you don't need mechanical filtration. The problem is, most people who keep fish tanks aren't willing to follow this type of water change routine.
10 Tanks
Hi Gary. I agree. If I had a small tank, I would have to keep very small fish and change half the water twice weekly. The water chemistry changes too quickly in a small tank. There needs to be enough water to allow for mistakes that everyone makes. That's why I don't keep tanks under 45 gallons. Even after close to 20 years of keeping fish, I still wouldn't trust myself keeping a small tank.I think where people (and fish) get into trouble is when they try to do this in small tanks.
Hello Ich. Guilty of not feeding very much. But, that's what heavy waste producers like Goldfish really need. It's been my experience that a fish that's a little hungry is healthier and a better forager for that last little bit of food. That fish is also doing its part to keep the water clean. The frequent, large water changes will maintain good water conditions to the point you never need to test it. It's always clear of pollutants.You’re obviously not feeding them much either if they’re only 3-6” long after “several years”.
Any tank with a minimal bioload, (or minimal feeding), similar to that found in nature, where there’s enough bacteria on surfaces to deal with the bioload, doesn’t need a filter.
Also a ‘true’ blackwater tank with a very low pH, where ammonia is not toxic and doesn’t get converted to nitrite, can’t use a biofilter, because the bacteria involved can’t function in such low pH.
There’s really no need to feel offended. We’re all here to learn. Even if we think we’re not.Hello Ich.
He wasn't being offended... Just explaining his side of it all. He did so in a very respectful mannerThere’s really no need to feel offended. We’re all here to learn. Even if we think we’re not.
If you say so.He wasn't being offended... Just explaining his side of it all. He did so in a very respectful manner
Hi Gary. Good point. I've always been one for "Nick Names". I will try to include the entire name in the future. Apologies to Ichthys.@10 Tanks Umm, I'm not sure "Ich" is a good nickname here! Ichthys is great and I was jeaslous of the idea when I first saw him or her or them post. It could cause a spot of trouble, raise temperatures, make people get salty and make potential friendships dye.
It's hard to make a pun with "Malachite green".