Water changes?

[TomO]

I rarely do water changes. My tanks are very heavily planted. I normally just add water. I never lose fish, and if I do test the water, the nitrates are almost never high and the ammonia is nonexistent. In my live bearer tank there’s 30 something fish depending on how many fry are there. It’s a 29 gallon. There are platties, guppies and swords. My 75 has over 50 barbs and peacocks. My question is why is am I a monster for not changing the water, just cleaning the filters?

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Who is calliing you a monster? I think most of us would like to get to the point where water changes are not needed. 

[BaRanchik]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[ARMYVET]

You have gotten to a place the rest of us are striving to get. Great Job!!

 

Now stop bragging about it...🤣

[tonyjuliano]

On 6/20/2021 at 5:18 AM, TomO said:

My question is why is am I a monster for not changing the water, just cleaning the filters?

Monster?  Not in the slightest.

You’ve managed to establish and maintain what’s seems to be close to perfect balance in your environments.

You have chosen to ignore the usual dogma that is blindly regurgitated by many others in this hobby in favor of a system that works.

”Monster” definitely not, “Master” may be a better adjective.

[lefty o]

if you have a good balance going in your aquarium, you dont have to do water changes all the time.

[Guppysnail]

Don’t let others tell you how to keep your fish happy. If they are happy and healthy and your plants are doing well...keep doing what your doing. I bet if you went to their house you would find five things you think they are doing wrong.  That is why this hobby is so awesome and unique to each individual.  There are things you can distinctly do wrong that will harm your fish...you’ll know because you will have deceased fish....but there is no one absolutely correct definitive way to do things.

i do exposed area small gravel vacs daily...why...because I like to play in the water and find it endlessly fascinating to see what grows in my substrate ...ROFL. My fish don’t mind and are healthy prolific breeders that to all appearances are happy. Many of mine eat from my finger to another thing I’ve heard is a Nono....do I care...not even a little