No filter, zero parameters

[rdaled]

I have a 10 gallon office tank that is home to white clouds, snails and java moss. Only running an air stone, no filter or heater, and it has been set up for over three months. I have done two water changes in that time. The tank is loaded with fry and snail eggs, and I had to cut back the java moss last week.

This morning I came in prepared to do a water change but after running all the tests I don't see a need. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are all zero and the pH is 6.4. I know the API master test kit is good since it is the same one I use on my home tank and it always measures nitrate levels.

Any reason for a water change if you don't have any nitrates?

 

[FrozenFins]

You would usaully do waterchanges when you test for nitrites or a high amount of nitrates. Its cool that aquarium has replicated the wild in the sense that there is no filter or very little waterchanges. 

[gardenman]

The only real reason would be trace elements and that's somewhat iffy as a reason. Just topping off evaporation might refresh those enough. You could also just use a remineralizer at a reduced rate to supply those. There's lots of chatter about fish emitting growth restricting hormones that have to be flushed through water changes, but the folks at Goliad Farms have a long article about that. They theorize that live plants absorb those hormones, or neutralize them in some manner. Which kind of makes sense. I've got a horrifically overcrowded tank that's heavily planted and I've got an abundance of 4"+ neon swordtails thriving in it along with about thirty Super Red Bristlenose Plecos who are growing very well. It gets no real water changes, just topped off after filter cleanings when its canister filter tosses out a couple of gallons and water lost through evaporation. To say the fish are thriving in there is an understatement.

[Daniel]

The majority of my aquariums do not have any filter at all except for plants (which are the real filters). If they are well planted I usually don't do much in the way of water changes. I agree with @gardenman that water changes could be beneficial when it come to trace elements, but who really knows about trace elements?

I can't see any reason to do water changes on a successful tank like yours.

[ZoeyFish]

@rdaled Thanks for the post, I learned more about frequency of water changes.  I do have a question about your tank, how do you anchor your java moss?  I've used both aquarium safe rope and also super glue (from one of Cory's videos) but wanted to know what you use.  I'm also sure that with just an air stone you don't have a strong flow moving the moss around so it may just naturally float and branch out like that.  Any tips are appreciated!

[H.K.Luterman]

Nice! That's always my goal; to get a tank balanced enough that it never really NEEDS a water change. My 29 gallon guppy tank and two of my 5 gallons are that way. I just water change when I feel like doing a little tidying of the mulm build up. 

Lovely tank!

[rdaled]

1 hour ago, gardenman said:

The only real reason would be trace elements and that's somewhat iffy as a reason. Just topping off evaporation might refresh those enough. You could also just use a remineralizer at a reduced rate to supply those. There's lots of chatter about fish emitting growth restricting hormones that have to be flushed through water changes, but the folks at Goliad Farms have a long article about that. They theorize that live plants absorb those hormones, or neutralize them in some manner. Which kind of makes sense. I've got a horrifically overcrowded tank that's heavily planted and I've got an abundance of 4"+ neon swordtails thriving in it along with about thirty Super Red Bristlenose Plecos who are growing very well. It gets no real water changes, just topped off after filter cleanings when its canister filter tosses out a couple of gallons and water lost through evaporation. To say the fish are thriving in there is an understatement.

Nice in-depth answer @gardenman Trace elements are not something I am currently too concerned with on this tank. I eventually want to add red cherry shrimp, perhaps it will be more of an issue then.

 

1 hour ago, Daniel said:

The majority of my aquariums do not have any filter at all except for plants (which are the real filters). If they are well planted I usually don't do much in the way of water changes. I agree with @gardenman that water changes could be beneficial when it come to trace elements, but who really knows about trace elements?

I can't see any reason to do water changes on a successful tank like yours.

Thanks @Daniel Kind of what I thought, nice to know I am on the right track.

 

58 minutes ago, ZoeyFish said:

@rdaled Thanks for the post, I learned more about frequency of water changes.  I do have a question about your tank, how do you anchor your java moss?  I've used both aquarium safe rope and also super glue (from one of Cory's videos) but wanted to know what you use.  I'm also sure that with just an air stone you don't have a strong flow moving the moss around so it may just naturally float and branch out like that.  Any tips are appreciated!

@ZoeyFish You are exactly right, there is not enough flow to move the moss around. When I cut it back the trimmings slowly sink to the bottom. Initially I just wedged the moss in between two rocks, and it grew up and out from there.

 

40 minutes ago, H.K.Luterman said:

Nice! That's always my goal; to get a tank balanced enough that it never really NEEDS a water change. My 29 gallon guppy tank and two of my 5 gallons are that way. I just water change when I feel like doing a little tidying of the mulm build up. 

Lovely tank!

@H.K.Luterman That was my goal on this tank as well. I even added an automatic feeder for weekends and holidays. I can literally leave this tank unattended for a couple weeks without a worry.

[lefty o]

if you keep tabs on the water, and everything is healthy it is not really needed. it gives people peace of mind to do weekly water changes, but quite often it isnt needed.

[CanadaAmanda]

@ZoeyFish I'm sure you're already aware, but just in case... you can attach it with fishing line, wait a few weeks and then cut the fishing line off.  You can do the same with sewing thread but the moss tends to attach itself and some of the moss gets yanked off when you remove the thread.  I have moss growing on driftwood in a tank with a HOB, the driftwood is in a medium flow area and it is branching off quite nicely.

[rdaled]

Sounds like the consensus is to....

 

[Marnol D]

I only do water changes when nitrates are out of hand. and that usually means i need more plants or more CO2 or something is off in the tank. Now when it comes to minerals in the water you may need to remineralize every so often.