Local Pet Store

[nero]

Do you laugh, cry or just cringe?
I was at my Pet store today, trying to get a spare impeller for my filter powerhead. He couldnt understand why I wanted one spare... So I told him that I wanted one handy in case it broke...What happens if it breaks? Im stuffed!!! But he said " Oh no, you just need an air pump." I looked at him in askance, and he continued, " You dont REALLY need a filter you know. You just need an airpump to aerate it, and just do a 20% water change every 5 or 6 days until you can get a new impeller."
Oh my. I left rapidly at that point....I do a 30-40% water change every week WITH the filter working!!!!

 

[evilbunny]

ok this is going to sound stupid but now that i think about it, why do i need a filter ?? it's just to filter the water and make it clean right ? there is not other reason is there ??

i mean i know i would never get a tank and not have a filter but well yeah .. why do i have a filter

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

ok this is going to sound stupid but now that i think about it, why do i need a filter ?? it's just to filter the water and make it clean right ? there is not other reason is there ??

i mean i know i would never get a tank and not have a filter but well yeah .. why do i have a filter

I you didn't have a filter things like ammonia and nitrite levels would rise rapidly and kill your fish. you need a filter because it serves as the habitat of denitrifying that keep toxins out of the water.

 

[a1wonder]

not only that when you use a filter it aggiates the water and increases the oxygen I have three filters always going in my tank which do alot more for my fish than a little air stone. As previous mentioned the carbon also clears the water making you able to see your fish. I should take a picture of my tank right now I removed the carbon for four days now (to treat the fish with mediciation) and you can barely see the fish now

 

[CathyG]

You don't need to use carbon long term, I have only used it to clear up a dose of meds. The lack of carbon should not reduce water quality, or visibility, something else is going on there IMHO...

I obviously agree with the general consensus. An airstone does much to agitate the water surface, and therefore aid gas exchange, but it does not filter out toxins. A water change goes a long way to reducing toxic substances, but it should not be relied on - unless you can be committed to a daily water change. A week of nitrifying activity would be more than sressful, especially in smaller, less stable tanks.

 

[FishDan]

The filter does not filter out anything. The bacteria that live in the filter do all the work, the filter is only there to provide a place for the bacteria to live that is more optimal than can be found elsewhere in the aquarium. If you could develope a method in your aquarium where there is an area of running water and darkness you could do without the filter (but then, you are essentially creating a filter anyhow). The filter also allows for specialized media to be used when needed, you generally can't just stick some media types in the tank and expect them to work. As for carbon, I disagree with the statement it needs to be used all the time. Yes, it is usefull for removing some impurities from your water, but you should not need carbon to clear up excessively cloudy water. I use carbon sparingly when I replace my filter pads. And the only reason I use it is because it is in the pre-assembled pads. After it is "worn out" it no longer does anything but provide another place for the bacteria to grow. I simply rinse the pads out at each water change. The filters can usually last six months this way, quite a bit of money saved.

\Dan

 

[fufanu360]

ok... wel this thread is a waste of time, its just all a bunch of different ideas

 

[FishDan]

ok... wel this thread is a waste of time, its just all a bunch of different ideas

Most threads have several differing opinions. That's one of the great things about this hobby is that there are often many "right" (but different) ways to accomplish the same thing. Of course, if you didn't think there was any value in this thread you were not obligated to add your (argueably valueless) post to it.

Anyhow, as an addendum to my earlier post, I overlooked the fact that filters are really the only way to remove the particulate matter from the water column (though I may have slightly hinted at it by mentioning filter media). The mechanical filtration provided by most all filtering methods is very important to the health of all aquarium systems.

\Dan

 

[freddyk]

First, to not have a filter on an aquarium is rather absurd, a bit of research shows the importance.

That said, this lfs employee is not exactly wrong. Every surface in the aquarium will hold the mentioned bacteria. The substrate, rocks, wood, even the glass. A lightly stocked aquarium can most certainly go indefinetlely with no filtration, and regular water changes. In truth, my moderately stocked and heavily rock-scaped African cichlid tank was not even phased by the east coast power outage because the rocks in the tank held enough bacteria for the population.

As for carbon, anybody with discolored water will appreciate it, but if your aquarium 'turns' bad when you remove the carbon, I'd seriously consider using another source of water, because this should not happen in a healthy tank. I haven't used carbon in my filters in many years.

 

[Angry_Platy]

I have never used carbon in the filters....WHY? When the carbon runs out of absorbing power it dumps the crap it previously absorbed back into the tank....this can happen at anytime, so changing it at regular intervals won't help....

All my tanks are crystal clear

 

[Mamaschild]

I have to agree....Carbon is not necessary for continued clarity in a tank. I only use carbon when setting up a tank, then remove it and never use it again, unless meds need to be removed. I have 7 tanks ranging from 10g to 80g, and none of them have carbon in them and they are all crystal clear???

I even left some cucumber in one tank over night on accident. What a cloudy MESS I woke up to. That evening after work I did a 50% water change. The next day, the tank was crystal clear.....no carbon in that tank

 

[nero]

Actually, activated carbon does NOT dump anything back into the water. Once it has absorbed stuff it is in there for good, unless it undergoes the special process to re-activate it.

 

[clutterydrawer]

ok... wel this thread is a waste of time, its just all a bunch of different ideas

not really

I don't see any vast differences of opinion (for once!) jsut people saying, yes, the lfs is wrong, you need a filter.

 

[FishDan]

Actually, activated carbon does NOT dump anything back into the water. Once it has absorbed stuff it is in there for good, unless it undergoes the special process to re-activate it.

That's right. Carbon does not absorb anything, it is adsorbed (the chemicals are bonded to the carbon). The only way anything can possibly leach back into the water is though heat. And a lot of heat would be required to break the chemical bonds (a lot in relation to what would ever be created in an aquarium. Unless you plan to cook them all). It is a common myth and misconception that carbon will leach impurities back into your water. All it does (as I alluded to in an earlier post) is become ineffective and then become a great place for the beneficial bacteria to live.

\Dan

 

[yvez9]

When I bought my first plants, the guy at the lfs told me to remvoe the carbon filter and replace it with some other kinf of white$gray "rocks".

i haven't seen any change in the water quality and have no idea why i had to remove the carbon, anyway.... all looks good to me and plants look very healthy. Especially since I add Plant-Gro every week