Once A Month Tank- Any Idea's?

[Pompeydave]

Hello all, I'm trying to work out the best way to set up a tank that I only have time to maintain once a month. It's going to be freshwater tropical, size yet to be determined, and I'm looking to keep to the generally accepted stocking limits for fish. The features I am looking to include are:

1) A natural sand substrate
2) Densely planted with hardy, low maintenance plants
3) Freshwater tropical
4) Heating either by cable (If a cable is enough to heat a tank) or traditional tube, or both
5) Lighting by flourescent tubes- specific tube recommendations welcome please
6) filtration via external mechanical/biological means- eheim, etc
7) co2 if it's regarded as necessary- could I get wawy without it if I have a good substrate below the sand?

I can carry out partial water changes, prune plants, check water quality etc, but can't do it more than once a month. Any advice on each of the points raised above would be welcome please.....

 

[pseud]

I would say, with the limited amount of maintenance you'd want to go for low lighting, no CO2 and no fertilization. If you want high light plants you'd need to add CO2 and ferts to compensate, else you'll suffer the algae imp.

I'm not sure about only doing water changes once a month, I'd still recommend doing them once a week, or once every two weeks at least.

 

[kris-b-]

I think it's highly unlikely that you will get away with water changes once a month. You really should be looking to do them once a week if not more. If you don't then it will be your fish that suffer!

 

[simonbrown403]

The problem with doing water changes at monthly intervals, is the PH difference.
Over time the PH in your tank will drop, due to waste and other influences

When you come to do your water change with your tap water, you will get a sudden PH swing because of the difference in PH which wont do your fish and plants any good.

It can be done but its not advisably because you would have to use additives to your tank to keep the balance, which can carse problems in the long run.
Also your stocking levels would have to be low.

A regular small water changes would be better, a bucket a day is better then a large monthly water change.
You could even do it in the morning before work, a quick gravel clean and fill up it would only take 5 to 10 mins.

My dad is pretty lazy and dose ok with his tank, he has a 48"*12"*18" which is roughly about 150ltr, he has a sand substrate, bogwood, no co2 or ferts and only a measly 1wat per gal, and in it he has hygropilia polysperma, vallis, java moss, anbiua and some amazon swords which all seam to be doing ok.

He dose a quick gravel vac during a 10ltr water change every morning.

 

[Pompeydave]

Ok, thank's for the replies. My problem is that I'm only physically where the tank is going to be once a month- (complicated family/work issue that I won't go into here), so changes every day or every week are just not an option. Regarding the PH fluctuation when topping up after such a long interval- could the problem not be alleviated by topping up with RO water that's had a buffering agent added? Surely this would even out the PH difference between the tank water and the top up water?

 

[George Farmer]

I can't see a problem with once a month maintenance. These "rules" would work IMO.

1) Stock lightly - small fish only (less than 2"), less than 1 to 2" per UK Gallon total stocking.
2) Excellent bio-filtration i.e. big external
3) Feed sparingly
4) Tight fitting hood to prevent major evaporation.
5) Low lighting and low-light tolerant plants, lighting on a timer say 8-10 hours a day.
6) Suitable lighting type i.e. Dennerle tubes or Daylights, certainly no greater than 7500K. Aim for around 1 WPG.

Diana Walstad's aquariums undergo a water cahnge once every 4 months or so. They are planted heavily with low-medium light, no CO2, and a soil-based substrate toped with gravel. The fish food and waste provide the necassy nutrients along with the soil substrate. Bear in mind that her principles are differnent from the "rules" I have mentioned. If you're interested in low-tech planted aquarium then Google them.

 

[Jen]

With my old tank, the 35gallon, I used to do a water change every other month, and change the filter cartridge every month. The water was always perfect with no nitrate spikes or pH changes. I didn't have many fish, but I wouldnt say I was understocked.

It all has to do with knowing your tank. If you test your water monthly and notice that the parameters are all out of whack, then you need to find a way to get more changes in there.

Give it a go and see what happens. If you have no way of getting another water change in there, then you have to make do. Just be sure that your fish are suffering.