Our tank has begun....All natural no chemicals.

[Metalman]

I have never used dechlorinator, I believe that even with chloromine in the water it would be possible to do water changes without dechlorinator. With Chlorine I know that with an acid tank and planted to about 50% it is possible to do 25% water changes weekly with out any problems. There will be a level that the same is possible with chloromine in the water. What that combination is I have no idea and have no way of figuring it out. But I would love someone to figure out the combination that works. As aquarists we tend to throw way to much stuff into our tanks. Fish don't need or want to live in a chemical soup.

In reality I feel it is possible to run a tank without using chemicals or having to do weekly water changes. It is purely a question of finding the correct balance between fish and plants......too many fish and associated feeding no matter how good the filtration is ammonia will go up and up. So plants are key and maybe also use an under gravel filtration system also. We have had the tank 4 weeks now and had fish thrown on us and not changed any water out yet.

 

[vortipor]

The kribensis I got with that free tank I was after a female for it and showed a pic to guy runs the aquatics centre in warminster and as I was a bit concerned about the cloudy eyes still I decided to see if I could isolate and treat him in new tank upstairs.
He checked pic and said oh wow he’s a real old boy and don’t often see them this age. So I have decided to let him see out his time with all of his mates he grew up with and the new kids on the block.

Is the aquatic centre called Acres?
The reason I ask is that I am setting up a new tank when the lockdown is lifted and Acres is about 20 mins up the road from me (Radstock). Do they have a good reputation? What is their range of stock like (fish and plants)? I would rather buy locally than by courier.
Your tank looks good so far - I hope it all works out.

 

[Metalman]

I can report that our all natural tank has had its first casualty ? the wife in her wisdom bought 5 mollies and one nosedived last night for some reason as no signs of sickness or stress. All other fish growing well as are plants and tank in general is maturing nicely. On a side note the free tank I got that had the rescued fish in has been up and running upstairs for a few weeks with old filter from main tank and also a fully natural tank for brooding young or isolating fish if needed.
(Edit) the mollies were not bought from acres wife went to pets at home ugh.....bad girl

 

[Metalman]

Is the aquatic centre called Acres?
The reason I ask is that I am setting up a new tank when the lockdown is lifted and Acres is about 20 mins up the road from me (Radstock). Do they have a good reputation? What is their range of stock like (fish and plants)? I would rather buy locally than by courier.
Your tank looks good so far - I hope it all works out.

Yes that’s the one and it has a dedicated team for the fish in general. Well recommended from us ?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Tank looks great! Those crypts are doing well.

 

[EllRog]

In reality I feel it is possible to run a tank without using chemicals or having to do weekly water changes. It is purely a question of finding the correct balance between fish and plants......too many fish and associated feeding no matter how good the filtration is ammonia will go up and up. So plants are key and maybe also use an under gravel filtration system also. We have had the tank 4 weeks now and had fish thrown on us and not changed any water out yet.

How do you plan to dilute hormones and toxins? Also, naturally, it rains. Our water is full of harmful chemicals so you not adding dechlorinator doesn't really mean that there isn't chemicals within your tank, innit?

 

[Metalman]

How do you plan to dilute hormones and toxins? Also, naturally, it rains. Our water is full of harmful chemicals so you not adding dechlorinator doesn't really mean that there isn't chemicals within your tank, innit?

Natural process of the plants and biological filtration, also small water changes every couple of weeks (water left over night to naturally dechlorinate) neither the wife or myself have ever gone the chemical route and it works if you do it properly. Minimum changes and allow tank to settle back into a flow again before changing anything else. We only feed the fish every other day and that ensures they act as normal as possible and forage. All I can say is it works for us ?

 

[Metalman]

Been a while since I have been on, work and family related reasons but hey ho....thought I’d let all know how it is going with the two tanks.
Tank1 main tank see pic, is going well and now onto our third load of baby mollies (Randy little sods). Still not changed water from day one and as depicted we just float a bag of water every few days to de chlorinate it over night. Fish get fed every 2-3 days, filter gets one side swapped out for a cleaned filter and then following week other side gets cleaned (keeps the filter working on the good bacteria.
Biggest issue with the brighter days of course the dreaded algae, so tank light goes on 2pm till 8.45pm and that seems to be working along with the fish eating the algae off the plants.

Tank2 what was going to be a breeder tank now houses loaches gourami’s and yellow fin tetras. (No pic cdnt be bothered to trapse upstairs) Lol.
So all in all it has been a great success on running two tanks all natural and keeping the plants growing well so the tank runs itself I guess.