Those Who Don't Use Filters
- Thread starter ellena
- Start date
jennybugs
Eternally pruned fingers!
Sorry I can't help. I've never kept a fish without a filter.
lilacamy931
Starting again
My suggestion would be to post this in the main discussion section and get some help as it sounds like cycling again? Give them all the facts, stocking level, tank size, filter, how long running etc and there should be someone that can help
sorry that you are frustrated. i would be too.
so youve been cycling for two months? do you have any readings for nitrite (i only remember seeing ammonia stats)? post all your stats for water quality. maybe you are almost there in the cycle and a shimmer of hope will keep you motivated to do water changes.
good luck to you.
so youve been cycling for two months? do you have any readings for nitrite (i only remember seeing ammonia stats)? post all your stats for water quality. maybe you are almost there in the cycle and a shimmer of hope will keep you motivated to do water changes.
good luck to you.
I posted in the beginner and main sections awhile ago. Even waterdrop had nothing to suggest. Since I got back from holiday last wednesday, there has been no nitrite in either tank. Just ammonia steadily rising until I have to to a water change.
Today, Rufus had a 0 0 but Levi had 1 0 so I had to do a change before work.
I started Rufus' tank off with sponge I had cycled for 7 weeks alongside the other media in my main tank. I think I killed all the bacteria by doing too many water changes and starving them so I swapped the sponge for more media from the main cycling tank. I have done this a further time as it will not settle down and goes days sometimes with no ammonia being processed.
In Levi's tank, I put a couple of bits of ceramic and a sheet of sponge from the main tank in to start it off. Again, I have had to change this twice as the bacteria seemed to die and did nothing for days at a time.
I just seem to keep putting good live media in there and killing it. I now double dose dechlorinator after a someone suggested I might have high chlorine. I got rid of the snails yesterday so now there is just 1 betta in each tank.
Rufus' bowl is 12l and has an elite mini (not sure what the tube is in that pic, mine doesn't have that) It came with sponge media, but I have tried combinations of sponge and ceramics. I have a sponge baffle over the outlet as the flow is too much otherwise.
Levi's tank is 25l and has a trickle filter where the water is drawn into the lid then pours out over a piece of sponge and then flows over some bio balls and back into the tank. I've put 2 pieces of ceramic in, one where the water first pours out and another in the outlet.
I use the API test kits (I'm on my 3rd ammonia!)
I really don't know what is going wrong. I get so frustrated to read posts on here from people who've just brought another betta home from the pet shop and cloned the filter from an existing one. It just never works for me.
My friends and family think I'm mad, especially my dad who used to keep tropical fish. I had to ask him to do a water change while I was on holiday and he said it was the level of care he would associate more with marines. My husband thinks they'd be OK if I didn't interfere so much. But now I have a test kit and I know they are harmed by levels over 0.25, I can't not test. I don't want to leave them until they show physical signs of distress 'cos it might be too late then.
I am just really sick and tired of the sight of those test kits and of doing water changes. I bought my first tank at Easter and am yet to get any enjoyment out of this hobby
Sorry to rant, but it gets me down
Today, Rufus had a 0 0 but Levi had 1 0 so I had to do a change before work.
I started Rufus' tank off with sponge I had cycled for 7 weeks alongside the other media in my main tank. I think I killed all the bacteria by doing too many water changes and starving them so I swapped the sponge for more media from the main cycling tank. I have done this a further time as it will not settle down and goes days sometimes with no ammonia being processed.
In Levi's tank, I put a couple of bits of ceramic and a sheet of sponge from the main tank in to start it off. Again, I have had to change this twice as the bacteria seemed to die and did nothing for days at a time.
I just seem to keep putting good live media in there and killing it. I now double dose dechlorinator after a someone suggested I might have high chlorine. I got rid of the snails yesterday so now there is just 1 betta in each tank.
Rufus' bowl is 12l and has an elite mini (not sure what the tube is in that pic, mine doesn't have that) It came with sponge media, but I have tried combinations of sponge and ceramics. I have a sponge baffle over the outlet as the flow is too much otherwise.
Levi's tank is 25l and has a trickle filter where the water is drawn into the lid then pours out over a piece of sponge and then flows over some bio balls and back into the tank. I've put 2 pieces of ceramic in, one where the water first pours out and another in the outlet.
I use the API test kits (I'm on my 3rd ammonia!)
I really don't know what is going wrong. I get so frustrated to read posts on here from people who've just brought another betta home from the pet shop and cloned the filter from an existing one. It just never works for me.
My friends and family think I'm mad, especially my dad who used to keep tropical fish. I had to ask him to do a water change while I was on holiday and he said it was the level of care he would associate more with marines. My husband thinks they'd be OK if I didn't interfere so much. But now I have a test kit and I know they are harmed by levels over 0.25, I can't not test. I don't want to leave them until they show physical signs of distress 'cos it might be too late then.
I am just really sick and tired of the sight of those test kits and of doing water changes. I bought my first tank at Easter and am yet to get any enjoyment out of this hobby
Sorry to rant, but it gets me down
oh hun, i feel for you.
not much you can do really but keep testing. and leave the filters be while you get things sorted.
all the best!
not much you can do really but keep testing. and leave the filters be while you get things sorted.
all the best!
lilacamy931
Starting again
If thats at me Ollie, it is just the way i talk Hon, sweetie, sweets, these are words I just always use Some people say hun
Hon, sweetie, sweets, these are words I just always use Some people say hunThe young one
Fishaholic
It's cuz they're girls Ollie, because we are men we speak more manly
lilacamy931
Starting again
That is probably it! 
I love hot pink too if that helps The young one
Fishaholic
woops, off topic again.
Ellena,
how are the water levels now almost a month later than the original post? still cycling or did it manage to sort itself?
cheers
how are the water levels now almost a month later than the original post? still cycling or did it manage to sort itself?
cheers
lilacamy931
Starting again
Yes hon, hoping your tank is behaving now??
Thanks for asking, but no, it's still cycling Nothing over 0.25 for a while, so an improvement, but it's still there. No nitrite for ages. I cut the feeding right back as someone suggested, just 1-2 pellets every other day.
Nothing over 0.25 for a while, so an improvement, but it's still there. No nitrite for ages. I cut the feeding right back as someone suggested, just 1-2 pellets every other day.
lilacamy931
Starting again
hmmmmm...really odd hon...good sign though no nitrites. Have you checked your tap water recently just to see if there are traces there and natural? (weirder things have happened)
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