What Chemicals Do I Really Need In My Tank?

[Discovery86]

Hi,

I have a 30 gallon tank with 4 Bleeding Heart Tetras. I'm wondering what exactly do I need to add to the tank water? I currently put in Stress Coat, Stress Zyme, Aquarium Salt, and AmQuel Plus. I also use a tap water conditioner when I do a water change. Are they all nessecary??

tetragirl86

 

[Ddraig Goch]

I just use water conditioner and bacterlife. Water conditioner is the only essential one.

Aquarium salt is necessary for certain types of fish, I don't think that tetras need it.

p.s. I love bleeding heart tetras they're great fish, I used to have some and they grew into beautiful (and huge) fish.

 

[IovaykInD]

When I started my tank..my dad wanted to go as natural as possible. We just filled up our 29 gallon and let it sit with the filter running for a month. Then we added fish and everything went along great. None of the fish died during cycling and there are no chemicals in the water.

 

[dgwebster]

When I started my tank..my dad wanted to go as natural as possible. We just filled up our 29 gallon and let it sit with the filter running for a month. Then we added fish and everything went along great. None of the fish died during cycling and there are no chemicals in the water.

Id be interested in your untreated water test results.

You wouldnt be able to do jack with a filter in empty water here for a month, it has such a natural cleanliness, very little metal contamination and little chlorine. its very very natural hill water. bit of a bugger in some ways.

 

[rdd1952]

The only thing you need is dechlorinator (Stress Coat) and, if you have live plants, maybe fertilizer. The Stress Coat and the tap water conditioner you are using are most likely doing the same thing. For a dechlorinator, youwant one that "removes" chlorine (which Stress Coat does) and not one that just "neutralizes" it. Get rid of the salt for sure. Tetras definitely don't need it and if you decide you want corys or other catfish species, they definitely can't tolerate it. It will burn their skin.

 

[freddyk]

The only thing you need is dechlorinator

Agree. This formula has worked perfectly for me for so long I find it amusing how many additives fish stores make people think they need.

 

[ncjharris]

Unless you're keeping SW and then you need to consider the trace elements that water changes will remove.

 

[Discovery86]

Thanks very much for your help!

tetragirl86

 

[IovaykInD]

Id be interested in your untreated water test results.

You wouldnt be able to do jack with a filter in empty water here for a month, it has such a natural cleanliness, very little metal contamination and little chlorine. its very very natural hill water. bit of a bugger in some ways.

I never tested the water before, didn't do anything to it. I haven't changed the water in over 5 months and the fish are all fine. The plants take care of the nitrates, and my dad doesn't believe in water changes. The water is crystal clear, and he says it's in it's best condition ever.

 

[Gazoo]

I never tested the water before, didn't do anything to it. I haven't changed the water in over 5 months and the fish are all fine. The plants take care of the nitrates, and my dad doesn't believe in water changes. The water is crystal clear, and he says it's in it's best condition ever.

I'm curious why your father doesn't believe in water changes. Can't water "look" clear and still be out of wack? That being said, the only way to know for sure is to test the water.

 

[penguinpimp1990]

the bacetria wont grow on your filter's bio media as the chlorine in the tap water kills it off I think the plants are doing all the filtering here

 

[rdd1952]

I never tested the water before, didn't do anything to it. I haven't changed the water in over 5 months and the fish are all fine. The plants take care of the nitrates, and my dad doesn't believe in water changes. The water is crystal clear, and he says it's in it's best condition ever.

What about vacuuming the gravel to remove waste? After 5 months, I would expect the substrate to be completely covered by fish waste.

 

[IovaykInD]

No..never vacuumed but you can't see any of the waste. Probably sucked up by the filter, or went in between the gravel. Will vacuum soon, because when I push the gravel around, waste comes up. Still, the water is pretty nice, fish are really healthy. No water test needed, I don't think, cause by looking at the fish, it shows that the water is fine.

 

[rdd1952]

or went in between the gravel. Will vacuum soon, because when I push the gravel around, waste comes up.

I would imagine that is the case. You probably have 1/4" of waste on the bottom. I guess over time you filtration has built up enough bacteria to handle the extra ammonia from the waste. What kind of filter do you have?

 

[Fella]

No..never vacuumed but you can't see any of the waste. Probably sucked up by the filter, or went in between the gravel. Will vacuum soon, because when I push the gravel around, waste comes up. Still, the water is pretty nice, fish are really healthy. No water test needed, I don't think, cause by looking at the fish, it shows that the water is fine.

Are they telling you the water parameters?

There is no way you can tell whether or not water is in great condition (especially without water changes)without testing it.