Zero Water Change System

[overstockednewb]

Hey guys,

I'm not really in the forum scene but I was trying to find some more info/feed back about this new filtration system I saw over a clients house. It's called the zero water change system. The guy didn't know anything about it, it was his sons... but he said he had the fish tank for 4 months as a birthday gift.. i asked if he changed the water but my client said he wasn't sure but he could imagine considering his son barely changes his shirt lol.

Any ways I asked some of my local stores in the area if they had it but none of them seemed to have any information on it.

The site is Hi-Q USA Zero Water Change Aquarium System

This is the product I'm talking about.
Zero Water Change System, Hi-Q USA Zero Water Change Aquarium System

What do you guys think.

Sincerely,

The cable guy.

[Pure]

It looks like the system grows the nitrifiying bacteria that removes nitrate.

From what I understand those particular bacteria are extremely hard to maintain.

Even if it does work. The fish will use up electrolytes and other trace elements in the water that will need to be replace. Also as the water evaporates the dissolved solids stay behind making the water harder and harder with each water top of. If you don't change the water this becomes a very serious problem over time.

Bottom line is no matter what you do you will always need to change the water in your tank.

[Orion]

Exactly what Pure said.

Keeping up bacteria colonies are only part of keeping a tank up. And a water change involves a lot more than only removing waste.

[overstockednewb]

Originally Posted by Pure

It looks like the system grows the nitrifiying bacteria that removes nitrate.

From what I understand those particular bacteria are extremely hard to maintain.

Even if it does work. The fish will use up electrolytes and other trace elements in the water that will need to be replace. Also as the water evaporates the dissolved solids stay behind making the water harder and harder with each water top of. If you don't change the water this becomes a very serious problem over time.

Bottom line is no matter what you do you will always need to change the water in your tank.

Bio Magic (Nitrogen cycle booster) - Hi-Q USA Zero Water Change Aquarium System they have this stuff to replenish the water though...

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't hardness in water the resistance to a change in pH? How is changing water different? Interesting though.

I don't think this would be a bad filtration system to have in a tank, it looks like it could probably work better than just a regular power filter... I know you guys on here probably change your water regularly, but what about those guys like me that change aquarium water every three months.

I'm trying to understand this stuff.

Zero Water Change Technology - Hi-Q USA Zero Water Change Aquarium System

[Pure]

Trace can also be replaced with a few other products on the market. What that doesn't change is the TDS (total dissolved solids)

TDS helps with the KH or carbonate hardness. This helps buffer the PH keeping it from dropping due to waste build up. But what you need to know is most tap water that hasn't been run through an RO filter has TDS in it. As water evaporates these dissolved solids are left behind. When you top the water off you are adding the dissolved solids in the new water to what was already in he tank. Over time this is going to increase your TDS/KH/PH.

Think of it like this. You have a bowl, in this bowl you put 1 cup of water and in that cup of water there was half a cup of dirt. When the water evaporates out of the bowl you replace it with another cup of water half full of dirt. Over time you will end up with a bowl of dirt.

Water changes remove the old TDS and replace it with the new helping to slow this down. Even then without using RO water once in a wile, over a long time the TDS of a tank will still increase.

[Pure]

I know you guys on here probably change your water regularly, but what about those guys like me that change aquarium water every three months.

Weekly water changes =s long lived fish

Tri monthly water changes =s short lived fish

If you don't care how long your fish live then don't do the required water changes.

[Surprise_Clown_Loach]

If you do your water topping off with RO water, you wouldn't be adding any TDS, or at least very very little. If additivies can be added to replenish the water..

What other concerns are there?

[Pure]

Removal of organic waste. If you let it sit in there, over time as it breaks down it becomes an acid ..effectivly dropping your PH until it crashes.

There are vacuums made to run off of a battery or an airline that removes waste without pulling the water. But seriously if you really wanna go to that much trouble you might as well do a water change. I find the vacuum only good to be used as a tool for waste removal between water changes. It's great for cleaning bare bottomed tanks.

[Surprise_Clown_Loach]

Are you refering to decomposition within the tank? (hehe, my tank is a compost pile! :O )

Doesn't organic waste also produce ammonia?

So even if the tank can handle the increased ammonia, you still have to deal with a compost pile that will bring your PH down?

Thanks for your time to explain this stuff to me.

[Rayneuki]

Intresting system. It could help though couldn't it? Not to eliminate water changes, but to aid in the nitrogen cycle?

Perhaps even when making a new tank. Set this up from an old tank into it, and let it start the nitrogen cycle. I'm probably wrong though...

Didn't know that I was also removing other stuff when I did my water change! No wonder my AQ water is harder than my Tap