TAL's Zero Water Exchange Test Thread

TAL · 01-03-2009, 10:40 AM

Another great thing about not doing water changes...

Let's say its the weekend and you would be due for a water change...but the night before you stayed up too late, played way too much Wii "Dancing with the Stars" and you are also sore from shoveling wayy too much snow in the past couple of weeks.....not having to do a water change and stay on the couch is very nice...

Just sayin'...

Also, I will release my test chart and diary of the system at the 6 months mark which is only 16 weeks away!!!

The system wil continue to run after that... its kinda like that voyager mission that ran way past all the planets of our solar system..you know..kinda in a way it is...

BTW...go to Chili's and order the Chocolate Molten Cake. It is AWESOME!!!

ETA: Scroll back to page 8 for my comments from a few moments ago...

Chris_A · 01-03-2009, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TAL

pH 6.6 - pH has been dropping slowly for a month

So this unto it's self could be the beginning of a bad sign. There is something called acidosis. Interesting to see what happens to it in a few more weeks. Also this can be part of "old tanks syndome".

Quote:

Originally Posted by TAL

Also...there has ben talk about hormone build-up in the water in a system like this that affects growth of the fish so keep in mind my fry have been released into the tank and we shall see how they do.

This one is a little tougher to quantify... Some fish seem more or less effected than others. I've seen a 14" koi with a humped back come out of a 20 gallon but I've also seen stunted koi come out of a 130... just as an example. Plus I've never seen a way of actually measuring the levels of the hormone short of lab work and I have no idea if there's any guidline on what level would be an issue (I think that's because of the above example). Even if they do stunt, it might be quite some time before you even realize it without having a comparison. LFS sizes are not a good comparison BTW. At the LFS I worked at we started dealing with a gentleman who used two 300gal and 600gal stock tank with every second day water changes for his sword grow out (he was on a well

). We would get them in at about 2" and they were still too young to sex... My guess would be that growth rate is *closer* (but possibly accelerated a LITTLE due to food availability) to wild growth. Unfortunately he passed away a few years ago... I always LOVED talking with him and seeing his stock...

Happy New Year to you too!

Chris

TAL · 01-08-2009, 03:09 PM

Latest test results are:

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 2.5
pH 6.8 m ---- slightly up from last reading

So the water params stayed the same except for a slight increase in the pH number which we are watching with curiosity.

Note..... the pH in this tank pre HiQ was usually a bit below 7.0 so 6.8 is ok with me.... I was concerned the pH would continue to drop towards the sub 6.0 mark.

TAL · 01-08-2009, 03:39 PM

One other thing. I'm kinda sick today. Nothing horrible but I did 'throw'.....uck but that was last night. I'm starting feel better and the diziness has faded.

Thank goodness with all the things I have to do wether I am sick or not that I do not have to change fish tank water right now.

Whiskers · 01-08-2009, 03:59 PM

just a thought for the towers having a gap between them and the glass. maybe some sort of rubber strip could be attached to the tower sides to close up the gap. this would keep the towers from being a permant fixture in the tank. if, as i read, the two part epoxy can be used underwater, you wouldn't have to drain the tank and disrupt the testing. Well anyway just my two cents.

TAL · 01-08-2009, 06:46 PM

whether.....

but anyways whiskers.... i agree.....i wouldn't want to drain thew tank or make the towers permanent either.

stay warm my central michigan friend

brian1973 · 02-18-2009, 09:28 PM

Have we given up on these threads? Whats the end result?

89must · 03-14-2009, 03:32 PM

come on give us some sort of update since you dont have to do "water changes"

Matt Nace · 04-28-2009, 10:57 PM

Just a Bump. Hope Tal your doing well and you post again. If anyone knows anything about this thread and why it is not updated..let me know.

The thread is intresting and I had hoped to see how it worked.

brian1973 · 04-28-2009, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Nace

Just a Bump. Hope Tal your doing well and you post again. If anyone knows anything about this thread and why it is not updated..let me know.

The thread is intresting and I had hoped to see how it worked.

According to his profile he hasnt been around since Jan 11th... personally I think TAL was going to have this work regardless, the journal promised definately didnt measure up to what was delivered.. hopefully he shows back up then maybe I will have to remove my foot from my mouth...lol.

01-03-2009, 10:40 AM	#81
TAL Medium Fish Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 426	Another great thing about not doing water changes... Let's say its the weekend and you would be due for a water change...but the night before you stayed up too late, played way too much Wii "Dancing with the Stars" and you are also sore from shoveling wayy too much snow in the past couple of weeks.....not having to do a water change and stay on the couch is very nice... Just sayin'... Also, I will release my test chart and diary of the system at the 6 months mark which is only 16 weeks away!!! The system wil continue to run after that... its kinda like that voyager mission that ran way past all the planets of our solar system..you know..kinda in a way it is... BTW...go to Chili's and order the Chocolate Molten Cake. It is AWESOME!!! ETA: Scroll back to page 8 for my comments from a few moments ago... __________________ 03 Gallon Tanky Wanky - Empty 38 Gallon Tanky Wanky - 1 young Betta Fish, 1 GloFish, 1 Pleco, 1 Rainbow Shark, 1 Painted Swordtail, 2 Peppered Corys and 5 Gold Pristella Tetras, 2 Swordtail fry (Hi-Q Test Tank) Check out my HiQ Zero Water Exchange System Blog at : http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/equi...st-thread.html

01-08-2009, 03:09 PM	#83
TAL Medium Fish Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 426	Latest test results are: Ammonia 0 Nitrites 0 Nitrates 2.5 pH 6.8 m ---- slightly up from last reading So the water params stayed the same except for a slight increase in the pH number which we are watching with curiosity. Note..... the pH in this tank pre HiQ was usually a bit below 7.0 so 6.8 is ok with me.... I was concerned the pH would continue to drop towards the sub 6.0 mark. __________________ 03 Gallon Tanky Wanky - Empty 38 Gallon Tanky Wanky - 1 young Betta Fish, 1 GloFish, 1 Pleco, 1 Rainbow Shark, 1 Painted Swordtail, 2 Peppered Corys and 5 Gold Pristella Tetras, 2 Swordtail fry (Hi-Q Test Tank) Check out my HiQ Zero Water Exchange System Blog at : http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/equi...st-thread.html

01-08-2009, 03:39 PM	#84
TAL Medium Fish Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 426	One other thing. I'm kinda sick today. Nothing horrible but I did 'throw'.....uck but that was last night. I'm starting feel better and the diziness has faded. Thank goodness with all the things I have to do wether I am sick or not that I do not have to change fish tank water right now. __________________ 03 Gallon Tanky Wanky - Empty 38 Gallon Tanky Wanky - 1 young Betta Fish, 1 GloFish, 1 Pleco, 1 Rainbow Shark, 1 Painted Swordtail, 2 Peppered Corys and 5 Gold Pristella Tetras, 2 Swordtail fry (Hi-Q Test Tank) Check out my HiQ Zero Water Exchange System Blog at : http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/equi...st-thread.html

01-08-2009, 06:46 PM	#86
TAL Medium Fish Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 426	whether..... but anyways whiskers.... i agree.....i wouldn't want to drain thew tank or make the towers permanent either. stay warm my central michigan friend __________________ 03 Gallon Tanky Wanky - Empty 38 Gallon Tanky Wanky - 1 young Betta Fish, 1 GloFish, 1 Pleco, 1 Rainbow Shark, 1 Painted Swordtail, 2 Peppered Corys and 5 Gold Pristella Tetras, 2 Swordtail fry (Hi-Q Test Tank) Check out my HiQ Zero Water Exchange System Blog at : http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/equi...st-thread.html

02-18-2009, 09:28 PM	#87
brian1973 Super Fish Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Corpus Christi, Texas Posts: 1,879	Have we given up on these threads? Whats the end result? __________________ http://www.nanfa.org/ Hi my name is Brian I suffer from MTS, please be aware it is very contagious.

01-08-2009, 03:59 PM	#85
Whiskers Medium Fish Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: central Michigan USA Posts: 425	just a thought for the towers having a gap between them and the glass. maybe some sort of rubber strip could be attached to the tower sides to close up the gap. this would keep the towers from being a permant fixture in the tank. if, as i read, the two part epoxy can be used underwater, you wouldn't have to drain the tank and disrupt the testing. Well anyway just my two cents.

03-14-2009, 03:32 PM	#88
89must Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: n.e. ohio Posts: 34	come on give us some sort of update since you dont have to do "water changes" __________________ 5 red bellies in 75 gal 1 jack dempsy 1 blue severum and 1 giant gouromi in 180 gal 2 english bull dogs 20gal grow out 3 oscars, 1 convict, and 2 electric blue jack dempsies

04-28-2009, 10:57 PM	#89
Matt Nace Super Fish Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 1,457	Just a Bump. Hope Tal your doing well and you post again. If anyone knows anything about this thread and why it is not updated..let me know. The thread is intresting and I had hoped to see how it worked. __________________ -=Matt=- Current tanks: 125 gallon CA cichlid tank 150 gallon African Mbuna tank 10g q-hosp-fry tank