Besides filtering some of the gunk out of the tank, what do filters do for a tank? According to Aquadvisor, I doesn’t change the stocking capacity at all. ( I put two 40g filters on my 30g tank and the stocking level stayed exactly the same according to Aquadvisor) And as far as aeration, they do very little of that if you have the water high enough so it is not falling or splashing. There was an article on this on an Aquabid forum by one of the sellers who uses no filtration and I started to wonder about this.
Filtration
- Thread starter Thyra
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Hello; I have run setups many times with only a bubbler in the tank, bucket or other container. Usually with live plants, a light, a heater and a low density of fish. One of the most densly planted tanks I ever saw was at a friends house long ago. It had about six inches of gravel and sat in is room where natural light was on it during the day. Some of the earliest things I recall reading included descriptions of seting up tanks without filtration.
Part of what a filter does is to create water movement, which helps move the oxygenated water around the tank. Even if the water isn't splashing, the filter still creates currents to help with oxygen getting around the tank. In a planted tank, the plants create oxygen when the lights are on, which keeps the water more saturated with oxygen.
If you've ever had a fully stocked tank and watched what happens when the power goes out, you will see fish gasping at the surface.
For example, in a saltwater tank, you don't generally use a filter, but the currents the powerheads supply does oxygenate the water and moves the oxygen around the tank.
If you've ever had a fully stocked tank and watched what happens when the power goes out, you will see fish gasping at the surface.
For example, in a saltwater tank, you don't generally use a filter, but the currents the powerheads supply does oxygenate the water and moves the oxygen around the tank.
There are a lot of things involved in it all, as far as I can tell. Anything that moves the surface of the water will increase aeration.
Stocking also has a lot to do with it. A few small fish in a large tank won't be much of an issue. The larger fish get, and the more you have in a tank, the more water movement you'll need. Those who have the natural-style tanks with lots of plants generally only have a few small fish. Fish oxygen use is based on their overall mass. So, a neon tetra probably uses 1/10 of the oxygen as a 3-inch fish, simply because of the body mass. In a tank with no movement, there's a lot less oxygen available in general.
Stocking also has a lot to do with it. A few small fish in a large tank won't be much of an issue. The larger fish get, and the more you have in a tank, the more water movement you'll need. Those who have the natural-style tanks with lots of plants generally only have a few small fish. Fish oxygen use is based on their overall mass. So, a neon tetra probably uses 1/10 of the oxygen as a 3-inch fish, simply because of the body mass. In a tank with no movement, there's a lot less oxygen available in general.
Maybe ask them? I don't remember seeing a memo saying they were the definititive answer on stocking,so they could be wrong. Its impossible to come up with a cookie cutter answer for every person.
A filter Also houses the vast majority of the benifecial bacteria, because of what Lotus said, it has the most oxygen rich water in the tank
A filter Also houses the vast majority of the benifecial bacteria, because of what Lotus said, it has the most oxygen rich water in the tank
There's always going to be a limit on how many fish you can safely keep in a tank. While adding an extra filter may, in practice, increase the number, it's not necessarily a good idea for the long term.
There's still a maximum amount of oxygen you can dissolve in a given volume of water and a maximum amount of fish that volume of water (even if it has the maximum dissolved oxygen) can realistically sustain.
There's still a maximum amount of oxygen you can dissolve in a given volume of water and a maximum amount of fish that volume of water (even if it has the maximum dissolved oxygen) can realistically sustain.
I am not sure what "The Shining" is - a movie? lol I merely started this Thread because in the past I have seen where some participants in the forum assumed when they added more filtration they could add more fish and obviously that is not the case. I realize that water can hold just so much oxygen and things like temperature also influence this capacity. Personally I would not want to run any of my tanks, no matter how they were stocked, without some type of filter.
If you added a sump, I could see how one could get away with saying they could stock more due to the extra volume capacity the sump provides. However, that would depend greatly on the fish, as it would do nada for territory issues, only water volume.
Adding a small HOB filter isn't going to help anything if your tank is already overstocked.
Thyra, don't know if you've heard of this, but there is a method of planted tank that does not use a filter at all. It relies on an extremely light fish load and very heavily planted tanks. I think the Walstead Method? Really neat, but I've never tried it myself. It does not seem for the faint of heart lol.
Adding a small HOB filter isn't going to help anything if your tank is already overstocked.
Thyra, don't know if you've heard of this, but there is a method of planted tank that does not use a filter at all. It relies on an extremely light fish load and very heavily planted tanks. I think the Walstead Method? Really neat, but I've never tried it myself. It does not seem for the faint of heart lol.
Thanks Orion, I did read an article on an Aquabid forum about someone with a non-filtered tank that was heavily planted, and I gather it was successful. I am just not ready (probably never will be) to try that. I was just hoping that those that thought putting a lot of filtration in a tank - particularly a small tank - would read the discussion in this Thread and realize they weren't doing the fish any favor and it didn't increase their ability to stock. Having room is at least as big an issue as is filtration; if not bigger.
I've kept a few tanks with no filtration with success. It seems to only work well with small tanks (total volume) or medium tanks that are short (like a 20 long vs. a 20 high). The changes in the temperature of the water circulates it some. Light stocking and more plants are what works, but no so much plant matter that water flow is prevented. Its a tricky thing to do. I found that small numbers of fast moving fish (like danios) thrived in this set up since they were in constant motion, it helped to keep things stirred up.
Neither tank was a 'Walstad' tank though. I've done those too, but I like to re-scape my tanks too much for it to be practical. If you want to plant it and just leave it be, a soil under gravel or sand substrate it works well after it settles in.
Neither tank was a 'Walstad' tank though. I've done those too, but I like to re-scape my tanks too much for it to be practical. If you want to plant it and just leave it be, a soil under gravel or sand substrate it works well after it settles in.
My 125g and 150g tanks really dont have an filter quality to them. I use them for the bacterial growth, bio material is in them of different types. All the inlets have socks on them to prevent my bio material from getting clogged to fast. My canisters have large mesh screen to hold back the bigger waste. I vacuum 100% weekly at minimum and do 50% changes. My water quality has not changed since I stopped buying the blue filters forever ago.