Mini Ecosystem?

[Betta man]

I was thinking about how I could make it so I'd have to do little to no water changes and I though of doing a planted tank. A speaker at my aquarium club said that if I had enough plants, low enough stocking, and a large enough tank, I wouldn't have to do water changes very much. I was wondering how I could go about doing this? I have java moss and could easily get a lot more plants for cheap at my upcoming aquarium club meeting.

[Terry6000]

i dont know much about this topic but i have heard that people with dirt tank dont have to change water as much

[Fuzz]

Meh...Although I have 2 dirted tanks, I'm still going to do 50% water changes on them every week. I dose fertilizers into the water column and the water changes are "resetting" the nutrient values.

As far as going without changing the water, you can get away with it if you're planted heavily enough, but I wouldn't recommend it. You will get a higher chance of algae bloom, your water won't be as clear, your fish might not like it.

All in all, you're just better off doing the normal water changes every week(25% or more). If you have a bigger tank, I highly suggest a "python". Aqueon makes them and sells them at pretty much all of the chain stores. They're kind of pricey, but they do their job really well. I love mine. Set it up and then watch tv while the water is draining/filling.

Smaller tanks are super easy to do water changes on, bigger tanks just take more time. Planted tanks remove the need to vacuum the gravel, but not necessarily the need to do water changes.

If you really think about it...in nature the lakes and rivers get their water changed pretty much constantly.

[emc7]

if you let the plants take out nitrate, you likely have to add things the plants eat like potassium, CO2 and lights. People do get WCs down to like once a month, but they are testing and dosing once a week. So you really can't win. Don't plan on plants replacing water changes, but consider them extra insurance. If you are an erratic water changer, add plants and stock really lightly.

Most wild bodies of water have much lower loads than our tanks and have water flowing in and out. But there are places where water is pretty much cut off during the dry season and fish are stuck in what they are in. Then a flood comes and fish start eating and growing like crazy.

[Betta man]

Thanks! Looks like I'm stuck with water changes....

[giggitygiggity]

Originally Posted by Betta man Thanks! Looks like I'm stuck with water changes....

shucks, darn those water changes :P