after the tank cycles...water changes are there to dilute urine and stuff
like that from the fish....water changes are the best to dilute this and
keep fish happier...especially in a small tank like yours.

I just think that i wouldnt like living in my own crud in a tiny room
......so why would a fish....the fish can't get away from its own waste!
"Bob Wennerstrom" nospam wrote in message
...
I've got a 15 gallon tank with about eight platys and a pl*co in it, no
plants. I used to lose a fish every 6-8 weeks. This seemed to happen right
after water changes even though I was using that chlorine remover stuff
and only changing about 2 gallons/week. So I did an experiment beginning
last March. I stopped changing the water. In the last year I have had zero
fishes die. I'm using a Marineland Emperor, wash the filter every couple
weeks and change the filter/carbon thing about every 3 months. No UGF.

So do you think I've got wicked nitrates buit up in the tank and the fish
are just used to it? I keep reading about how important water quality is
and how important water changes are yet I get good results for a whole
year never-ever changing the water, just adding to make up for
evaporation. Carbon doesn't remove nitrates does it?

Comments?