On Fri, 03 Jun 2005 19:37:13 GMT, "LaVerne Storey"
wrote:

Hi Mack,

You just prove my opinion that there are many ways to maintain our
fish. I hold an opposite view to you. I change 20% weekly. I have 5
tanks ranging from 75 to 29 to 10 gallons and have followed this
partial water change procedure for over 2 years.

While Mollies like some salt, not all fish do and I believe some
plants don't like salt. One size does not fit all! g

dick

I agree completely, we are all "trained" by past successes and experiences
and apply what we have learned differently.
Even my heaviest planted tanks always had about 1/2 tsp salt added per
gallon
since "forever" so I always offer that up as my opinion.
Frequent water changes work for many people, and I know a few Discus
breeders who swear by them, whereas I swear at them as a pain in the butt
unless actually needed.

Through high school back in the mid 70's, I had one 10-gallon tank that
never received a water change or cleaning for 2 years.
It was heavily planted, mostly java moss, and was stocked with a family of
whiteclouds ( 8 initially) and restocked occasionally with daphnia.
It also had a strong growth of algae for the fish to nibble on.

It had a tight fitting cover and gentle back filter powered by an airpump.
(sort of a motor-less power filter I could change sponge from outside the
tank)
Rinsing and replacing the sponge was it for maintenance other than a monthly
scraping the algae off the front of the tank so I could see in clearly.

I did several water top-ups over the months to replace evaporation losses,
but no water was ever changed or removed. The white clouds were fed flake
foods and daphnia when available, and the daphnia were breeding slowly in
the tank
from those who survived feeding.

Over the two years I had it setup, I netted out over 400 baby whiteclouds to
hand
out to friends, or feed the excess to my killies.

I wouldn't try this with discus in a million years, but my bettas loved a
very
similiar tank setup and so did my angelfish who bred several times on a
piece
of slate leaned up against the back of the tank under the water flow from
the
filter.

Like I said in my first post, I'm old fashioned about fish and tanks.
Set it up as natural as I can and leave it alone.

Mack



One long term consideration, by only adding water to replace water
evaporated, the solid to fluid ratio increases. This leads to the
"Old Tank Syndrome." Moving new fish in or old fish out requires them
to adjust, if possible, to a different "osmotic" pressure. It is my
understanding the pressure can become great enough that the fish can
no longer adjust. Thus new fish added from the LFS are at risk or fry
moved to a new tank will be at risk.

I have not experienced such a problem, but then my tanks are less than
3 years of age and I do the partial water changes which should keep
the solids build up down.

Otherwise I see things the way you do. A well balanced tank with
plants and a proper fish load should do well, it does in nature all
the time, but in nature there is a constant exchange of water or else
we call the water stagnant. However, I have read of closed systems
that keep their balance. Your tanks sound close to closed except for
the evaporation of water which leads to solids becoming concentrated.

Another thought is oxygen. I have seen fish gasping at the top for
air. Usually due to medication, but can be caused by other things
such as over population. Adding air bubblers can correct the
situation quickly, but increases evaporation. I noted the "back
filter" run by an air pump. I remember them well as I did not like
changing out the filter media. They were a source of aeration.

It is strange how we each arrive at procedures and setups which work
for us. Then, we all cling to the thought, "If it ain't broke, don't
fix it". I read the newsgroups every morning, but seldom am I tempted
to change MY setups.

I know my tanks were over populated and still are, size has replaced
quantities, but the inch/gallon ratio has probably gone higher. I see
my plant population change and different tanks populated with the same
plants at the same time vary in plant survival and growth. Crypts in
my 75 gallon tank are about 3 inches in height whereas in a 29 gallon
tank they are more prolific and grow to heights of a foot or more
topping out close to the light hood. A couple of Clown Loaches in the
29 gallon tank are larger than any in the 75 gallon and 2 in a 10
gallon tank seem to be doing well and of average size.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Real experience out weighs
theories every time for me. (except the solid ratio buildup, it could
be sneaky)

dick