Run small tank with no mechanical filter

"Pablo" wrote in message
ups.com...
So you have been keeping your betta for two year without filter, Then
I am assuming you change 25% to 50% of the water every week. Is that
right?
=====================
Yes, about 50% a week. I have one of those smaller gravel vacs to keep the
gravel clean. I got it at either Wal*Mart or PetsMart.
--
ZB....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Troll free pond and fish Forum:
http://www.karlsforums.com/forums/fo...ay.php?fid=104
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Pablo wrote:
I have a small 1.6 gallon fish tank. I added a small gold fish and a
pleco. I think the tank is going through the set-up cycle (amonia
nitrite nitrate). I think the gold fish is passing out. Anyways, Is
it possible to have that small tank with no mechanical filter, just
the air stone and the undergravel filter?


Hi Pablo,

Firstly as others have said before me that tank is too small to sustain
a goldfish or a pleco let alone both.....the smallest of Plecos that I
have is 3-4" and that would be too big for that tank....but if you are
serious about keeping fish then by posting here you have made a good
start.... :-)

If you want to keep your goldfish then you will need a bigger tank with
mechanical filtration......but then it depends if you are attached to
keeping your goldfish and plec (which you might need to lose anyway
depending on the type of plec) or if you want a nice small aquatic tank
to look at - or if space issues have dictated that you can only keep a
small tank......

You mention an undergravel filter so you are not without any filtration
- is this correct? Although I have not heard much good about UGFs I
would guess in a tank this small having a canister would fill the tank
without anything else being added....so in reality if you are going to
keep fish in there you are just going to have to be vigilant with the
water changes - I would recommend twice weekly changes of around 20-30%

Now the prickly subject of what you can keep in that tank - goldfish
(even one) is a no, no as is the plec.....depending on the size of the
plec and the size of your budget you could upgrade the tank - and you
could either go for it (a 55g) or do it gradually over the time....

As for tropicals....I would never keep them without a heater in the
tank....the ambient temperature in my house is usually 70F but it does
drop quite considerably at night during the winter - this is where the
heater kicks in - temperature swings are bad for tropicals if they go
beyond a certain range....then of course, and this applies to your
goldie as well it is very difficult to maintain temperatures in a tank
that small in the heat of summer....it can easily go way too high....not
saying that you can't do it - just that it is harder in a small tank....

IMO I would not put a betta in a 1.6g tank because having only ever kept
them in a 5g I think it is too small plus temperature management becomes
an issue....but you do have some options....you could plant the tank
heavily and introduce some shrimps/crabs etc....the bioload of these
creatures is much lower than fish....and it could be great to
watch....or you could go for three of a smaller temperate fish like
White Cloud Minnow:-

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.u...article_id=262

Anyway it really depends on what you want to do and spend.....but the
goldfish/plec in that tank is not going to work (and I wouldn't even go
for a betta but you might get away with it)It would be a great shame for
you to get put off fishkeeping because of this experience....

Gill

"Pablo" wrote in message
ups.com...
So you have been keeping your betta for two year without filter, Then
I am assuming you change 25% to 50% of the water every week. Is that
right?


Aren't you supposed to do that regardless??


Jen

On Jan 30, 1:17?am, "Jen" wrote:
"Pablo" wrote in message

ups.com...
So you have been keeping your betta for two year without filter, Then
I am assuming you change 25% to 50% of the water every week. Is that
right?

Aren't you supposed to do that regardless??

Jen


Hi Jen.
Are you asking aren't you supposed to do the water changes (yes) or
keep a Betta without a filter (it's always better to filter their
tanks).

"Tynk" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Jan 30, 1:17?am, "Jen" wrote:
"Pablo" wrote in message

ups.com...
So you have been keeping your betta for two year without filter, Then
I am assuming you change 25% to 50% of the water every week. Is that
right?

Aren't you supposed to do that regardless??

Jen


Hi Jen.
Are you asking aren't you supposed to do the water changes (yes) or
keep a Betta without a filter (it's always better to filter their
tanks).


Yeah, the water changes. It seemed this person implied that this wasn't
normally the thing to do, unless you didn't have a filter.

Jen

On Jan 30, 2:33 pm, "Tynk" wrote:
On Jan 30, 1:17?am, "Jen" wrote:

"Pablo" wrote in message

Tynk,

One more question. Is it extremely necessary to clean/vacum the
gravel often?. Even if I have a large tank? Isn't the biologycal
filter enough to decompose and get rid of the food and fish waste?

thanks

oups.com...
So you have been keeping your betta for two year without filter, Then
I am assuming you change 25% to 50% of the water every week. Is that
right?

Aren't you supposed to do that regardless??

Jen

Hi Jen.
Are you asking aren't you supposed to do the water changes (yes) or
keep a Betta without a filter (it's always better to filter their
tanks).

Usyually food and other junk accumulates in the gravekl where the
filter can not pull it ourt and trap it or a fish can not gain acess
too it, where it rots and turns into hydrogen sulphide over time as
well as uping nitrite and nitrate levels. So yes, its important to
keep junk from accumulating in the gravel bed, and the only way to do
that is by vac ing it out. The only thing a big tank is going to do
for you is let you get away with not cleaning the substate longer, but
in time it will still get fouled and create problems....Its easy to
vac out a little of junk than undertake a bunch of it from letting it
go for long periods of time.

On 31 Jan 2007 08:41:39 -0800, "Pablo" wrote:

On Jan 30, 2:33 pm, "Tynk" wrote:
On Jan 30, 1:17?am, "Jen" wrote:

"Pablo" wrote in message

Tynk,

One more question. Is it extremely necessary to clean/vacum the
gravel often?. Even if I have a large tank? Isn't the biologycal
filter enough to decompose and get rid of the food and fish waste?

thanks

oups.com...
So you have been keeping your betta for two year without filter, Then
I am assuming you change 25% to 50% of the water every week. Is that
right?

Aren't you supposed to do that regardless??

Jen

Hi Jen.
Are you asking aren't you supposed to do the water changes (yes) or
keep a Betta without a filter (it's always better to filter their
tanks).




-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

Tristan wrote:
Usyually food and other junk accumulates in the gravekl where the
filter can not pull it ourt and trap it or a fish can not gain acess
too it, where it rots and turns into hydrogen sulphide over time as
well as uping nitrite and nitrate levels. So yes, its important to
keep junk from accumulating in the gravel bed, and the only way to do
that is by vac ing it out. The only thing a big tank is going to do
for you is let you get away with not cleaning the substate longer, but
in time it will still get fouled and create problems....Its easy to
vac out a little of junk than undertake a bunch of it from letting it
go for long periods of time.


Just a couple of things to add here....if you heavily plant your tank
the roots will do some of the work for you....but you still need to
gravel vac around the plants....also pay attention to mulm (gunk) that
accumulates under ornaments/rocks/driftwood (lift them) and "dead areas"
in your tank (these are the ones that don't get sufficient water flow to
push the debris up into your filter)

But the principle is dirt in your gravel will cause you problems in the
future....

Gill

"Jen" wrote in message
...

"Tynk" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Jan 30, 1:17?am, "Jen" wrote:
"Pablo" wrote in message

ups.com...
So you have been keeping your betta for two year without filter, Then
I am assuming you change 25% to 50% of the water every week. Is that
right?

Aren't you supposed to do that regardless??

Jen


Hi Jen.
Are you asking aren't you supposed to do the water changes (yes) or
keep a Betta without a filter (it's always better to filter their
tanks).


Yeah, the water changes. It seemed this person implied that this wasn't
normally the thing to do, unless you didn't have a filter.

Jen
===================
Some people with bettas don't do partial water changes - they just clean the
whole bowl or whatever they keep it in. I assume that's what he meant.
--
ZB....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö ~~~~ }((((({*

Assuming anyhtng canlead to a whole other issue dumbass
Thats yur freaking problem now, you ASSUME" to freaking much.


On Thu, 1 Feb 2007 09:17:19 -0600, Zëbulon
wrote:


"Jen" wrote in message
...

"Tynk" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Jan 30, 1:17?am, "Jen" wrote:
"Pablo" wrote in message

ups.com...
So you have been keeping your betta for two year without filter, Then
I am assuming you change 25% to 50% of the water every week. Is that
right?

Aren't you supposed to do that regardless??

Jen


Hi Jen.
Are you asking aren't you supposed to do the water changes (yes) or
keep a Betta without a filter (it's always better to filter their
tanks).


Yeah, the water changes. It seemed this person implied that this wasn't
normally the thing to do, unless you didn't have a filter.

Jen
===================
Some people with bettas don't do partial water changes - they just clean the
whole bowl or whatever they keep it in. I assume that's what he meant.



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!