# Filterless tank



## chrislove01 (17 Dec 2010)

HI

I was wondering if anyone can give me any advice on running a large tank filter less.

I always think planted tanks look good with still water.

And information greatly appreciated

Thanks

Chris


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## chilled84 (17 Dec 2010)

chris is this a joke?


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## chrislove01 (17 Dec 2010)

no


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## Piece-of-fish (17 Dec 2010)

As i have heard you can use a powerhead and no filter. You still need flow to distribude ferts and co2. Not sure if you can be succsessful with still water.


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## dw1305 (17 Dec 2010)

Hi all,
If it is a large tank you can do this, but it needs to be a very "low nutrient" set up. There are basically 2 approaches, the "no water change method", which is quite tricky, as you tend to end up with a lot of surface scum, or the "limited water change" approach. The latter of these is much easier, particularly if you intend to keep fish. I've kept Killis (_Pseudepiplatys annulatus_) and Paradise Fish (_Macropodus opercularis_) through several generations in tanks like this, with no water movement or filtration, where the water change was probably something like 5% a week, but with quite long periods (several months) with no water changes at all. From my experience for success you need a fairly shallow tank and lots of plants. The tank that I used was a galvanised water tank in the one of the glasshouses and it had a lot of emergent _Cyperus alternatifolius_ growing in it.

cheers Darrel


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## chrislove01 (17 Dec 2010)

Thanks all, ill keep thinking on it.


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## foxfish (17 Dec 2010)

There are thousand of unfiltered fishpond around but, I think there is still biological activity tacking place within the pond.
 The main problem associated with this type of pond happens when you disturb the dissolved organic compound that accumulates on the bottom. Not only clouding the water but, disturbing an incredibly fine biological balance.
 Normally this ends the fine balance & results in the fish becoming stressed & susceptible to disease.
I have seen this happen so many times - people clean out the garden pond that has been left for 5 years only to result in all the fish dieing.
Fish in a tank will move the water around a bit as will a heat source but without a pump circulating i think you would be taking a risk. Perhaps you could just have quiet time in the everning when you most view the tank & otherwise run a circulating pupm.


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## danmil3s (17 Dec 2010)

Diana walstead does this kind of tank i think (all though im not sure thats how you spell her name) and takes a lot of planing and know how


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## Gill (17 Dec 2010)

I did this recently. 
left a 3G Tank with no heating and no filtraion. 
Just a Thick Layer of Java Moss and a 3Inch layer of floating plants made up of Azolla, Riccia, Duckweed. 
It sat on the windowsill in the shade, No Food was given to the 5 Platties that lived in it. 
It was kept going for 4 months and only topped up the water when i remembered.


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## chrislove01 (17 Dec 2010)

Gill

Any pics of this setup?

Chris


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## foxfish (17 Dec 2010)

Gill said:
			
		

> I did this recently.
> left a 3G Tank with no heating and no filtraion.
> Just a Thick Layer of Java Moss and a 3Inch layer of floating plants made up of Azolla, Riccia, Duckweed.
> It sat on the windowsill in the shade, No Food was given to the 5 Platties that lived in it.
> It was kept going for 4 months and only topped up the water when i remembered.


Can I ask why?
Sorry but, I like to look after fish, perhaps you feel this was good for your platties?


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## chrislove01 (17 Dec 2010)

Here we go, 

Please can we just keep on subject?

Chris


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## foxfish (17 Dec 2010)

It was only a polite question my friend.
No animosity intended, perhaps Gill has reason & logic - I was just interested


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## Gill (17 Dec 2010)

chrislove01 said:
			
		

> Gill
> 
> Any pics of this setup?
> 
> Chris




Nope sorry, I just left it alone as did not want any fry from the females. Low temps make them go dormant.


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## Gill (17 Dec 2010)

foxfish said:
			
		

> It was only a polite question my friend.
> No animosity intended, perhaps Gill has reason & logic - I was just interested




No Worries, I did this 1 as an experiment to see what would happen and knew that @ low temps platties are dormant and no breeding takes place. had no casualties and once I took it down and added them back to trop the males were actively chasing the females within a few hours.


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## Etherelda (4 Jan 2011)

I don't fancy any when I'm cold.


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