Keeping a bare bottom tank... bare bottom... if you know what I mean!

[alto]

Don't forget to ditch the plastic filters too 🙂 , and any fish that have been in contact with plastic 🙂 I am now going to search to get me some glass external filters 🙄

Look at surface areas before getting too caught up in your own cleverness 😉
There are plastics we can easily avoid & those that are just too practical
There are more & less inert plastics, plastics that must meet regulations, plastics that are virtually unregulated

The comparatively new trend of bottled water that so enraptured the world dramatically affected plastic manufacture use and disposal - and in some countries has minimal guidelines & zero regulations

 

[sciencefiction]

Look at surface areas before getting too caught up in your own cleverness 😉
There are plastics we can easily avoid & those that are just too practical
There are more & less inert plastics, plastics that must meet regulations, plastics that are virtually unregulated

The comparatively new trend of bottled water that so enraptured the world dramatically affected plastic manufacture use and disposal - and in some countries has minimal guidelines & zero regulations

My response was to the link you provided. It stated the source of microplastics in bottled water has not been identified. Therefore that same article you posted as a warning not to keep fish in plastic, actually does not confirm the actual bottle is the source of the micro-plastic. It could have been the way the water is bottled, the water source(very likely), it could be anything. Plastic is a big issue in natural water systems, where we get our drinking and bottled water from. The fish also eat plastic waste! Now if they take a chunk out of their tank, there's nothing I can do 🙂

I use food grade containers. The rating is at the bottom of plastic containers. Next time you use one, turn it upside down and look. I am not denying the damage plastic waste has done. I just think that it does not mean it is harmful to keep fish in plastic containers, So far so good for me. Thanks for your concern.

 

[roadmaster]

The problem is I can't have too much flow with Fancy Goldfish in the tank and canister filters should be at least 10cm bellow water level to work properly, because they need a proper siphon to work properly. Even if I could run it horizontally (not sure if I can), it would be a PITA to prime.
Anyway, I think I'll be able to do something with my "internal" canister filter. I just haven't had much time to play around with it during the week.

Could place a powerhead on sponge filter lift tube.= water movement and mechanical + biological filter medium.
I have done as much with Aquaclear 70 powerhead (old 802), on lift tube of Hydro V sponge filter's in tanks where fishes appreciated a little extra water movement.
Not sure I would have accepted fishes knowing I did not have a larger tank,or quarantine tank but it is what it is now.
With smaller volume of water,water changes may need to be more frequent?Food's,fish poo.and whatever other airborne matter can find it's way into the tank if outdoor's?
I sometimes keep baitfish outdoor's in galvanized tubs and on occasion plastic tubs but they are seldom in the tub's for more than a few days.

 

[roadmaster]

Powerhead mounted to sponge filter might work fairly well for some water movement plus biological/mechanical filtration.

 

[sciencefiction]

Powerhead mounted to sponge filter might work fairly well for some water movement plus biological/mechanical filtration.

I had a filter like that in my small tank for years,...sponge filter to a power head. When using sponge filters, the detritus won't be sucked in, because of the sponge but other than that it works fine. I'd just siphon the detritus. Its not good if it goes inside the bio media anyway. I have pre-filter sponges on the intakes of my filters and I need to siphon every so often. The good part is that if you set the flow right, the detritus will gather just in front of the sponge intake....But then gold fish might no appreciate such degree of flow...

 

[roadmaster]

Yes,I think a smaller powerhead (less flow) would be consideration in smaller container's.

 

[kadoxu]

It can work but you need to prime it manually, i.e. "the mouth method". 😉 Once you get the hoses full the filter should run. Alternatively you can prime the filter on another tank then just move it, taking care to keep the hoses full. Thats how I did it the last time. All my plastic fish kingdom sits on the floor🙂

I like to avoid the taste of fishy water whenever I can!

Took a picture below of mine. The filter is above the water level by quite a bit. I don't deny it was a pain to prime, but once done, it works just fine. It was "delicious" experience 😛

The water level is where the black spraybar is.

You need to be really careful with the water level and power outages. If the power goes out and your water level is hitting your outlet, you'll be in trouble.

Could place a powerhead on sponge filter lift tube.= water movement and mechanical + biological filter medium.
I have done as much with Aquaclear 70 powerhead (old 802), on lift tube of Hydro V sponge filter's in tanks where fishes appreciated a little extra water movement.

I'm only trying to keep a clean bottom, I have more than enough biological filtration in place. If you read the previous posts, you'll see that I did try a small pump and came to the conclusion it's not enough for what I'm trying to achieve here.

Not sure I would have accepted fishes knowing I did not have a larger tank,or quarantine tank but it is what it is now.
With smaller volume of water,water changes may need to be more frequent?Food's,fish poo.and whatever other airborne matter can find it's way into the tank if outdoor's?
I sometimes keep baitfish outdoor's in galvanized tubs and on occasion plastic tubs but they are seldom in the tub's for more than a few days.

Not quite sure about what you're trying to say here...
I do have a larger tank, and this is a quarantine container (can't still call it a tank), which is more than suitable for the fish I'm getting. Weekly water changes are more than enough for them as well... I just like my bare bottom tanks... bare of poop, that's what this thread is about.

I had a filter like that in my small tank for years,...sponge filter to a power head. When using sponge filters, the detritus won't be sucked in, because of the sponge but other than that it works fine. I'd just siphon the detritus. Its not good if it goes inside the bio media anyway. I have pre-filter sponges on the intakes of my filters and I need to siphon every so often. The good part is that if you set the flow right, the detritus will gather just in front of the sponge intake....But then gold fish might no appreciate such degree of flow...

Like I said before, siphoning at ground level is not really an option... and the main reason for this DIY project is because Goldfish are very lazy, but also very efficient poop factories!

 

[PARAGUAY]

Kevin Novak in his You Tube series has a goldfish tank same gravel 25yaers (java fern simlar age)using a plenum ,the gravel looks pristine.

 

[kadoxu]

Kevin Novak in his You Tube series has a goldfish tank same gravel 25yaers (java fern simlar age)using a plenum ,the gravel looks pristine.

Found the video (I believe)

So, if I get it right, a plenum, is an undergravel filter attached to an external filter, is that it? So the gravel will work as filter media.

 

[PARAGUAY]

Not sure what you would do,the plenum appears to be a method he endorses ,probably research the method?

 

[roadmaster]

My container is about 25cm high, my spare EHEIMs 2213 are about 35cm... 🙁

Is a small tub,get it up off the ground and syphoning and canister will work.
All one has to do is empty it,set it on some kind of stand,refill it.
This does not seem to me to be much of an issue at all unless one chooses to make it so.
Cannot speak to your area,but in my area ,such a tub on the ground outdoor's would invite all manner of four legged creatures to drink or fish from the tub.
Have had squirrels,dog's,cat's,raccoons,owls come to drink or in search of a meal.

 

[kadoxu]

Is a small tub,get it up off the ground and syphoning and canister will work.
All one has to do is empty it,set it on some kind of stand,refill it.

But I don't wanna... I got your point the first time... so here goes again:

1. I have more than enough filtration in place
2. My external filters are too strong for Fancy Goldfish
3. I don't have spare intakes
4. I don't want to spend money
5. I have no use for the stand after the 6 week quarantine period
6. I just don't want poo in the bottom of the aquarium

This does not seem to me to be much of an issue at all unless one chooses to make it so.

So don't make one out of it. 🙂 I'm trying to use this as a way to experiment and learn new stuff, not go the easy way around.

Cannot speak to your area,but in my area ,such a tub on the ground outdoor's would invite all manner of four legged creatures to drink or fish from the tub.
Have had squirrels,dog's,cat's,raccoons,owls come to drink or in search of a meal.

Why would you think it's outdoors?! 😵

 

[roadmaster]

Pffft!

 

[kadoxu]

In the meantime, I got some Golf Balls in the mail!
They're about 1 inch... so cute!

 

[kadoxu]

I call it... Shorty! And it worked pretty well... until I picked it up and the elastic bands snapped...