Yep thats right I took the last bit of filter media out of the sump of my planted 400g, no mechanical filter either, just a pump to circulate the water. It is a pretty game experiment, but then again where is the fun in doing things the conventional way. The plan is to see if the plants alone can filter the water. I have a pretty good feeling that it will work, but my main concern is water clarity, but I will see how it goes. :idea2:
No more filter on my 400g (experiment)
- Thread starter ashdavid
- Start date
It should be perfectly fine. Plants and the substrate will be plenty to filter the water. My 40gal bare bottom, with a bunch of guppy fry, dwarf albino ancistrus and now german blue ram fry has no mechanical filtration on it, Just an airstone and filter wool with a bunch of java moss growing throughout it.
If your tank has any nitrate at all it would be interesting to see if it goes down. Though the surfaces in the tank are still going to have plenty of nitrifying bacteria the number available to compete for the ammonia and nitrite should be reduced at least somewhat giving an increased advantage to the plants.
I'd particularly watch for a nitirite spike. You may never see one, but as you know plants love ammonia first and foremost. If they are getting the ammonia they want, they'll leave the nitrite. You may have a little peak while the slight loss of nitrifiers takes time to remultiply.
I'd particularly watch for a nitirite spike. You may never see one, but as you know plants love ammonia first and foremost. If they are getting the ammonia they want, they'll leave the nitrite. You may have a little peak while the slight loss of nitrifiers takes time to remultiply.
Madness said:
I was sort of thinking along those lines too. Nitrate was very minimal , but as you said should be interesting as to how much it goes down. And obviously bacteria will still be present to suck up some nutrients before the plants get a chance. I am hoping to see an increase in plant growth and a further reduction of visible algae from this experiment. But I will say that in this tank I have not had an outbreak of algae for almost 3 years. Another thing I am going to stop doing is vacuuming, but I will keep up with my weekly water changes. I sort of want to see if a semi-closed system will work.
IMHO & IME, healthy plants easily out-compete bacteria for ammonia, not at all the other way around. Tales to the contrary are (also IMHO) just that - tales or myth. The biofilters in my heavily planted tanks are well inoculated with nitrifying bacteria, but by themselves completely insufficient to handle the existing fish/livestock bioload in those tanks. I learned the hard way that if I need a mature biofilter, stealing it from a heavily planted tank is not going to do the job without a week or two of ammonia feeding on an empty tank.
Water clarity (particulate capture) is a horse of a different color. Do you prefilter your circulation pumps?
Water clarity (particulate capture) is a horse of a different color. Do you prefilter your circulation pumps?
No pre filter at the moment, but I have one ready to put if things get out of hand. Well the clarity after the initial cloudyness from taking out the bio-media , has well exceeded my expectations after just two days. The clarity is as good as it was with the filter on. The fish are healthy and ammonia and nitrite undetectable. I have found it a little harder to get Co2 disolved into the water, what I mean by that is that I need to use more Co2 then before, I supose that is a good thing. As for the bacteria being out competed for nutrients, you are absolutly right, I wasn't sure about what you said RTR but after a little reserch from my biology books books, it confirmed what you said. I am not saying that I doubted you, it is just that I like to confime things for myself , thanks.
Day three and everthing is great. Plant growth is good, but the algae dose not seem to be growing on the glass a fast as before, I can't tell yet but algae production could be slowing. Water is crystal clear, and the fish are doing very well, nothing seems to have missed a beat. Co2 use has gone up a bit , that is with keeping the same Co2 ppm as before. I am starting to think this is the way to go. 