Stella Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 I have an odd question. If you have a not-tiny tank (roughly 80-100 litres) with NO filtration or water movement, did between weekly and fortnightly 40% water changes, what would you expect the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings to be? I am just interested to compare with my peat substrate tank. There is no movement, no filtration and a few nice sized mudfish who eat a high-protein diet. The water has zero reading for everything. I have no idea what is going on but it seems to be working.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 I would hazard a guess that the peat is actaully a great bio-substrate for the nitrogen cycle bacteria to hang out in. Because there is so much of it and a low number of fish it acts as a filter, even if the water flow in the tank is minimal. Thats my theory anyway. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 Planted? I imagine it will have cycled like any other tank, so ammonia and nitrite should go to zero (the surfaces all house the same bacteria as filters would just not as much of it) But without plants I'd expect you'd have some nitrate....you could experiment though and not do any water changes till you detected some. Dunno how sensitive those kits are. Maybe the native fish are not big polluters? I have a barrel and a tub with plenty of fish in them. Neither has any water movement or filtration but the nitrates are zero thanks to the plants. I water change when I can be bothered. (and my bore water tests at 10ppm nitrates so even when I do w/c I'm actually adding nitrate!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 My two ornates are in a temporary tank with only a heater and airstone, and get a daily 50%+ water change, so far the water seems good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 I have an odd question. If you have a not-tiny tank (roughly 80-100 litres) with NO filtration or water movement, did between weekly and fortnightly 40% water changes, what would you expect the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings to be? If you are talking about a 'normal' tropical tank with a few small fish then fine (its just a big goldfish bowl), otherwise with bigger fish its a bio-bomb. I am just interested to compare with my peat substrate tank. There is no movement, no filtration and a few nice sized mudfish who eat a high-protein diet. The water has zero reading for everything. I have no idea what is going on but it seems to be working.... Like above, I think the peat has a big enough surface area and porosity to act as a filter pad would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted March 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 THe peat is very fine and mobile and packs down to form a fairly flat surface. It would be good in a filter, but I suspect without the water flow it is much like a bare tank, but as the peat gets moved by the fish a lot... the bacteria on it would get disrupted all the time. No the tank does not have plants. I have given up on plants in my tanks, not enough light and (normally) too much current. Algae is my friend It is coldwater. I would say for the time it had a medium to low density. It is also very shallow (30cm high max, 90cm wide, 40 deep) so it would have a fairly good oxygen saturation. Oh, and it was first set up six months ago, and was probably 4-6 weeks without fish at the start. Apparently peat absorbs stuff as well as leeching stuff out (acid and tannin). You can't use medication with peat, same as with carbon. I wonder if it could be absorbing ammonia etc? Surely not, the killie people would know.... Still thinking aloud...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuba Sam Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 My work tank filter failed without me really noticing. It was making noises so I thought it was still going. I estimate about six weeks without filtration, no fish losses, no water movement, just weekly water changes and water tests. No nitrite, no ammonia, and minimal nitrate. It was being under fed though - do you feed much? Just thought that might serve as a comparison. It was heated at the time but I didn't have a heater over the summer. Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 I would hazard a guess that the peat is actaully a great bio-substrate for the nitrogen cycle bacteria to hang out in. Because there is so much of it and a low number of fish it acts as a filter, even if the water flow in the tank is minimal. Thats my theory anyway. Ian you could be right on that theory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 The good bacteria will be everywhere but concentrated in the filter if there is one. I'll bet a dollar to a proverbial that there was no filter where the fish came from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 The good bacteria will be everywhere but concentrated in the filter if there is one. I'll bet a dollar to a proverbial that there was no filter where the fish came from. But then, the density of the fish is also significantly less. Probably more on par with one small fish per 400L tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplecatfish Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 Hi Stella, because the peat is acidic the nitrogen cycle won't be the same as a 'normal' tank. One of my first tanks didn't have any ammonia or nitrite peaks as it cycled and in the end (after much investigation) I was told that the bog wood that I had would be affecting the cycle. (I was lucky as I had also overstocked the tank ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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