BIOLOGISTS CLAIM CYCLING YOUR TANK IS A MYTH

[@deathproofduck6897]

Biologist here! The marketing ploys of the aquarium industry is clearly what drives the flood of misinformation regarding the nitrogen cycle. There is a nitrogen cycle but it occurs on the scale of biomes, which include rivers, forests, entire ecosystems and weather systems. We cannot fit the entire nitrogen cycle into our little fish tanks. The most we can hope for is to capture a small cascade of the processes. Fortunately, the life that drives the nitrogen cycle is microscopic so it's possible to capture enough complexity in our tanks to create our little windows into nature and the more complexity we get into our tanks the more beautiful they are.

[@FatherFish]

Absolutely fabulous statement! The micro reflects the macro. This deserves to be emblazoned across the channel. PLEASE. Join us on the Father Fish Shoal. Your wisdom must be shared. discord.gg/G4fkAE6qNw

[@deathproofduck6897]

@@FatherFish Another point I enjoy pondering that really puts everything into context... We can divide life on Earth into two broad groups; vertebrate life (fish, birds, lizards, mammals, humans) and non-vertebrate life (plants, fungus, insects, worms, snails, jellyfish, bacteria). If all vertebrate life died tomorrow non-vertebrate life would be just fine, if all non-vertebrate life died tomorrow all vertebrate would soon die as well.

[@lemonstrudel4595]

While it's true the entire scope of the nitrogen cycle is nearly impossible to capture in the planted aquarium, simply saying the nitrogen cycle as a concept is a "myth" is a little disingenuous, especially to beginners who are trying to learn complex biology as a hobby. That's basically telling someone that well-established science is a lie. It's true there should be a conversation about why the planted aquarium hobby has certain "rules" in place, and that "rules" should be challenged as new information is spread. We would get no where as a society is we did not learn new things and change our understanding. But...simply stating a well known biological process is a "myth", and then filling in a small portion of a different theory as the "truth", is going to cause a lot of heartache for people who don't see the full picture, and have no grasp on the entire situation. There are people who will take this information with little to no caution, apply it incorrectly, and have a bad time (dead fish and plants). Having certain "rules" in place, especially for the beginner, is meant to be a safety precaution and not an iron-clad law.

[@deathproofduck6897]

@@lemonstrudel4595 You probably need to read my original post again. Nowhere did I say the nitrogen cycle is a myth.

[@Tar-Míriel]

​@deathproofduck6897 fellow is referring to the title of the video which father fish reiterates multiple times for example at 0:46

[@ursanbear]

Years ago I used to work at an aquarium wholesaler. The owner gave me great advice: "Stop fussing with your tank. When it's warm enough, go to your local pond and grab a handful of muck/leaves/rocks and a few snails. Do this and most of your tank woes will resolve themselves." Once I did that, within a few weeks, almost all of my problems went away. I even took some live plants from that same pond (Cooks Pond in Worcester Mass.) All I had was 3-4" sand and a big HOB. I never replaced the filters, just shook them out and replaced them. I kept spares in a jar with tank water. I'm sure I had the random critter. I even had an explosion of hydra. But it all settled out. That tank setup ran flawlessly for 10 years until I got married and moved. I did the same thing with my 110g tank and my triple 10-gallon hydroponic setup. I have no detectable ammonia and don't test for anything else. These tanks have dead leaves and small branches in them.

[@FatherFish]

Nature solves these tank problems tens of millions of years ago and has only been perfecting them ever since. What makes any hobbyinst think they can do it better?

[@ursanbear]

@@FatherFish indeed. Best aquarium advice I was given.

[@rrahbit]

hi .. greenfield here .. !

[@matthew_thefallen]

You were lucky the pond wasn't polluted 💀🥲

[@danielw3447]

I heard FF say in another video that if you put leaves in your tank from local water source that you should dry them first. Is that an absolute must? I mean wouldn't that kill of the things I need living on the leaves/sticks?

[@pullup4310]

This man has single handedly made me love fishkeeping 400% more than I did when I was cleaning my tank every week or 2. Now I'm excited to add new plants and decaying matter from my local streams ponds and rivers

[@mr.octopus6972]

The industry (not only the one for pets but also food and many more) has slowly convinced people that nature is dirthy. It's the opposite that is true. Chemicals and sterility are the real danger. No wonder why we're all sick !

[@sparkplugpeggy4910]

I've spent years doing 25% water changes every week ....and after about 5 years i got sick of it. All the maintenance really did just suck all the joy out of it for me. And I got rid of all that stuff about 5 years ago and I'm so ready to dive back in now

[@sirabhishekdatta]

FATHER FISH you have changed my entire view point in aquarium hobby. I was in a habit to take all necessary "PRECAUTIONS" the other KZbinrs in the fish hobby used to REPEAT CONSTANTLY and FOR THE FIRST TIME I got an ENTIRELY OPPOSITE ADVICE and found it THE MOST SCIENTIFIC AND LOGICAL of all. Now on won't be repeating my old mistakes....ITS SAYS BETTER LATE THAN NEVER...well THANK YOU FATHER FISH - FROM INDIA

[@laowhy86]

I like the easy no nonsense approach. Nice video

[@FatherFish]

Glad you liked it laowhy86!

[@K-Aquatic]

of all the places I didn't expect to see Laowhy posting..... I'm a waiguoren in Shandong, just started my first aquarium and freaking out because the store owner forced 30 shrimp on me to add to the tank immediately 😂

[@jennykristiansson3317]

Thank you so much ❤ Sorry for my English. Finally i found someone who thinks like me. I was just a litle girl, 7 year old igot my first aquarium. And i but almost everything i could in it from the lake. And i did so in many years. And my fish was the most colourful and breeding all the time. Then i get older and stop having aquariums. And you know... i started again a few years later. And i start listen to the experts and forgot all of my own experience. And l hav so much struggle i almost giv upp. Then i start to think. What's is natural, what's needed And now my tanks are so much beautiful and so much less work. Thank you again❤ Im not a crazy fish women 😂 Love from Sweden ❤

[@youtubeletmeintoyoutube4580]

“All life lives on life that is dead.” Almost spiritual in its truth 😮

[@valwestfall4522]

I found father fish profoundly relatable. Touched me in a bigger way than intended. You earned my subscription! KZbin works in wild ways.

[@FatherFish]

Thank you val. YT is indeed wild.

[@sirsurf13]

me too!

[@agostinosangel]

Thank you Father Fish for your abundance of knowledge. About a month ago I set up my first FF aquarium as an experiment. I used dirt from my own wildlife pond. Life exploded inside my little 30 l tank and I had to thin some of the plants out today. 😅 I brought a male betta home today, and as soon as i released him into the tank the guy started devouring my "ecosystem" 😂 it's lovely to see a fish hunting out natural food. Ive now started a new 70l FF tank today too and I'm so excited to add my Corys into it tomorrow. Thank you so much once again. Warm wishes from Devon, UK 😊

[@redlightrobot]

Thank you for tackling perhaps the most complex and simple subject. The types of dead materials promote different environmental reactions. I boil Indian almond leaves and use the tea periodically for house plants as a kind of sanitizer. Killing competitive fungus and stimulating roots can save a plant - even from their own root rot. Hammering in "bacteria live on surfaces" feels so right. I'm collecting wood from a river for an Axolotl this week. Stay golden, Father!

[@FatherFish]

Perfect redlightrobot. Thank you for your support.

[@zackhaas3267]

Just got back into the hobby, set up my new 37gal tank with sand substrate, aeration, an hob filter, and plants, and added fish the same night. I know, thats "bad", but the fish have thrived and are doing GREAT! We do have well water, so no chlorine, and we had a little 10 gallon I took the filter out of and ran in the new tank for a while.

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Adding fish gradually is super important. Rings true every single time.

[@FatherFish]

Yes! Starting right away.

[@BenOchart]

I love videos that shake up those "Everybody knows..." that are just accepted without evaluation. You're making a strong case for the "seasoned" or "mature" tank. Laura made an interesting suggestion which contradicts what bacteria-in-a-bottle will tell us, which is to add their product to the water and add fish immediately which makes sense since we need to feed that bacteria with the waste produced by fish. Great job getting us fish keeping to think. Thanks.

[@FatherFish]

Thank you Ben. You were one of the first major Fish Tubers to give my system a try. I very much appreciate your approach to the hobby.

[@migueleespinosa2632]

@Ben , great to see you on another channel. It will always be about a seasoned tank and sharing the bio with other tanks. Still tackling reducing nitrates as my ultimate goal.

[@FatherFish]

@@migueleespinosa2632 Good to see you here Miguel. More plants will reduce nitrates.

[@migueleespinosa2632]

@@FatherFish working on it. I have been getting good results with floating and emersed plants in my mostly 120g African Cichlid tank. The fish have torn up any other plant I've put in the tank. 3in aragonite sand bed is doing good 5yrs going. God bless.

[@FatherFish]

@@migueleespinosa2632 Excellent Miguel. Send us some pics please.

[@blacksailsinthesun]

It's really crazy to think all the things I have being doing with tanks like getting driftwood, rocks and botanicals like dead leaves from my local river side trail that allll the other tank videos I watch tell me is wrong and will make my tank dirty and bad from my shrimpeys and fish is actually the healthy way! It's amazing, thank you father fish ❤

[@FatherFish]

I am flummoxed as to why there is such strong opposition to doing what is clearly most beneficial to maintaining healthy, living aquariums. Thank you Holly for your astute observation.

[@denijacob-uw3on]

can v get the sand from the ocean?

[@denijacob-uw3on]

Can the sea plants grow in the fish tank ?

[@denijacob-uw3on]

I mean can v grow plants in the river water or bore water in home which v got from the sea water?

[@FatherFish]

@@denijacob-uw3on They are referred to as macro algae. The general classification is calerpa. Yes, they are wonderful in salt water aquariums. their colors, shapes, easy growth, and ability to maintain a balance in the system make them valuable for beautiful salt water systems.

[@Stuff_And_Things]

I lost fish after fish trying to follow traditional methods. When I finally stopped cleaning and doing water replacements and conditioning and all that other stuff, the aquarium became much less of a hassle and the number of fish being lost diminished. You are going to lose fish...they die because living things die. But when I started bringing rotifers and amphipods and aquatic worms and other small life into the tank it became healthier and the fish were happier. I generally start by putting a small bit of pond or river mud in the aquarium to give it a starter culture of microbes and small life forms as well as a few dead leaves and maybe a small piece of rotting wood. Live plants are necessary because they will replenish the detritus as it is consumed, and their roots will in turn consume the waste that filters through the substrate. A well balanced aquarium should not need regular maintenance to be healthy. If you're having to change water in your aquarium its because you keep killing off the stuff your aquarium needs to be healthy. But people want this fish or that fish and they don't want all the other stuff that the fish need to be healthy and happy so they fight to keep it alive even though the system they've set up is not what you would ever find a fish in naturally. A natural pond does not remove and replace water. It adds more water to replace what evaporated. And the fish are happy. The purpose of doing a water change is to remove harmful toxins that could kill fish. Those toxins never reach dangerous levels if the substrate includes the bacteria and root systems that digest it.

[@FatherFish]

You absolutely MUST change your name tag. This post is not worthless drive. It is one of the very best explanations of the natural process I have read. Thank you for your clarity and understanding. Please join us on the FATHER FISH SHOAL on Discord. We would be most edified by your friendship. discord.gg/sgeQSduS

[@Stuff_And_Things]

@@FatherFish I had been considering it for a few weeks after some of the responses I've received. Done. Thanks.

[@judokid5147]

That's very awesome and enlightening. Do you have a step-by-step method listed down somewhere please? Also do you have suggestions for those who do not have access to a pond or natural water bodies? Will some dead leaves / dirt from a park etc. be equally or to some degree beneficial? or not really because it has to be decaying under aquatic conditions by aquatic microbes?

[@alvinkappel9646]

I asked a guy at my local fish store about going to the river an collecting stuff like you talked about. He told me not to do that because I would put bad microbial stuff in my tank that would kill my fish when I finally bought some. Do I need to worry about what I collect for my tank.

[@Stuff_And_Things]

@@alvinkappel9646 I know fish store fish have been aquarium bred for decades and will likely not have the same immunities wild collected fish will. Its your decision how you want to do your aquarium setup. If you go with store bought, you should consider canister filtration. Its a bit of a hassle setting up but much less troublesome afterward. If you go that route talk to someone like your aquarium guy.

[@AlpacaMade]

Oh heck Father Fish, despite my best efforts to maintain a natural aquarium, you always manage to give me one more thing to consider, and you do it with a twinkle in your eyes. Have a great day😉👍

[@FatherFish]

You can do it alpaca!

[@calvinflynn7387]

So true😉🤣🤩😁Mary Paige

[@ummmyeah369]

Recently introduced to your channel, wish it was years ago. Thanks for sharing accurate information. I couldn't possibly keep the tanks I have based on mainstream product driven information. Thanks for doing what you do, obviously exceptionally well for decades.

[@FatherFish]

Welcome aboard Yak.

[@Methodical2]

When I got started in the hobby back in the mid 80s all I did was add water, filters and fish pretty much at the same time and all the fish thrived and several species had babies and a couple species multiple times. I never heard of cycling a tank until fairly recently in the 2000s when I started keeping African Cichlids. I even kept fish together that the experts said couldn't be.

[@FatherFish]

You are a fish whisperer Methodical!

[@Methodical2]

@@FatherFish Good one. Never thought about that.😀

[@tsdobbi]

" I even kept fish together that the experts said couldn't be." I mean, they are basing that on experience. Sometimes you can get lucky, but if you don't want to risk the health of your animals don't do it. I've kept turtles for years. I do not co-habitate them because they are territorial creatures. That in nature will "tolerate" eachother in certain scenarios. However, in closed spaces territorial behavior in an enclosed space can end up deadly. I've seen way to many horror stories and images of the end result of co-habitating turtles. Limbs and heads bitten off. Same species, different species, doesn't matter. How long they've been "fine" living together doesn't matter either. I just saw a post on reddit the other day, these people had their turtles living together for 10 years with no issues, then one of their turtles killed their other turtle.

[@fernandomonramos1129]

That’s very nice I saw my grama back home with a filter that dose not even look the size for the aquarium and had 3 gold fish and never died and she never used booster or water conditioner never existed back home Cuba now I don’t remember if she used plants did u use plants

[@itsAngryKitten]

Media from established tanks is the go to. My black skirts have gone thru the fish in method but I kept them VERY comfortable they were fine! Next upgrade, their 40 gal, I took filter sponge and just squished it into the tank one night. Covered it with mulm and whatever else 😂 added 4 tetras, 2 more each day till my ten. Never even SAW AMMONIA/NITRITE only nitrates and very suitable amounts. I was shooketh! I couldn’t believe it was so easy, no quick start no fritz no extra mumbo jumbo (just plants rooted and floaters for a canopy). This process WORKS and it’s so easy! ❤️ i do it this way every time now just my sand, plants, maybe some wood and filter media squished out.

[@Caleddon]

And yet in literally every mainstream book, paper or website column about aquarium hobby, one of the first sentences you can read are like "don´t put anything from nature into your aquarium". Not gonna lie, at first I felt little bit hesitant about your war against hobbyist money factories which aims to sell as much useless products as possible but now I can see their roots are deep in aquarists society. But you have used a very powerfull weapon and that is telling people for free, that they don´t have to spend a ton of money on their favorite hobby. I am amazed how much knowledge you have given us, just because you want to. Best regards, from one of yours first spectators ! :)

[@FatherFish]

Thank you D&M. Your support from day one has been a blessing. All we really can do is shine a light to guide those lost in the dark away from the dragons. lol

[@jonstfrancis]

Definitely a fan of using added material from a working filter; that works fast and expands to the rest of the filter medium quickly if there are fish in the water to contribute ammonia. So true that life needs death to survive; so adding some old dead leaves and twigs always helps bring balance and life to the set up. Great video

[@FatherFish]

Thank you Jon. Once you get it, you got it!

[@jeebuzcrust]

So... a fan of cycling the tank lol

[@lilianubia3648]

Father Fish, I've set up a large fish bowl, with a lot of sand like you suggested and some soil as base. The plants are thriving and so are the fish. I also have Neocardinia shrimp which are almost three years of age in the set up! a very long life for these little guys. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@FatherFish]

That is awesome! lil Anubia.

[@jacquestrape2041]

This video needs way more likes

[@helloDobson3259]

Great advice Father Fish. When I setup a new tank, and don't already have another established tank around, I asked a fish store for a handful of gravel from one of their established (and of course healthy/thriving) tanks. I simply spread that handful across my new tank substrate. That seeds my gravel base will trillions of diverse bacteria; tremendously speeds up the process. Of course still to bring tank population up slowly over time, giving bacteria time to multiply and spread throughout tank and filtration mediums.

[@FatherFish]

By adding sand to the top of your gravel you will see a new growth of life in your tank.

[@religionlol7323]

I started up a 130g cichlid tank. Threw a few fish in a few days after I planted the tank. Immediately got told how I don't know what I'm doing by people in the community telling me my fish would all die because I didn't let my tank "cycle". All my fish are alive and well.

[@mrmandel3077]

Thank you father fish. Love your videos. It clearly makes sense. I have a healthy tank because I did not follow the advice of the “experts” at the fish shop. That cycling idea was all theirs and I did not listen. I added some stream materials and threw fish in and boom. I’ve had many enjoyable sits watching my tank and learning from videos like yours. I appreciate your videos.. again!! THANK YOU!!!

[@MichaelClark-uw7ex]

Just using a simple test kit every day, you can watch the progress of the Nitrogen cycle. Ammonia-Nitrite-Nitrate-denitrification Once you get a well balanced tank like Father Fish says, you really don't need to worry, the system will self correct.

[@FatherFish]

Hi Michael. Nice to hear from you.

[@MichaelClark-uw7ex]

@@FatherFish Hey Fish Daddy, I've been busy, since retiring I'm busier than I was raising 5 kids and working full time.

[@USMC-CPL-0311]

Father fish says there's no such thing as the nitrogen cycle and nitrifying bacteria. Didn't you watch the video?

[@MichaelClark-uw7ex]

@@USMC-CPL-0311 That's not what he said at all. Also he agrees with me, see the heart under my post from the fish daddy himself? I've been in the hobby nearly as long as he has, since the 1960s, I'm confident I know what I'm talking about.

[@StormCaller5]

Even before learning everything I have about fish keeping for the decade I have been, I have believed that the key to establishing a healthy tank was to genuinely make it as natural as possible and to add fish very gradually. Then let nature do the rest. Nature didn't dump thousands of fish into a stream at once. It was was done gradually by them breeding. Same with your tank. Take your time in colonising your tank!

[@FatherFish]

ABSOLUTELY! And start day one!

[@StormCaller5]

@@FatherFish YES!!!

[@thomasturbato7021]

ye lol welcome in 2020 murica...

[@blackandgreyedout8337]

Nature didn't do anything Nature is a false god like zeus. God does ALL God created ALL CREATURES. So there is no nature or mother nature

[@StormCaller5]

@@blackandgreyedout8337 OK... God didn't dump thousands of fish into a stream at once. It was done gradually by them breeding. Happy now? 🌒🌕🌘

[@TW-ry4xj]

I agree with you, the most important thing is to take used filter media and used substrate, even plants and wood that has been in another established environment. A new tank can "cycle" for weeks without balancing itself when you keep everything clean and make it hard for microfauna to establish. The most important thing: establish the tank gradually.

[@FatherFish]

The tank will establish itself if given everything it needs to do so.

[@Just_Lurking8]

Hi, what if you get media/ substrate from a tank that had sick fish, that symptoms had not been shown yet ?

[@pammugridge4106]

I wish EVERYONE, in fishkeeping listened to your videos . Bless you Father fish ❤️

[@FatherFish]

I appreciate that Pam. Bless you.

[@sirsurf13]

I teach Marine Ecology at HS level, we have been working on building a saltwater aquarium as part of the course....well actually it is the course this semester, we have lots of support, but I was getting overwhelmed with the amount of technology and building of the system, then I stumbled on the Walstad method, led me to MD Fish Tanks (an artist himself), then to you!!! I love the times we live in! Anyone who says otherwise is out of their minds!

[@hilossrt4]

I will give a few words of advice from my own personal experience and past mistakes: be very careful of introducing materials from natural water sources into your aquarium as this can introduce parasites and even predators into the aquarium. I made the mistake of introducing some plant material from a local lake into my aquarium and for two years my fish and shrimp would mysteriously dissappear. I found out that I had introduced a dragonfly larva into the tank and it was eating my fish unseen for two years until it transformed into its adult form and I found it hatching on the water surface. So my recommendation is to use an old filter from a well established tank and just place it on the substrate of the new tank to introduce the required biological colonies into your new tank.

[@FatherFish]

lol Dragonfly are very large. Surprised you did not see it. Do not be afraid of nature. There are more pathogens in a clean tank than in a natural one.

[@rdred8693]

That is amazing though! They're supposed to be apex predators.

[@FatherFish]

@@rdred8693 Hardly apex. Any fish bigger than 2 inches can devour them

[@sarahbreisch4750]

@@FatherFish I'd leave it alone, ha ha. Aquatic insect larvae are scary

[@FatherFish]

@Ricardo Good question. We are doing that now. A research team is working on this and other concerns at our FATHER FISH SHOAL on Discord. discord.gg/2PB236za

[@oskee305]

My Stock Pond was created with this same formula! The water is always crystal clear. The plants are exploding in growth, and the fish are even spawning. I have not fed them in almost a month. Great video as usual!

[@jual-rakid]

I plan on building a water reservoir tank for all my smaller tanks, im gonna make it a natural tank with mulch and sand, I hope it solve problems I have

[@samwilbur6155]

I've recently gotten into the aquascaping hobby and glad I found father fish so early on in my initiation. I started with an iwagumi tank. But was unknowingly gifted 3 zebra Danios, while I was waiting on my shrimp to arrive. So upon their arrival. The danios immediately started hunting the shrimp. In an emergency hail Mary. I grabbed a 50l tub, a few scoops of gravel and 20% of the water from my iwagumi tank, filled the tub with pothos, lava stone algae leaves, a few rocks, presoaked driftwood filter and heater, acclimatized the fish that night and had them in the tank a few hours later once the temperatures matched. (That was 3 days ago) I tested my NO² NO³ ammonia and PH and everything was perfect. The Danios have been happily enjoying their temporary home for 3 days now and are as healthy as ever. I've just added 2 Ramshorn snails. While I prepare their new tank. All the while my aquarium buddies are telling me I've got to cycle it for 2 weeks. I just didn't have the time for that. So far so good.

[@AquaGardenZen]

I love you Father Fish you are an amazing person and a true inspiration. You are truthful and realistic thank you for everything you do for us all hope you have an amazing new years

[@FatherFish]

Bless you my dear AquaGarcenZen. You are my inspiration. Together we will bring peace and tranquility to this sweet hobby.

[@midnightcryptworx]

Hello! I am a newish keeper (about a year in) and I have been learning so much from you. Thank you!

[@FatherFish]

You are so welcome Midnight Crypt Worx !

[@possumbayou8238]

I got back into the hobby and did pretty much what you are saying. Everyone asks how I have such nice plants. My aquarium is thriving after four months. I leave dead plant matter in the tank. My plants are off the PetSmart marked down plants. Never lost a plant yet

[@FatherFish]

You are an aquatic master, Possum Bayou. Come join us on Discord. We would love to talk with you. discord.gg/YJ63RaVH ​

[@desmondjohnson412]

I do the same. I get the marked down “dying” plants and they flourish in my tanks

[@leem200]

Just made my mud from garden dirt. Going to lake to get a tree branch of some sort. Maybe some large rocks too. Just went to pet store they want $100.00 for a piece of driftwood. Also, some water. Did buy plants from store but will look to see what is down on the lake by my house. Going to pick up some dead matter too. Pick up the tank at six tonight. Excited. Got the table for it from face book marketplace, 10.00. Getting hexagon tank 55 gallons paid $100.00. They brought the pump, filter, bubbler, heater, and light included. Plus some sand and rocks, and a decor thing. They have three sucker fish left, so am getting it too. Thank you Thank you.

[@FatherFish]

Sounds wonderful. Be sure the wood is from a creek or pond. It must be very, very dead.

[@leem200]

@@FatherFish It is very dead and was in the water for a long time. Thank you for reply. Peace!

[@thesolaraquarium]

Thanks to Padre Pez I am going to describe my new way of keeping newly bought cory cats. After I come back from the shop I put them in a bare clear plastic tub (light stocking levels) in my local water (acclimatising slowly of course). No filter, no pump, no substrate, nothing except a heater. I go to my outside pond, grab some of the detritus ooze at the bottom and chuck it in the tank. They are happy as a pig in mud and you can almost see their relief! The water gets so murky I can sometimes not see them for a few hours, but it always clears. The dirtier the tank the more they seem to love it. Lots of worms and other things in there I cannot see. I keep them there until I work out what to do with them. Sometimes for weeks. Feed them twice a week as per FF advice. Change about 10-20% of the water once a week as it is not a large tub. Occassionally I will remove a dragonfly nymph I find. Works a treat. Thanks Padre Pez. They look happy. So much easier than how I used to do it. If it wasn’t for the father, I would never have dreamed of adding the green/black gunk from the bottom of a pond to a fish tank. Genius.

[@FatherFish]

wonderful

[@thesolaraquarium]

@@FatherFish the irony is that the only time I lost a fish with this way was after a 50% water change. The very thing we are told keeps our fish safe, killed one. Fish seem to hate major water changes so I never go beyond 20% now, preferrably 10%. I am wary of water changes now and keep them to a minimum. As I don’t measure anything it is just a precaution and it is a small tub of water. I have gone several weeks without a water change and they do not seem stressed by it. Whatever is in that muck seems sufficient to keep them alive. I have kept some almost a year like that adding a bit more occassionaly. I should point out that the detritus does not come from a fish pond or it would have already been picked over. It comes out of a water trough, which is something anyone can do if they leave a bucket of water outside for months, replacing the water that evaporates, rain will do alot of that. It is just all the stuff that falls in, insects, bits of tree etc.. RE: the dangers of major water changes. The industry is basically telling us that our aquariums are nasty little bog holes filled with fish poop and decaying plants that need to be flushed down the toilet and replaced with sanitised tap water…lol. I am starting to think that water changes are as risky as that first time you bring a fish home and acclimatise it. Need to be approached with caution. It is not a case of do not do it. It is simply be mindful of the stress on your fish. A little bit is no doubt OK. Alot is risky. IMO I see some push back on your videos. People are so aftaid to put nature from outside in a tank. I think there are more nasties to be found in your average fish tank than can be found in the wild.

[@thesolaraquarium]

If you want to have a laugh go to that planted tank forum - the moderator who thinks he is a professor of biology. Have not looked at it for 2 years. He is telling all the newbies now that KZbin videos are not to be trusted and are part of the ‘purveyors of psuedoscience’. You are getting particular mention, notoriaty. Seems he is getting some fight back over there from newbies who aren’t buying it. This guy seems to be unhinged and on some sort of crusade. I think that forum is becoming more obsolete every day. Videos tell alot more than words. The future is this site and other video sites imo.

[@graceann547]

Thank you! Im setting up a new Betta tank and this video will help alot!

[@borinken_foliage8003]

Excellent video. I think nowadays we don’t really mean a cycle. In the hobby to cycle a tank we kinda mean to let the ecosystem stabilize and balance itself before adding fish. Even when we add organic material from an existing tank we still give it time to settle and balance. What we don’t want is our precious expensive fish to be part of the balancing act of spiking parameters and risk losing them in the process due to stress or sickness.

[@FatherFish]

Fair enough. The system we have derived achieves balance and stability immediately.

[@wonder777warrior6]

How would you stabilize something that’s not there? That’s why he said dead matter is essential to starting a proper cycle right? I have a feeling that the QuickStart we use have some dead matter and if not they die and feed on each other?

[@FatherFish]

@@wonder777warrior6 That's it!

[@raymondamoroso2049]

Can you explain what an api test kit is monitoring when you test and the ammonia nitrite nitrate goes through its peaks and settles?

[@FatherFish]

If your tank is set up as a Father Fish deep substrate these tests are not usually helpful. Join us on FATHER FISH SHOAL at Discord to learn more about testing. discord.gg/2PB236za

[@nancyteel5544]

I set up my dirted tank about 6 weeks ago. I do have some rocks twigs and leaves from the creek in there and some decaying matter. A number of fish have died. 2 angels were fine and well adjusted but I found them dead. Wondering why fish are dying. ?? Thanks

[@FatherFish]

Join us in the Shoal where we can diagnose your problem. go to fatherfish.fish and click on the link at the top.

[@ShiaShnaky]

5:58 bing bing have your discord set to DO NOT DISTURB mode and you dont have any notification sounds when youre streaming ;) Another great video Father Fish! I really enjoy how we are setting the bar for standards here nice and high and I look forward to contributing more!! :D

[@FatherFish]

Thanks for the tips! I will click the DND!

[@awollsd]

@@FatherFish haha yeah i kept checking my discord all through the video lol... "wait is that my discord or in the vid" lol anyway great video sill. idk why i haven't heard of your channel before, i have been watching aquarium vids for years and this is first time YT suggested one of your vids and never see it in my searches.. but i'll certainly be going back and watching MANY more so thanks for posting them :)

[@FatherFish]

@@awollsd lol I have become deaf to the audio signal and anyway cannot turn it off. Happy the algorithm found you. I have been fighting with it. This time we got a breakthrough. Now if we can only duplicate our effort we will reach more. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE mention Father Fish in your fishy circles. Sharing is good. And in return we welcome you into the FF shoal, a gentle, friendly place where miracles are our daily fare.

[@BriansRCStuff]

I thought this video was very good overall. I do the same thing when starting a new aquarium (take filter media and plants form one of my established tanks) and then SLOWLY add fish. What this video glossed over is that you cannot just add a little bit of established filter media and a few twigs and instantly heavily stock a tank. It takes time to build up the processes that break down waste products from the fish (organic nitrogen to ammonia to nitrite to nitrate) and you will have high ammonia and/or nitrite if your rush things and you will likely heavily stress and/or kill your fish. Over the course of a few weeks you can add more and more fish to the tank as the filtration/tank is able to handle it but I feel this video missed this part of the equation. Also, pH is very key in this process as a few ppm of ammonia at a pH of 7 will not hurt the fish but at a pH in the low 8s could prove to be VERY toxic to the fish and kill them.

[@FatherFish]

If you follow my videos on you Tube and teaching at FATHER FISH SHOAL on Discord you will see that I teach a slow and gradual approach. Can't say it all in one video. What I ask my students to avoid is spending their mental and emotional energy following the results of tests. It is much more important to study the tank and understand what is happening. It is a simple matter to see problems as they emerge. No need to fret over a point or two on a scale.

[@BriansRCStuff]

@@FatherFish Fair enough - thanks for the response and keep up the good work! With people like you there will be a lot less fish living in horrible conditions and dying for no good reason.

[@DrumBuster453]

Ive always wanted to keep fish, since I was little my grandpa would have a small fishtank Andoni would watch it all day. Now I keep a multitude of fish ina heavily planted tank at University! Your tips saved me a lot of money

[@FatherFish]

That's awesome Iliyn. Best wishes for your studies. Work hard, but not on your aquarium. Let it be a source of peace and comfort to you.

[@missmiller730]

Preach! I've started a larger tank right off the water & plants from the smaller 1. I just moved all the plants, gravel, and water from my 45 gal into my 75gal, used the same filter media in the smaller hob in the larger hob, then added the additional 30 gallons. I didn't lose not 1 fish! Not 1. Added some more females 2 days, then in 40 days saw fry.

[@FatherFish]

Put a couple of inches of sand on top of that gravel missmiller. You will be delighted with the result.

[@madebykm]

Hello sir, this is a great video. Thank you for providing this information.

[@FatherFish]

Thank you KM> Your YT channel is amazing.

[@madebykm]

@@FatherFish Thank you 😊

[@michaelkane3326]

Hey Father Fish…..good to see you again.I used to live in Sarasota.You use to collect fish near Bradenton.Im in Jacksonville.

[@FatherFish]

Hello Michael. I spent many years collecting all over SW Fl. Am now in Maryland, back home. Enjoy Jacksonville. Excellent collecting around you.

[@darkpaladinlanceramessesii5719]

I agreed. I started out with no idea on aquarium hobbies. The fish i started out with are alive and doing well without cycling the tank

[@FatherFish]

Nice to hear from you DarkPaladin.

[@darkpaladinlanceramessesii5719]

@@FatherFish I do believe everything take time. I didn't add any more fish. Till i got a handle on thing. I didn't do it right away. I gave my aquarium time to settle and added lives plants slowly and new fish slowly as well. I didn't rush anything

[@FatherFish]

@@darkpaladinlanceramessesii5719 Perfect. Patience

[@sparkplugpeggy4910]

When you said we could wait for a spore to fall into the water by itself, but it would take a few years minimum - that cracked me up 😂😂😂

[@Fishfriend001]

I’m new to the hobby, less than a year, and I’m really worried because one of my bettas just developed a horrible case of fungus. I’m attempting to treat him in a quarantine tank now, and I’m left wondering why this happened. I’ve had the ten gallon with the betta set up for about three months now. I started with a layer of fluval stratum, then an inch or two of gravel on top. Added some boiled driftwood, some Java fern, anubias, Java moss, and a bunch of floating plants. Then I added some bottled bacteria, the betta, and cycled for a month with daily water changes. After that, I did weekly 10% water changes, adding cattappa leaves with each one. Checked ammonia occasionally but didn’t read anything. Had lots of brown algae problems. Two months of that, brings me up to now, with my very sick fish. What did I do wrong? How can I make the tank safe for my betta? Do I need to do larger water changes, add more plants, or vacuum my gravel? This has happened before, I lost my first betta to similar issues. It’s so discouraging, I feel like I can’t keep fish alive…

[@FatherFish]

Katie, Please join us on the FATHER FISH SHOAL Discord channel. We will be able to talk with you and spend the time you need. Basically you have been faithfully following bad advice. We stand ready to help you. discord.gg/sgeQSduS

[@ejsampana426]

Where did you get your materials from? Like the driftwood, ferns, leaves, etc.? Most aquarium fish available on pet shops today are bred in indoor farms. They, and their predecessors, were not exposed to nature and did not develop immunity from certain diseases and pathogens. So they tend to suffer heavily when exposed to infections. If you got those materials from nature, it is possible that the fungus infection came from one of them. Unfortunately, your betta wasn't ready to fight against it. You said you boiled the driftwood before putting it in the aquarium, but the inner part of the wood doesn't really get too hot (woods have low thermal conductivity) and so the fungus could have survived inside it. And how about the plants? You didn't mention that you quarantined them before putting in the aquarium.

[@FatherFish]

@@ejsampana426You misunderstand the way pathogens work. The fungus is a natural part of any biological system. It effects dead matter, not living. Fungus cannot kill anything but bacteria can. The fish became susceptible to bacterial infection by losing its outer slime coat, thus losing its natural protection. This can happen in a number of ways: injury, sudden temperature change, stress, severe water conditions, and more. Once the bacteria begin to attack the fish's vulnerable outer layer fungus can set in. These kinds of microbes are found universally, in every environment. They are literally in the air we breath. In point of fact the very best was to overcome these pathogens is to bring a rich and diverse culture of material into the tank from the wild. Nature provides both protectors and antidotes to pathogens that restrict their ability to affect fish.

[@TheHighPriestessStudio]

Father Fish help! I have a well established tank and lately discovered a white algae growing on the glass that has a coral look about it the way it’s spreading. I also noticed it growing on some plants but when I wipe it it comes off easily however it’s very slimy. In all my years I have never seen this before. What is it? 🙏🏼🌹

[@FatherFish]

Either fungus or bacterial slime. Most fish love the eat it as do snails.

[@zonnig46]

I know by experience this story from Father Fish is really true. Do not hesitate, do not waste time, just do it in the way Father Fish is telling you. Grtz from Amsterdam the Netherlands.

[@azntactical4884]

When I set up a new tank, I either use some of the old gravel and transfer it to the new tank and or I squeeze some of the poop from a more established sponge and dump it into the new tank. I do add a little bit of quick start just for extra measures along with live plants. After an hour or so, I place my fish into it. No problems.

[@FatherFish]

Correct. If you are careful about feeding there will be no problem. Try our deep dirted with food web in a 10 gal. You'll love it.

[@thelittlethingsinlife239]

Definitely worth a watch

[@FatherFish]

Appreciate the boost Little Things.

[@Josh102697315]

Im so glad someone else understands how aquariums actually work and not the bad parroted advice from all the big fish youtubers. Everyone looks at me crazy when i say i dont do regular water changes and i dont clean my canister filter ever. Havent lost a fish in over a year and i have a very beautiful planted 40 gallon aquarium that I barely have to do anything other than occasional plant trim for aesthetic reasons. This is also why neon tetras and other black water fish get a bad rap. Its not ph or ammonia but rather bacteria in the water that kills these fish.

[@FatherFish]

Thank you Josh. Please join us at FATHER FISH SHOAL on Discord. Would love you to show us your tank. discord.gg/szj4Gzfm

[@giftofthewild6665]

Heh. I went filterless for over a year in my planted tanks. People really lost their sh1t over that 😅

[@JarunsHobbyTV]

Blessed Day Father 🙏 and thank you for this 🤗

[@FatherFish]

Thank you Jar un. God Bless you.

[@kentego78]

Thank you so much for the information

[@FatherFish]

So nice of you

[@danielhull5177]

Thank you Fish Santa! You changed my entire future. I just set up a 20 gallon with several Paradise Gouramis. (They love the dead leaves!) Also, I have a 40 Breeder with Goldfish, Koi, and Golden Dojo Loaches…but I created it before I knew a lot of your secrets. QUESTION: Should I recreate the aquarium? I’m gonna be in Europe and Hawaii for 2 months this summer, so I will be away from my Aquariums. Any recommendations?

[@FatherFish]

try to establish a food web now and it will support your fish while you are gone. Wonderful trip. ENJOY!

[@ManicMindTrick]

From what source do you get that archaea is the one breaking down ammonia and not bacteria?

[@FatherFish]

From research on the availability of archae vs bacteria in the presence of ammonia.

[@ManicMindTrick]

@@FatherFish Tell me about the research. How did you go about such a thing?

[@FatherFish]

@@ManicMindTrick Several professional researchers have been rying to create a working group for several years under the Father Fish deep substrate rubric. Finally it came together about 3 months ago.

[@vipinpandey9713]

Great Information Father Fish!!

[@FatherFish]

Much appreciated My Hobby.

[@michellelovesanimals2237]

Are you saying no need for waterchanges & seachem prime dechlorinator? I worry nitrates would get to dangerous levels so I do a 20% wc when they test high. I use springwater & seachem prime to remove any chlorine. Am I doing it all wrong?

[@FatherFish]

Nitrates are not toxic. Springwater does not contain chlorine. Free chlorine will gas off automatically if you let it sit for an hour or if you spray it into the tank.

[@michellelovesanimals2237]

@@FatherFish thankyou for your reply. Looks like I am sticking to your channel vs. Facebook groups who say nitrates are toxic in high levels.

[@DunyaHomutoff]

Love this, so informative. I have a tank that's 10 years old started with dirt on the bottom about 2", then added 4 " of 3/4" gravel. Having trouble keeping rooted plants in it. Should I add sand over the gravel to allow better rooting? My tank is heavily planted and I also have black alge in it, any suggestion will be appreciated

[@FatherFish]

Your tank sound wonderful. YES! Add an inch or more of sand. It will sift into the gravel and make a wonderful difference.

[@johnjwedrall4290]

Informative and easily understood video, thank you😊

[@FatherFish]

Glad it was helpful!

[@DavisVLaunce-y9s]

Wow that was great😮❤🎉 thank's yall

[@kiki29073]

I used to keep fish twenty years ago or more. I never heard of cycling and sure never did so. My fish where fine . Lived for years, no illness, nothing. I only stopped keeping them after having my son.

[@FatherFish]

Hi Kiki. Time to start again. Let us help you set up a wonderful natural aquarium. Join us on DISCORD for all the help you need. discord.gg/YJ63RaVH

[@45kittyboo]

Thank you for this information father fish

[@FatherFish]

Happy to have you aboard Cat. Visit DISCORD for the time of your fishy life!

[@theaquaticsnailshop5668]

Great video!

[@FatherFish]

Glad you enjoyed it Aquatic Snail Shop.

[@peterlue9274]

Hi, what do we do about smelly bacteria? My lake smells bad.

[@FatherFish]

Stop putting food in it until it stops stinking.

[@ryanrogers8211]

Ok, so all I need is dirt on the bottom, sand over the top of that, Rocks and sticks to decorate with, some dead plant material, a sponge filter inside the back, plants and some fish? How about something to keep the tank water extra clear?

[@FatherFish]

If you have all of the above you also have the clarifier.

[@AmitTheAquarists]

Very informative video!.. Great sharing 👍

[@FatherFish]

Thank you Amit.

[@meep2576]

Hi Father Fish, love your videos.

[@FatherFish]

Glad you like them meep!

[@AJ-jb1fg]

Just set up a new tank. I can go to the local pond and get some rocks, leaves etc..but it’s winter here. Will it still work if the temp is around the freezing mark?

[@FatherFish]

yes

[@ivancho5854]

I've heard that some of these "Bacteria Starters" are sometimes only sugar water and others must be dead by sitting on a shelf for so long. Either way they will eventually grow whatever else breaks down the ammonia, as they become the food source which is digested to produce the ammonia, which in turn is consumed... These starters have always sounded like snake oil to me. Pond snails are a great to introduce early to an aquarium as they are very robust. All the best everyone.

[@FatherFish]

You nailed it Ivancho. The most common bacteria are in those bottles. Of the thousand and more bacteria and hundreds of fungus that exist in a tablespoon of mud from a local creek, only 2 or 3 are in that silly bottle. And you are correct. If you fill the bottle with water from the tap it will contain the bacteria in those bottles you can buy. Hmm. Wonder if that is how they fill them. I love pond snails.

[@voluntaryismistheanswer]

Careful of pond snails, I brought a fluke in once and it was sadly on my scarlet badis forever - any place the cycle with birds can continue (they'll die off without birds eventually, but in the meantime, you're stuck, and you may not want flukes on your pretty little fish- I didn't).

[@FatherFish]

@@voluntaryismistheanswer flukes are easily removed with tweezers. Be sure to put a spot on antibacterial ointment on the wound

[@orcunsenocak6266]

Thank you father fish..

[@FatherFish]

Thank you too Orçun

[@Aadeez786]

you are a good man fatherfish

[@sarahbreisch4750]

Water question. I'm about to set up a 40 gallon. My tap water is hard and chlorinated, but potable and clean. How should I prepare it for the tank? Is it ever a good idea to use fast running water from a local source? I know a stream that's so clean I'd drink it.

[@FatherFish]

Either is good. Decide where you want to haul water from routinely and go from there. I LOVE natural water and would maintain a 40 gal trash can of water for use.

[@sarahbreisch4750]

@@FatherFish Grantham, NH it is!

[@joeysocks5718]

Are those just lots of plants in that aquarium, or is that green cloudy water?

[@tbs4ever64420]

yep, this definitely makes way more sense than all the other cycling BS I've been researching.

[@Ian-qw1zb]

Definitely use sponges gravel plants anything from an already established tank or pond preferably a known source because you don't want anything contaminated with chemicals or dangerous pathogens.. With that you can start a tank immediately with fish I always use a sponge filter from another established tank. Within no time the tank will Cycle yes I said cycle lol or become established with beneficial bacteria but it cannot handle a full bio load immediately so go slowly.. You need it to grow and multiply and cover everything and surfaces with high oxygen and low oxygen places provided for anaerobic and aerobic bacteria. This is what everybody is referring to as cycle. And this is what breaks down the nitrogen cycle not a tank cycle LOL tanks establish.. So aerobic bacterias work on ammonia and nitrites and if you're fortunate to grow anaerobic bacteria it really helps with the nitrates and this helps cut back on water changes, and plants help of course too.. Deep sand beds or dense filter media slows the water flow and promotes the perfect atmosphere for anaerobic bacteria. Saltwater is much slower process but basically the same...

[@FatherFish]

Glad to see you are on board Ian. Getting all of the moving parts in the tank at the beginning is key to building a healthy environment. Diversity must be brought into the system. It cannot get there any other way. Contamination and pathogens are the bogeymen of salesmen selling toxins. In a well diversified system they simply are not a problem. Nature knows how to deal with monsters. Give her the tools and she will do the job.

[@slidersway2592]

He hasn't seen the video on nitrates yet😁

[@shurmabrathwaite4724]

I have never cycled a thank before and I have kept fish for years , I only learned about such a thing recently from KZbin videos.

[@FatherFish]

Funny isn't it shuma. The funniest is these "cycled" tanks are good for about 3 months until they need major overhaul. My tank sitting next to me is 20 years, never had a water change, never disturbed the substrate, almost never feed, fish spawn and plants thrive. It is nature, sitting there doing its lovely thing.

[@frankmuelder4539]

Hi Father Fish how do you feed Discus fish ?

[@FatherFish]

sparingly every other day

[@frankmuelder4539]

Is it enough, if I have enough viviparous fish, where they get live food? @@FatherFish

[@SquawkVFRC]

The nitrogen cycle is a thing, like that’s a basic biochemical process. Whether you like it or not your fish tanks will go through a nitrogen cycle as does any other eco system. The nitrogen cycle isn’t a myth. What was explained in your video was adding in media which already contained that bacterial colony on it instead of starting from scratch. Which makes perfect sense. Also we know quite a bit about Archaeans. We used to think Archaeans were bacteria hence it’s early name “Archaebacteria”. But we have since learnt that it is quite different from bacteria from its structure to being able to live in extreme environments. You mentioned Archaeans being part of the Nitrogen cycle is true. These are Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea or AOA, but you also have Ammonia-Oxydizing Bacteria or AOB present in the cycle as well. Microbiology is really fascinating, i geek out 100%. I think of aquariums as not keeping fish, corals, plants, inverts etc. I think of it as looking after the water. We have this ecosystem and all we do as aquarist is maintain balance. Things like the pH swings, or Ammonia spikes, salinity fluctuations (if applicable) etc. Lose that balance and the swing in either direction can quickly runaway

[@FatherFish]

Most important is to establish a system with all of the biological activity possible. This insures a balanced, healthy system as it matures.

[@Jaguar1910]

Thanks pour this lesson of ecology

[@rohit9601]

In new water. Bactariya from pond is survive?

[@FatherFish]

Yes. Most times.

[@titiasplantedaquariums]

Bravo, nice video😄👍 Tell them all that there IS a fuss free way of aquarium keeping. I had many people in the past comment on my tanks when picking up shrimp and how clean the tanks look. They automatically assume it must be hard work to maintain, but the truth is: it's the opposite😉 Mulm and dead leaves are the brown gold, that's why I hoarded many bags full last fall. I should have enough to last until next fall. Store them dry though, they decay further when being wet. My plants look so nice and dense with the dirt layer and I add an occassional small amount of fertilizer for the mosses and epiphyte plants. Less is more✌

[@FatherFish]

Yes Titia. Your exquisite aquarium is fully natural and one I always enjoy. Fuss free! That is a perfect description of our system.

[@Twan013]

Thinking very strongly about doing the FF method, but have some questions regarding this and other videos. I take it as it being safe to use rocks, twigs, etc from outdoors, but does this take into account pollutants? I have a creek running through my backyard, which used to be my grandfather's farm land and there is a lot of oil, grease, and rust from his old equipment leeching into the water. Sure, there are hundreds of other water sources where one could collect the materials, but in my mind, there's always the risk of introducing lethal (to fish) pollutants to the aquarium.

[@FatherFish]

The only pollutants that remain long term are those being constantly replenished. Rust is not a pollutant. Oil is. The best way to know if the water is safe is to study the life in it. Are there fish, frogs, turtles, microscopic life, algae, plants?

[@FreeSwimmer]

I sub;d young man.. Im about to start my 375g system in a few days. I will start it like the past 40-45 tanks Ive started. Some established media and some bottles of bacteria and frequent WCs for 1st few weeks. Everything balances out during that time. I never overstock a new tank.. Your a peaceful dude..

[@FatherFish]

Thank you Free Swimmer. Happy to hear from you. Best wishes with your 375!

[@naffo3665]

nice video father fish!! very educational and I learnt a lot , thanks for making this

[@FatherFish]

Thqnk you naffo.

[@leanvandermerwe6754]

I am afraid of taking something from the river, rivers are not always clean, it includes parasites and other threats to my tank life, what is the process of getting rid of it?

[@FatherFish]

The process is overwhelming the bad with the good. Diversity is the key.

[@davidrix804]

Hi father fish i just came across you channel and love it.i have brown algie on my rocks and i keep cleaning it weekly,do i leave it on rocks and glass back of tank or remove it as you say you need life in your tank👍👍👍👍

[@FatherFish]

Add more plants to compete with the algae.

[@CheapRidesAutoSales]

He said you dont need bacteria and then the biologist said, you need bacteria by going to a stream and bringing it in a twig or a rock along with all the pests from that stream. Specially for saltwater aquariums.

[@lebowskiunderachiever3591]

I do not tend an aquarium right now but plan on starting a new , much larger tank next year . Something that I started doing seemed to help. Local tapwater here is tasty. A friend that also was into fish recommended cutting water changes by 25% . Also without adding any dechlorinator . I would fill 2 one gallon jugs of tap water and place 2 airstones in the bottom for 12-24hrs instead. I was amazed by the chlorine smell surrounding the kitchen when I would come home. My fish seemed to be healthier and the water less cloudy . Do you think it is my wishful thinking or it actually works ? Thank you

[@FatherFish]

Chlorine gasses off very quickly. I use chlorinated water directly in myt tanks with no problems. Chloramine is a different matter.When used it prevents chlorine from gassing off, thereby insuring this toxin and the equally dangerous ammonia toxin are injested into the gut by a drinker. The effect of this is tragic for gut bacteria. A dechlorinator is necessary to break the molecule and release both gasses. I sell a packet of sodium thiosulphate crystals, sufficient for 2000gallons for $20. at www.father.fish

[@thejohnsaye]

Every time I've watched a nitrogen cycle video, they have never rung true for me. This makes way more sense

[@FatherFish]

Yes John. It is already happening!

[@mr.octopus6972]

Cycling may be a myth or not depending on what cycling means for you. We can play on words and procrastinate all day talking about the same thing. For me cycling just means that things will ajust to their new environment. Some plants will thrive some won't, some will find a better place in the tank by themselves. Fish will learn their place, new behaviors and how to feed. Snails will breed as food is available. Some algaes will love to grow in your tank some won't. Depending on your feeding habits, the cleaning crew and microfauna will also adjust and find whether or not it is safe to reproduce and how much. When everything settles and I don't have to immerse my hands in the tank 3 times a day to fix something, then, *for me*, it's "cycled". I had fish in there on day 2 but "cycling" took 40+ days.

[@FatherFish]

works for me.

[@AG-6969]

As a kid in the 60's we'd set up tanks with local creek water, rocks, and things like crayfish or minnows, they always just thrived fine with just an air pump and an air stone, Now I know why. And have been very skeptical of all these new chemicals and such, so, my question, I wonder if using black volcanic sand collected at my local river that flows from the mountains counts as using a rock or a piece of tree branch. I didn't clean it completely and only put it thru a rinse a few times, but I did use tap water to do that. Did the tap water kill my bacteria that would have been in the sand?

[@FatherFish]

The volcanic sand will not have much life on it. Gather some creek material and you will be golden.

[@AG-6969]

@@FatherFish Thank you for replying!

[@shawnscallan941]

I want to try adding some pond muck and detritus to my newer tanks, but I'm scared if I get water from around where I live it might have chemical pollutants. any advice on the best places to gather materials??

[@FatherFish]

Where ever fish are swimming.

[@dominic9279]

Not related to what your video is about but I have a question. I have a 4×2×2 aquarium with 20 africans in it which is great but my main question is in your opinion can snails, cone snails that is raise my nitrate level in the abundance that there is... pests imo. I actually want them gone.. any suggestions?

[@FatherFish]

cone snails are consuming the waste that would otherwise foul your tank. Think balance, That will reduce their number.

[@Firebird894]

I breed fancy guppies mostly and also shrimp and some of the newer varieties of coloured snails and I have some rasboras and various other fish in tanks and outside in tubs and ponds. I am in Australia where winters are cool but not freezing for most of the year it is above 12c the healthiest biggest most robust lively fish I have and all are doing well but I can see that the 200L tub I have outside in semi shade that gets a tonne ofvarious leaf fall flower head drops and no filter just lots of floating plants like hyacinth and also lillies does the best. It is filthy. It has not had a water change in over a year just rain top off. It is always loaded with fry and the colours on the fish are amazing. It has a heater that stops it getting too cold when we aproach winter and thats it. I have done experiments with unheated vs heated some strains like having a heater on all the time some don't and some it makes no difference but I dont have my heaters set high I also feel if fish can thermoregulate themselves they do better. I never did bother with the 'cycle' it seemed to not make sense to me what you say is what I have been doing for years. I take rotted leaves and green coated rocks from a pond and put them in a new tank with a big chunk of plants and away it goes.

[@FatherFish]

Sarah you are my kinda woman. Trusting nature is all about loving the land and the living creatures. Nature truly does it all best!