Creating A FILTERLESS AQUARIUM Using Anoxic AND Aerobic Bacteria. How to Setup A Natural Fish Tank

[@barbarusbloodshed6347]

I've been in this hobby for roughly 25 years, had my first tank when I was about 9/10 years old. Had aquariums until I was 22, then a few years break because of a small apartment that didn't allow for any tank of a size I'd like and then started again 5 years ago and have a fishroom since then with 11 tanks. 5 years ago I started doing all the usual stuff; but I put much more focus on the plants than I did when I was younger. I always planted my tanks, but now I was trying to fill the tank with plants, whereever I could find a tiny bit of space I put a plant. And then floating plants. And then covering all the rocks and wood with moss. I noticed how these tanks were able to go 6 weeks without a water change with no consequence. I tried 8 weeks. 10. 12. 14. 16. and so on. Then I stopped doing water changes alltogether. Just tipped off when water had evaporated. Also fine. Then I turned off the filtration in one of the tanks. Weeks passed. Everything was fine. Months passed, everything was fine. Did the same thing with a second tank. Again, same result. And now the filtration in all my tanks is off. And has been for almost two years. If you've got enough plants and enough surface area for the beneficial bacteria everything's fine. Oh, and snails. Always have snails.

[@Fishtory]

Agreed... and light to fuel the plants

[@miriamsreality]

@@K1ngM1nos Snails help clean your tank... but they can really multiply

[@m.935]

What about CO2 and oxygen?

[@nameless3841]

@@K1ngM1nos I know it's late, but here's my observations - some kind of snails are like pests. In tropical countries like India, we have small cone looking snails that are pests. They gnaw on young leaves and at least my hornworts and elodea have suffered tremendously. They also multiply rapidly if there is excess food.

[@edwincadena4373]

I totally agree. I've had good results using floating plans. They do a great job consuming the nutrients that otherwise would kill the fish.

[@kevinpowell7948]

I have two Walstad tanks, no filters, deep substrate, both been running for over 3 years, stable ph, clear nitrate reading, have very limited knowledge of what's going on biology wise but all organisms are thriving so I just sit and stare with my gormless face. 🍀

[@Fishtory]

Haha well sounds like intuition and a bit of knowledge are working great for you. Being perceptive and paying attention to the details is key in my mind.

[@sandraragole2679]

@@Fishtory 🤔🌱 what is necessary. One Betta in each tank with a 🐌. 2022

[@ricwhk]

Good info! Can you tell me what do you use as substrate?

[@shark7n10]

What should be the ideal nitrate and ammonia level?

[@williambarnes5023]

@@shark7n10 The ideal nitrate and ammonia level is 0, because those should be absorbed immediately by the plants and bacteria as soon as they're produced.

[@dusk1947]

Yes, and well done, great discussion and examples. I say this as I've dabbled in aquariums for fun, but I’ve studied plant and soil science as a profession. You've come very close to describing conditions that allow these organisms to function under multiple natural conditions across various biomes. What you've created is a successful food web, and the substrate conditions to moderate proper nutrient cycles. It's not that science lacks the understanding to achieve this, what you describe is common knowledge in various fields of biology where individuals study natural systems. Rather it's that most consumers just want fish. You can’t create your setup without a multitude of species and an abundance of patience. You must want an ecosystem in a box, to achieve these conditions. Our modern filter technology isolates specific organisms and optimizes their growth in a way that enables a brand-new hobbyist to stock an aquarium with fish, only fish; in a way they survive off water changes and food alone. Filters make the hobby approachable and manageable for those with limited to no knowledge or experience in the hobby nor biology. However, as you have shown here; if you mimic nature and understand ecological services and nutrient cycles, you don't need a filter. You have to have posses a certain level of intrigue and desire, to approach the hobby in the way you’ve shown. And as planted systems become more prevalent, and captive invertebrate diversity become more common in the hobby; I do hope more people start thinking in this manner. I personally prefer creating partial ecosystems over keeping fish alone, and that is why I've written this much in a comment. ( I hope it’s of some use to you) What I know, from courses taken and books read: It's substrate and the benthic organisms that moderate and maintain most natural systems. Most fish are higher level predators that rely on the ecological services of primary producers and lower trophic level consumers to survive and predate upon. How you've chosen to keep and stock your tanks, also created an environment where those lower trophic levels are present and can offer the services associated with their niche's. I would take an educated guess and say if you incorporate even more infaunal invertebrate diversity, the sediment will mediate conditions even better. An example would be something like black worms (assuming they don't get eaten). Your discussion was great, but I don't think you touched on the invertebrate’s importance enough. The main push back you will get with this are comments talking about toxic gas build up... In reality, a substrate with few or no invertebrates will lack the forage behavior of creatures like the planaria, trumpet snails, blackworm; which mediate gas exchange in a way that does not disturb the stratification of bacterial communities in that substrate. In a system without them, you can get biproduct buildups; gas pockets form, which once disturbed can bubble to the surface. oddly, the gas is what’s blamed for killing fish, but the gas enters the atmosphere. It is the liquid surrounding that gas which then circulates in the water column and damages your livestock. If you attempt to maintain that substrate yourself, to prevent toxic pockets from forming, you often kill off the stratified bacterial colonies when you stir it and disturb it; which sets the system back months and can cause further damage. The infaunal invertebrates prevent a large build up of those conditions simply by their natural forage behavior; facilitating gas exchange. Additionally, they assist in the movement of wastes like mulm into lower levels of the substrate as it breaks down further. The mineralization of food to inorganic nutrient is long and mediated by a multitude of organisms. Detritivores, fungi, bacterial all play key roles in fully breaking down waste. And once all that is converted, the plants uptake the inorganic fractions which were left over. And you have been able to effectively stock enough plant mass to keep up with your input of foods, another ecological principle slowly working it’s way into the common hobby. I said all this because I’m excited to see others trying to develop a system this way. And I certainly am learning right along with you. Hopefully, this comment offers some support for your endeavor and perhaps areas of additional research. **On a side note, my personal system ran similar to yours (it was eventually converted to salt water, to learn the marine side). The only thing I found was that adding a sump went along way. I drilled an overflow box in my display and let water gravity feed into a sump which had baffles dividing separate chambers. My first chamber was a deep sand bed (about 5 inches deep and specifically pool filter sand with laterite added to the bottom. The follow on chamber was a small amount of traditional bio-media and a separate neocaridina colony. I ran it this way to see if I could optimize the anoxic and anaerobic bacteria in the sand bed (out of the main tank) and to play with ways of growing floating plants in the sump (much like a refugium), where I could more easily control and harvest fast growers like duck weed... The sand had mixed results, but isolating the duckweed was a personal win (I don't aesthetically like it in the display). It's a concept I will return to once I get a larger space and can have a second tank (one marine, one fresh is the plan).

[@Fishtory]

I love your comment and agree 100%. I actually do have black worms, seed shrimp, scuds and Malaysian trumpet snails for the reasons you mention. Thank you for pointing out that significant piece of the puzzle. I SHOULD have stressed that more. I like this comment so much I would love to pin it. Thanks again

[@shadeaquaticbreeder2914]

Thank you for your input!!

[@Fishtory]

The sump makes a ton of sense as most swamps, lakes, or even rivers have aquifers and or water table reserves to recharge or separate and help with stratification of small unite molecular debris over the long run

[@shadeaquaticbreeder2914]

@@Fishtory someone needs to make a large aquatic ecosystem that shows the ecology of the whole system from the water to the waters edge to the land around it. I plan on doing this if someone does not do it better first

[@finnic7959]

I love this thorough delightful comment! It really gave me that slice of biology and ecology that i love so much, but so many hobbyists turn their nose up to. Recently I dove into soil science and stream/river formation, to feed my curiosity of "what is under a stream, and how does it interact with groundwater".

[@ctsfiddler]

Learning from someone who has done it saves us from mistakes. Nice tanks. I've been in the hobby since i was a teen, 70 now and it wasn't until i went back to simplicity that things started thriving with less of my hand in the tank.

[@Fishtory]

Very cool story. Thanks for sharing!

[@sherrylynn4632]

I love FF methods, I followed him and now have a deep substrate tank and I absolutely love it, its my best tank. ❤

[@Fishtory]

Yep yep the walstad tank is a thing of beauty

[@kannadiga3644]

I must have seen 1000s of videos on aquatic life to this date, but this is the video I'm vibing the most with.. It is not one of those low tech setup or DIY projects but rather a guide to achieving a sustainable ecosystem. . How much time it needs, what can be knocked off, what cannot be compromised. This has to be one in my top 5 best videos on aquatic life...

[@Fishtory]

Whoa thank you kindly 🙏 I really appreciate that

[@marcellasoohoo3446]

What happens to fish poop? Please send me info.

[@Chsieyfnd]

I guess it dissolves in the water or sinks into the substrate and gets used by plants or something

[@9825k]

​@Chsieyfnd i guess the more pooping creatures u have, the more plants u need, since plants live out of poop. The clean up crew (who also poop) helps breaking down the poop.

[@AquariumExperiments]

As far as I found out from my experience you are right. With the right setup you don't need any technology for filtration.

[@herpdiversity9152]

Filter- less aquariums are my favorite. And with my paludariums i have used a similar method without filtration in something as small as a three gallon. I use coconut fiber as the substrate it seems to work well. And I use a tank with a six gallon base but fill half of it with gravel. Wow, thank you this is making much more sense now.

[@travismorgan9273]

In most highly planted, low stocked, good substrate tanks, filters are just wasting electricity and causing extra maintenance. You also don’t need water movement to heat an aquarium. Turn the heater horizontal and place it just above the substrate and the tank will heat fairly evenly. Convection is all you need.

[@Fishtory]

Truth. Most fish and all "beginner" fish and and plants other than perhaps angel fish & German rams seem to do fine for most folks this way

[@fab-freshaquaponicbiospher6335]

For highly planted.. Those stems need to root and stabilise well to grow dense.. Filter works as aeration device and helps in that.. Low stock will not provide enough CO2 on its own.. . Also I don't think people can virtuously stop adding fish if there is room to shove more in 😁 Also fry..

[@tamajquinn4418]

The youtuber Foo The Flowerhorn sets up their tanks without mechanical filtration. They have wildly entertaining content. Totally worth the look if you haven't heard of them.

[@shadeaquaticbreeder2914]

Thank you

[@Fishtory]

Totally love their videos. I appreciate that advice. Thank you

[@marypaigeflynn4512]

My goodness Alex the opening shot of your aquarium is just incredible!! The colors are popping!! I'm really enjoying the aquarium hobby this time around after learning about how to keep it natural and develop a ecosystem.. There's nothing more beautiful than looking into an aquarium just like yours and watching it thrive! I have joined the Mulmy muck filter gang😁 I really appreciate your "Canary in a coal mine" approach to keeping an eye on your tank. It makes perfect sense and is a great indicator to help keep an eye on your tank! And you are right.. look at how beautiful the colors of your fish are and how natural everything looks.. happy for sure!! Your aquariums are perfect example of what laying down a good foundation can help you achieve so you can enjoy a forever Aquarium! I appreciate your teachings Alex!! Hope you have a very blessed day!!🙏🌿🐟🌿💚

[@sandraragole2679]

👍🤗🌱🐟🐠🐠🎉. Need a fishing friend. Redding California and two 10 gal tanks. Had 🐴🐮🐇🐖🐑🐐🐣 40 yrs. Now moved, old, alone. However my two Betta fish make a good day. 🎇🎉🥳 Happy 2022

[@marypaigeflynn4512]

@@sandraragole2679 awwwwww definitely sounds like we've got some stuff in common 😁💚 I hope you're having a very blessed and happy New Year 🎉🎊🥰🙏❤️

[@tomi.d]

Amen! Been keeping fish for more than 30 years and have arrived at really low maintenance setups without heat or filtration. I've kept native goodies, killies, sunfish, dwarf livebearers, endlers, rosy red minnows, etc that way. Love bladder snails because without water movement they can skim the surface of the water and remove all of the protein film. I also put scuds in most of my tanks (oh! the horror!) I've done the Walstad thing, too lazy now, lol. Don't even do water changes and it's not an issue. I use coarse gravel and rhizome plants on rocks/wood, and floaters. All of my tanks are open-topped with emerging houseplants like philodendron, arrow plant, dieffenbachia, etc - they add a tremendous amount of filtration. The other benefit of not having mechanical filtration is all of the microorganisms are able to survive in the water and feed the fry. Great video!

[@Nuummite1]

Once again, Alexander, You have nailed it. I bought an FX6 but as it has since proven. 4 inches of Substrate has taken over the job. Subsequently, I mostly require surface disruption alone to facilitate gas exchange. My Substrate has very much acquired stratification and as such provides for the anoxic Bacteria. I do think Aquarium Companies do a number on us when a very simple sponge filter will take care of any extra toxins released from fishes. My current perception is in actuality that some companies do a number on you by suggesting “ You absolutely must have this” As you have rightly suggested. Snails, Detritus Worms and indeed Micro Organisms as Shewn by your Microscope investigation was proof positive. My Tank with it’s deep substrate, has and indeed shall, keep chugging along. Can’t believe I was sucked in to buying an FX6. Cest La Vie. ❤️

[@Fishtory]

Thanks for sharing. I think nice filters are a good safety net, or way to keep fish if you dont know the details of water care. But after you know what causes things to change, you need less and less of the safety measures

[@notlehsydna]

i keep over 20 planted aquariums in my garage. i have literally a tank with every type/brand of substrate because i like doing tests. what ive found is my dirted tanks(walstad method) even after 2 years are doing the best and i have completely removed filtration besides a little wave maker for surface tension on one of them. but using the deep substrate method with sand and some soil has been by far the most successful long term tanks without having any filtration what so ever andb minimal water changes. i learned alot from the infamous Dr. Novak and ill say ive found most success when using 1-2 different types of bacteria (aerobic, anaerobic, and anoxic ). in my opinion the best set up is a tank with a nice heavy planted aquascape that has a deep sand bed in the sump this way you can have a beautiful tank and get all the benefits of a the deep substrate method. you'll never have to change water again, but with these other types of bacteria you have to realize it takes about 6 months to have it successfully working so dont think throwing in a 4 inch deep later of sand or 2 of soil 3 of sand is going to be instantly ready. quite the opposite you need to have a hob or something then over the months slowly back off on the amount of active filtration you are running. well thats whats worked for me for the last 10 or so years. good luck and always try something new even if it is terrifying at first.(in all aspects of life not just fish tanks)

[@Fishtory]

Great info and great experience! Thanks for sharing. I agree with everything you're saying as well

[@klarag7059]

I’ve learned a little about bioactive setups for mammalian pets that burrow and it made sense that living creatures can be adapt to living in smaller environments when their natural ordered ecosystem is reproduced. This is the same for permaculture gardening as it is for our own homes and even our bodies. It just makes sense to get back to observing and learning from the created order within the ecosystems of the creatures we bring into our lives.

[@Fishtory]

100% that's great that you're into studying all that. I think it's the wave of the future because it was the way of the past!

[@klarag7059]

@@Fishtory can you recommend where to find out more for an absolute beginner in aquariums and ponds, please? I’m in climate zone 5, which is warm temperate, in Australia.

[@shelbyrose2791]

You're an amazing soul and teacher, thank you for sharing your knowledge in a digestible way.

[@Fishtory]

Thanks for joining me!

[@btcbob11392]

Your 100% percent right about everything except you didn't quite stress enough that this whole idea takes TIME. The average person walks into petco on a Saturday afternoon and see's that one really nice display tank and thinks , maybe expects that they can just load up the shopping cart with all the bells whistles and chemicals and by Sunday night will have the same thing in their Livingroom . It's worse if you have young kids who just want their new fish NOW. Cant tell your kids that we have to wait two weeks for the plants to establish them selves and then 2 more weeks for some snails and maybe shrimp to join the party and then after 2 more weeks they can have some fish. I had a severe case of MTSD " Multiple tank syndrome " back in the late 1970's- 80's. when undergravel filters were all the rage and Ehiem were the only canister filters available problem was no one could afford them . A lot has changed since then but when you look back you realize that most of the fish keeping problems were self induced. The old saying is still true " Keep it simple stupid " . Great videos by the way, thanks.

[@Fishtory]

You are 100% correct and looking back on the video I wish I had emphasized that this isn't the best starter tank /first tank and requires a knowledge of the fundamental cycles of carbon. Nitrogen and the role plants and light, play. Thanks for emphasizing it again.

[@arlenecam4239]

Love your video. Had a 100 gallon tank for over 15 years. Last year one by one the goldfish died , one week at a time. Now fish no more. Just water and gravel. Then we decided to make a planted aquarium with guppy. We are just on the process of planning things. First to buy substrate like others suggested 5 inches at least . Thank you very much for this video.

[@Fishtory]

No problem. Thanks for sharing your experiences here. You never know when someone in the same boat will learn something from your trial and error and ingenuity. Cheers!

[@bethabdallah6518]

OMG this is such a great video! All the videos I see focus on making it pretty and functional but they don't talk about the science. Thank you!

[@Fishtory]

Thank YOU! for taking an interest.

[@Mr345696]

Such a great concept. I guess my mini pond tubs are somewhat the same idea .. I have two tubs I keep outside during the Summer one with Blue Japanese Endlers & one with Golden White Cloud Minnows. Both are packed with stem/floating plants and I’ve got little baskets with deep substrate for the stem plants. Both are approximately 20 gallons. They get indirect sunlight. Every summer I get plenty of Fry and the fish seem very happy!

[@Fishtory]

That sounds awesome! Where do you live? I do the same in seattle, but it's only a 4 or 5 month window I can pull it off here

[@Mr345696]

@@Fishtory Northeast Ohio! So I have the same 4-5 month period Spring/Summer period. Wish it was warm year round!

[@countryboy023]

This is one of the few videos I've liked and I hope you read this comment. I loved this video and ill watch it probably a dozen times over a few weeks to get a grasp on everything. I love aquarium and am studying biology. I recently started a new aquarium to test some of the things for myself but you answered a lot of my questions. I will be going through the rest of you videos to look for more knowledge like this.

[@Fishtory]

Well thank you kindly. I just released a video today on what different samples of filterfloss media looks like on tanks of different ages. It may highlight more info you could potentially see as useful down the road I would assume. Regardless, thanks for writing and your thoughts. Cheers!

[@paulmillet3637]

What a relief! I get really scared every time I walk into an aquarium shop. There's a plethora of very smart equipment, but they always felt too focused. Kind of like how martial arts became more of its own art form and separated from combat. After a certain point it becomes exclusive and reductive, which sort of defeats the image of an integrated system. Working with less, you incorporate more, and your tank ends up being more complex. Life is paradox. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

[@Fishtory]

Haha thanks. I agree with your thesis

[@huseins.hassanali5933]

I have been in this hobby for over 30 years and have setup and maintained many tanks. Currently i have 2 tanks - 75 Gallons with artificial plants and monster fish and a 45 Gallons heavily planted with Discus, a group of guppies, long fin Danios and some Neons with nerite snails hatching. I was actually thinking of getting rid of the snails, but this video changed my opinion. Instead of getting rid of em, it is wiser to manage their reproduction. I need to introduce some Amano shrimps to help as cleaning crew. The game changer question is NOT about cycling the tank, but creating an ecosystem that will be able to cycle the tank - Naturally.

[@ColorzGuppyFarm]

Great explanation Alex! I love your content, you really know your stuff and explain things very well. It all boils down to going back to basics the way nature intended, much like moving away from mono culture to permaculture. Everything lives in harmony. I did the same thing with a 55G it was an open top with emerging plants, it worked perfectly with just one sponge filter and just adding water from evaporation, no heater. I could have turned off that sponge filter im sure. Working on a couple of setups like this now!

[@Fishtory]

Awesome. I'd love to have some larger "indoor pond" type tanks...and really utilize the emersed growth...I mean it's like a turbo booster of nutrients for the plants in the tank as well, seeing as our atmosphere is mostly nitrogen, oxygen, helium, argon, and carbon compounds. Any leaves that fall in the tank, or roots that feed submerged parts of a plant network just love it. I have come to realize what a difference having that emersed growth does for transportation and respiration of the tank and plants all together- I wish I had known and included that info. Great to see you in the comments, my friend. Have a great week. I'm so excited for Friday morning (package of amazing color guppies- day!)

[@AG-bq2zd]

I adore your channel, so thankful to have found it today!! The way you explain things holistically and scientifically is just brilliant. So informative and engaging.

[@Fishtory]

Thank you kindly. There's 750+ videos now from 5 years, so have fun in the playlist section if you want more similar content. Thank you for your kind sentiment and your time tuning in! Welcome

[@DanielKeepingFish]

Great point you raise mate. Totally agree too. "By studying the natural world a little more..." My favorite quote of yours.

[@Fishtory]

:)

[@bubblerings]

You asked Why a little cloudy... 17:15 or so... Looks like a (Real) clean pond. Nice! -Yes, any dying leaves in open water... will cause a bacteria increase, like in an Infusoria culture. -If too much of that, then bacterial / fungal Smells also come in.. to tell you that something has died. Your clean-up crew does a pretty good job, here.

[@mrmiker4691]

I am working on my eco system as we speak! Thanks for the great info and encouragement. ❤️

[@Fishtory]

Right on! Best of luck to you !

[@davidbell4986]

Your Vids are great! I really appreciate how you are just a guy sharing your extreme knowledge of aquariums. None of the flash and overbearing intros and blaring music. I'm sure you vids boost participation in this wonderful hobby. I was a fish keeper for several years and took a 30 year break. Been back now for a few months with a 55 Gal marine tank which is doing well. Planning a planted fresh water tank now. I hope that 1 day it'll be similar to the tanks you've shown here. PS (Equipment manufactures are going to hate you but that's a good thing.) Now I don't have to pick up the X17 Ion Blaster I have on Lay- A - Way. I'll use that money for plants and snails

[@Fishtory]

Haha thank you very much. This message really makes my day! I know I lose out on a lot of viewers but not making everything more polished, and flashy/don't have anything to sell people. But I feel like it self-selects an audience that cares most about the info and the animals. Which has really created a great community on the channel. Very helpful people, lots of academics and experienced hobbyists. So I am very grateful. I hope your re-entry into the hobby is amazing and you have a great time. Cheers! -Alex.

[@cljorgensenstar]

I also did see father fish explaining his knowledge about the importance of deep substrate system - beautiful lecture you did here - thank you for sharing your knowledge and its great to see your experiements 🙂

[@Fishtory]

Thank YOU for stopping by! Tell FF I Say hello hehe

[@starrlove2289]

I'm a newbie... & have watched over 100 videos on how to start a tank & EVERYTHING that go's with it... So I stated thinking ... instead of having a fish tank & introducing plants... I should be doing this the other way around.. like what came first the chicken or the egg ... sorry Rambling now, I just want to really thank you for doing this video! I've learned more from this video then all 100 videos I've come across so far... can't wait to get everything I need to start ...

[@Fishtory]

Glad to hear it! I'm here, as are other subs and community members if you have more questions :) also I have like 600+ videos, so I've covered a lot of topics if you need something and look for it on my channel, you'll probably find it...but if not- that's how i make half of all new videos (answering questions people ask ). Best of luck, and have fun!

[@starrlove2289]

You are no nice! & I stayed up till 4am watching about all your videos... even cried in one for your friend... I have looked up the Diane walstad Method & I am so excited I could pop 🤣😂 I have a 8-12 hour job & a single mom of a 4 year old .. I also take care of my mom & my 4 year old nephew.. so this project truly is saving my life but that's another story lol so I'm not really good with technology if this is best way to message you cool if not could you please let me know how too ... I bought a 20gal tank & tho I've always housed bettas I now see I haven't been the best mommy for all the wrongs I was doing & the pet stores never really schooled me ... I want to make an environment then pick my fish .. it just seems right that way I'm in no rush (due to covid & lack of founds) so I have the tank the light & filter that came with it (both NO GOOD 🤦🏼‍♀️) so truly having to buy 1 thing at a time then I will start ... today I wanted to stop by my Homedetpo & check out the soil also I have pea gravel (I like to build Terrariums) would this be a good top coat to the soil ? Again sorry excited with way too many questions 😅 Thank you for your help truly I was on a newbie FB page telling everyone how awesome & educated you are !

[@lionelramsal7354]

It's very nice of you to share your experience. Thanks 👍🏼

[@Fishtory]

My pleasure

[@kevinwalden4288]

Awesome video dude! Full of great knowledge, love it! The day I decided to keep fish tanks I went straight in with dirted tanks and couldn't be happier. I'm currently running three 20 gallons that haven't had filters for years and the fish are breeding and thriving. I usually go 1/2 inch dirt, and I do about 3 inches of sand. I love jungle tanks!

[@Fishtory]

Right on. Me too...obviously haha

[@Vell42]

I have that dark greenish sediment layer too, below the set of intact Amazonian soil, in my 1 gallon shrimp tank! Internet is sensitive about tank size, but I've kept good colony of shrimp in here for over 3 years. Including 4 Boraras brigittae for about a year now, they self regulate. Fishes were added to cleanup smaller critters I see creep up without existence of fish. I do keep small sponge filter running however, along water change very 2 weeks or so. I get uneasy without water flow especially since temperature is very warm here for 28-30 Celcius all year long. So either short or long range fan is turned on most of the days. Glad to see setup done by others, thank you for sharing.

[@kylekeys4580]

Awesome video!!! i have a 55 gallon tank with a 7 inch deep active substrate mixed with crushed coral and crushed lava rock (on one half) sloped down to a 3 inch sand bed with a big piece of drift wood lodged into the slope. i turned the filter about a year ago and it never had a heater or co2 or air stone. so now it runs off of a 48" nicrew plant light and a 36" fluval sky (plan on upgrading these) and theres 15 ember tetras, 12 white cloud minnows, 11 panda corys, 1 sae, and at least 300 red cherry shrimp. the tank has been running for 2 years and about half the time without mechanical filtration. i started off with about 30 cherry shrimp so i think the experiment is running well. i am completely happy with it apart from the coudy water. i am comforted to hear you say that its natural and normal and ok.

[@Fishtory]

You're on the right path! Keep at it, and just go slow and easy with changing any key elements :)

[@Sorraiamustang]

This is exactly what I did , 5 inch substrate Using Father Fish’s recipe added on top of my two year old substrate of flourite , kitty litter clay and ADA soil . Hence the 5 inch substrate . I have lots of plants and some algae , duck weed , red root floaters , snails . The tank has a light from Aquarium Co-op and access to natural sunlight 4 feet from a window . I use this water to top off my smaller beta tanks . This water is perfect but it went through some ugly stages while cycling .... White foggy looking mold . But it cleared up . I use 50/50 RO and well water and keep it heated for Betta fish in the winter . I am a firm believer this is the easiest way to go . I just too off and remove algae when it gets over done .Been fish keeping for 30 years . Thank You Alex .... your videos are top knotch.😊

[@Fishtory]

Thank you kindly. Yes, I like that method also. Most fish (only rainbow fish, some gobies and discus /rams have needed an airstone in my years playing with it...and that's just in high temp species from rivers with lots of moving water and o2...so it sort of makes sense anyhow. Thanks for your response! Have a great week!

[@tonyhind6992]

I have spent the last few years trying to do the same thing. I have a substrate that is between 5 and 9 inches thick made up of different layers of sands and potting soil. I use large numbers of floating plants and fast growing plants. My 5ft tank is stocked with nano and dwarf fish. I have pond invertebrates and snails. I am glad to see you have got to where I am aiming.

[@Fishtory]

Right on! Make sure your plants are fast enough growers that their roots really tap into that anerobic layer and make use of the reservoir of nutrients...and in turn pump out way more O2 as long as they have proper lighting

[@nightowl2299]

Thx for the video. This is what I would like to achieve with my new thank. I will definitely keep following

[@Fishtory]

There are quite a few videos on my black water , planted and filterless aquascapes and tanks in the aquascape and plant Playlists. Best of luck, feel free to ask questions any time

[@BlatentlyFakeName]

I accidently switched the filter off on my secondary tank, which is full of guppies and cherry shrimp. Nothing changed except green algae went crazy on the glass. There are some plants in there but there was no current at all for a few weeks. Nothing died or got ill. I think filters are very over-sold for aquariums.

[@Fishtory]

100%

[@mrswiggles2012]

I love it too. I turned off the filter on my 55g nano tank last month and working it exactly like that. I just top off. Will be adding more plants as well.

[@Fishtory]

Right on! Let me know how it goes ...the wall we all hit is how go lengthen the soil life without replacing it or swapping around year 2 or 3 ...at a certain point if you push through that, I think it develops new microbes that stabilize it...but I need 2 more years to say that for sure haha

[@katehartley2333]

I'm doing deep substrate in my 20 long. That was good to hear that eventually you can put hillstream species in this set up. I really want a hillstream loach but don't have the space to do a dedicated hillstream tank yet. I'm willing to wait if it means I can have what I want eventually.

[@jnburdn1083]

LRB has them in a filter less no substrate tank it might have a sponge filter. I love hill streams too

[@belladonnaRoot]

You should be able to do it just fine once you've got your plants established. I had one in my 20-long, and it was carrying on, headbutting guppies and cleaning away, even when the filter got so choked up it was just a trickle. That tank had a lot of anubias and hornwort in it. I've got no idea why my hillstream likes headbutting guppies. It's just a thing she does. It doesn't harm them from what I can tell.

[@vitamincalmasmr]

I took out my filter about 6 months ago. I was terrified but to get my tank as natural as possible I took a deep breath and went with it. My tank is doing great and is looking it's healthiest since setting it up 2 years ago. I need more plants to make it more jungley looking.

[@Fishtory]

That's amazing to hear! Right on. Congrats and welcome to the no-tech tank hehe. Enjoy

[@MFTAQ]

I am pulling my sponge filter tonight and I am terrified but I have been doing this awhile and my dirted planted tank has been running with a filter for three months time to take the plunge and trust nature.

[@Aquatica87Heaven]

I’m doing it without any experience I did it by mistake a few years ago using vases for shrimp with deep sand beds and then I found out about the Walstad method. Now I have a couple 3 gallons sustainable deep sand bedded with Java Moss and Cholowood and beautiful blue dream shrimp.

[@Fishtory]

Right on! I wish you the very best :) cherrs

[@christinamorris2823]

The main thing is actually letting the microbes do their stuff instead of interfering with them.

[@Pittigpiertje]

not really, the main thing is keeping the bioload low enough by feeding sparringly

[@MrGrombie]

Objection!

[@Sec_coach]

Easier said than done most aquariums are over populated they can’t reach the balance of input output needed

[@SnokenX]

I recently got back into the hobby and decided to start with a 4 gallon low tech tank, no heater with only a regular desk lamp as lightsource for 12h/day. I added regular soil and medium grain sand and added both fast and slow growing plants. Added 5 black crystal shrimp after 3 weeks and 5 Endler guppys after 5 weeks. The tank has been going for 3 months now. No losses, no algeaovergrowth and both the endlers and shrimps are reproducing happily. I do 30% water changes once a week though. I haven't dared to try to lower the frequency of the water changes. I can testify that this works. However my future paludarium will have both a heater and a filter.

[@Fishtory]

Totally. In your system, the water change is your "release valve", same as in my bowls of sunfish ... however you can use plants and light to over-come the need for water changes (just top offs), like Ocean Aquaria in San Francisco

[@SnokenX]

@@Fishtory that is the goal. However I feel like I have a mentall block to doing water changes... I could probably try going 2-3 weeks but I just find the prospect of it scary in such a small tank... I care for the life in it after all.

[@Fishtory]

@@SnokenX i definitely understand the feeling haha

[@richardbarksdale3810]

Have you heard of a gravity fed filter I use to have one years ago and in my 5 gallon tank thrived so well, I had 25 fish in it no lie I had tiger barbs ,angle fish two goldfish, guppies regular and fantail ... It was pretty amazing. I haven't seen or heard of those types filters since the 60"s.

[@Fishtory]

Yeah they are also called under gravel filters with a lift siphon/ tube. And they do work well ...especially for tanks with low amounts of plants

[@richardbarksdale3810]

No this was not an under gravel filter, had a friend that had one of those types I didn't care for thar type. This gravity fed filter hung off the back of my tank just like the motorized ones today but used charcoal and cotton fiber inside 🙃 it which I had to change like maybe every two or three months. I'm going to try and develop one. Thanks for your reply 👍 🙂

[@Fishtory]

@@richardbarksdale3810 oh whoa, interesting! I would suggest you could make a replica, but using modern filter media ceramics which holds something like 5X the surface area charcoal does

[@rogeretiennedelacruz3000]

I have a 2-foot outdoor and unfiltered tank, with lots of duckweed, water hyacinth, pothos, lots of soft moss/algae and a lot swordtails. There are small ramshorn snails. I top off water when the level falls. I hardly do any water changes. The livestock is fed with whatever spare pellets. I live in sunny Singapore where it can get really warm especially in the late afternoons and on some good days, some sunlight getting close to the tank. I see the mulm in the 5cm substrate. This tank was an experiment to test out the Walstad method. I can attest to the Walstad method can actually work when it is balanced and set right.

[@Fishtory]

Im very jealous hehe

[@rogeretiennedelacruz3000]

@@Fishtory I'm learning from you, sir

[@vaflooo]

Great video. Many thanks for it. It shows that there is another path, different from commercial one packed with hi-tec stuff. I just realized that I'm also going slowly into that direction. I have four bank tanks at the moment and all with filters, but there is the largest hob filter in my first tank, small hob in second, medium internal in third and really small internal filter in fourth tank. Time for fifth tank without filter 🤗😁

[@Fishtory]

I like high tech tanks just the same, but something serene and beautiful exists in such a tranquil mini ecosystem

[@sigui.habana]

I just finish the video Bravooooooooo 👏👏👏👏👏👏 Back in Cuba I didn’t have internet , sometimes not able to get our rustic filters and air pump ….. so we just do it like this but with less plants , we didn’t have internet until a few years ago so we don’t know what is PH ( I still no clue about it ) but my lake/ tank is doing well When something is looking wrong I added just regular salt , a little bit , with out measurements and fish seems to have relieve on it

[@Fishtory]

It worked 100 years ago...and still does today :)

[@08874]

17:14 Some people would say the fogginess are the waste & organic matters in the water. The foggy usually shows when the nitrification is not fast enough to break down the organic matters. Simply an airstone to enhance the aerobic culture, the water usually clear within 1-3 days in my experience. But as you are on an experiment, not sure if this is what you wanted~ I have no clue whether a slight foggy or a clear water is better in terms of natural tank. As you said the fish looks happy that clearness maybe just about our visual urge. Inspiring video, thank you.

[@Fishtory]

I've tried the airstone or filter off and on filterless tanks, and it does tend to improve clarity, however, usually time and cutting back on feeding will do that same work within a week. From what a professor of Ecology at UW told me, the foggy look is likely dead (or it could be live) bacteria... and yes, nitrogen levels increased, so the bacteria bloomed to denitrify it, but until those settle into the sediment or get filtered/changed out- the skeletons remaining from the colony explosion will muck up the water a while. The other case, she mentioned was if not enough surface area is colonized by Denitrifying bacteria, then it can bloom into the water column (2 species can in any case.)...but will die and settle eventually if you don't keep pumping in nitrifying substances. Thanks for your feedback and info !

[@Staggo_L]

This is great. You've given me lots of information that I've never seen, like a thick, stratified substrate. Thanks.

[@RikoStan]

Very interesting stuff. I'm too scared to try it myself, but I am going to keep an eye on the conversation.

[@MridulSinghMusic]

Don't be Riko! As long as you go slow with your changes and let the tank settle itself out, the tank will be streamlined for success. Hope you're well!

[@Fishtory]

Yeah just use fish your not attached to, to get it running if your nervous.

[@MFTAQ]

I just tried this last night Riko, I have a deep substrate in the tank and it is planted well but I was very nervous to do it but I did, I had a sponge filter running for 3 months, now it's time to let mother nature do her thing and enjoy the show. 😂

[@lynnlutz9883]

Interesting concepts. I'm about to start my first aquarium after being away from the hobby for 20 years. Getting a 15 gal Fluval Flex. The integrated back wall filter takes up the entire rear of the tank for mechanical and biologic filtration run by submersable pump. I'm doing a plenum under gravel filter too for additional biologic filtration, with Eco Complete substrate. I plan to make use of a heavily planted tank, including some floating plants. I will supplement the stock light with an additional LED strip light. I plan to do a fishless cycle using Dr. Tim's One and Only bacteria jump start solution. After testing ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, I will gradually and patiently add a cleaning crew of shrimp and snails and a betta. Later add some small schools of nano fish like green neons, ember tetras, and oto cats. Your info is very informative and usefu to me.. THANK YOU.

[@eyadjamus7126]

Thank you for this video. I'm right now trying to achieve this very thing. I have a heavily planted tank with a thick layer of sand I actually brought home from a local freshwater river. It has a school of Corydoras, Guppies and snails in it. I do believe I need to improve my lights though.

[@Fishtory]

I have a very in depth series on what lights I use and which I recommend for different price points. Its called "let there be light" part 1 , 2 and 3 ... so there's also links to all the lights at the lowest price point I could hunt down in the description also. Hope that helps and best of wishes! Let us know how it works out

[@eyadjamus7126]

@@Fishtory thanks I'll definitely check out that series.

[@peterlidell]

One of the best videos I have seen in a long time! Or rather, what you say is one of the best things. I totally agree with all of it. I think time is the best thing to add to any aquarium, you can't rush nature...

[@Fishtory]

100%. I just hope people don't watch half and think "psshhh, I can set that up!" And try from scratch, tossing it all in at once and using bacteria in a bottle

[@howardhewitt1797]

I have used a plenum for three years in my tanks. (Dr Novak) Rivers have aquifers deep under the riverbed.

[@Fishtory]

Yes. Have you found that all hillstream or rainbow fish are able to withstand the lack of water changes in Dr. Novak's method also?

[@thepersonaljo]

I'm one of the found out by accident people. I have a beautifully operating 55 gal running on the "neglect method". I have my fish of course but my workers are as you mentioned here snails and shrimp. I also keep up a population of what started as food sources but have added to the bio-availabilty of the tank such as daphnia and seed shrimp. Blackworms, who people don't like to feed sometimes bc they escape into substrate easily, are excellent here too. I will feed a glob of them, the lucky ones escape and bury down into the soil, dragging nutrients down with them and feeding on decaying matter. They also still get predated on by my freshwater flounder who is a secret weapon for substrate health as well. I have a layer of sand on top of my fluval and such so his "floundering" helps to mix decaying material down into the substrate layers for my plants to use. Top it off with strong natural sunlight and I have the most incredibly satisfying little ecosystem to enjoy with very little effort on my part.

[@Fishtory]

Score!

[@JosephLorentzen]

I have always liked a deep substrate. As a 69 year old, I thought I had tried most everything. I now use cheap house hold day light lamps - with a little daylight. I started way back when under gravel filters were the thing. I had to plant my plants in their own separate pots to get good growth. Deep beds were something you did for ponds. We were always told that the sulfur gases and methane would stink up our houses. I went to college and found some scrap glass. I built my first all glass aquarium to literally fit my dorm desk top. I had no money for filters or fish for that matter. I covered the bottom of the tank with the fine gravel brought up by desert ants and got my fish, water fleas, and fairy shrimp and plants from a small pond in Marathon, Texas. The tank was literally 7 inches deep. 4 inches was deep bed. The lamp was a 4 foot fluorescent light and some daylight from the dorm window. Your video reminded me of just how well they did.

[@Fishtory]

Very cool! There's always something new within this magical hobby! Cheers

[@fredk4136]

I have watched a ton of videos about this concept, and no one, absolutely no one has explained the concept better than you did. This is just simply a great video.

[@Fishtory]

Thank you kindly Fred 🙏. That means a great deal to me. Cheers and happy 2022

[@MridulSinghMusic]

All of this is very true! you don't need to run all the equipment that is recommended. I myself am slowly eliminating things from my tank, starting with slowly removing the amount of sponge from the filters, then proceeding to remove the filter. As long as the nitrates don't spike, and the O2 seems sufficient for the fish, I should be fine. Great video Alex!

[@Fishtory]

Right on, brother! I agree👍

[@francispoon4406]

Love your vid! I’ve just started a nano tank about couple of days old. No pump no filter for the bed room tank. Borneo sucker loach, shrimps , Pygmy Cory, glow tetra, rasboras. Parrot feathers, valis and moneywort. All of em are just doing their thing and chill. Lights on on one side of the tank, other side full of shade and hiding places. Fingers crossed this will continue for many years

[@Fishtory]

I wish you the best! Just test regularly for signs of trouble, but once you get a rhythm and balance, it's truly a joy..thanks for sharing. Have a nice weekend!

[@gregspektor7423]

I'm just returning to the hobby myself after a lifetime without having fish. Love this movement of self-contained eco systems. I will be setting up my Fluval Flex 123 as soon as it defeats our dwindling supply chain. I plan to start with plants. I love the plants that look like lilypads that haven't yet reached the surface and appear in the aquarium show around the 2:18 mark in this video. What are they called?

[@Fishtory]

Hydrocotyle Verticilata :) it is definitely a fun way to keep fish...and an easy way also.

[@Fishtory]

Also... that's so much fun, getting back into the hobby as an adult is like close to "Christmas morning" or your 16th birthday hah

[@gregspektor7423]

@@Fishtory that’s a very good analogy. I picked up my tank and most of my stuff arrived last night too. It was like Christmas with all of the boxes. I promised my son that we could film an unboxing video so I’m sitting here staring at a box I’m not allowed to open like a little kid. LoL

[@glassboxfox]

Great video Alex, I'm glad I found out about deep substrate. Changing the hobby for me.

[@Fishtory]

Right on! Glad to hear it. It's just yet one more way you can choose to do things...not that filters and gravel are "wrong".

[@cheveburkinshaw860]

As father fish says 6 in plus base it works 😀deeper the better n leave it alone

[@MFTAQ]

I have 3" top soil base with a 2" sand cap, Father Fish is the reason I did it that way, this was before the food web being a layer.

[@CricketsMa]

Excellent video, and the comments are gold. Thank you!

[@Fishtory]

Glad you like them!

[@igotsnacks13]

Salute Alex. Good Stuff. Thank You.

[@Fishtory]

Thank you!

[@dlp5924]

Yes, came across this miracle after adding pothos to my tanks, practically take care of themselves... Have 6 tanks and planning for the next!

[@Fishtory]

Right on! That's similar to how I first ended up with mine too :)

[@richardwaldhouse8067]

Thanks for all your hard work researching all of the various set up. There's a lot of information on UTube videos that support some of your studies. I am using organic kitty litter with no additives for some of my substrates to see if this is true?

[@Fishtory]

Yes it works just like gravel or clay composition Pellets. It can be "charged" with nitrates also...and adding a liquid fertalizer to it before flooding the tank and then capping it off, is a really popular choice. As well as safe-t-sorb

[@johnjwedrall4290]

I started a filterless 3 gal. I chickened out when air bubbles erupted out of the gravel . I watched this video of yours over and over and I'm having a go at again. Thank you 👍😉 👀❗️

[@Fishtory]

Woo-hoo! You can do it

[@johnjwedrall4290]

@@Fishtory thank you 😊

[@danielscott9374]

Excellent and very interested video. I have snails, red cherry shrimp, and 1 beta in my tank. With plants. I have just the aquarium gravel as my substrate. I've not gravel vac the gravel because my shrimp are breeding and I don't want to suck up and loose the baby shrimp. My tank seems to be fine I don't find any dead shrimp apart from 1 that had managed to climb either the air pipe or the heater cable and it had managed to fall out of the aquarium, a couple of snails have done the same (kamikaze animals) do you think that not gravel vac the substrate it could have the same effect?

[@Fishtory]

100% that mulm is key...the microbes do the heavy lifting and also form a cap in much less than an inch even, over time

[@SLynch007]

I’ve thought about this quite a bit, maybe because I live in the Great Lakes area, or I have a curiosity about habitats like you do, although much less extensively researched. That’s why I enjoy your Chanel so much - you break it down so easily, even a child with half of an adult vocabulary developed yet will be able to follow along, and if they get stuck - they can simply look it up. The only thing that gave me pause was when I thought about taking my aquariums ‘off grid’ was the knowledge that some still waters will go stagnant unless you have just the right amount of species of plants, animals, cleaners ect., to pull it off. You are simply duplicating nature when you get to that level of developing your own ecosystem, but, how did you find out - outside of trial and error, how many different species of plant, substrate (lots!) and finally animals could live harmoniously? Now we know that when a body of water goes stagnant, it’s usually because it’s either not getting enough of something, or it’s getting too much of something to throw it off balance. I think I read in your bio the vast amount of education you have, but didn’t you sort of imply that you just winged it based on what you knew already and expanded on it? Are the rest of us overthinking it?

[@Fishtory]

Yeah I just read what each species needs and I do have a decent grasp on most science feilds due to archeology covering so many little aspects of climate, ecosystems, biology, anatomy and chemistry. But mostly it's just willingness to look everything up, and try new things :) Sometimes the info online is totally incorrect but they mean well..like cherry shrimp being able to survive freezing winters if there's mulm and mud to hibernate in. I think just copying real ecosystems is ideal, then change one species at a time... no pleco...try an dwarf Asian cat fish or African synodotis and double check they can survive similar biomes... and eventually you try lots and lots over time. It's what I love most about the hobby :) Best wishes to you, cheers!

[@SLynch007]

@@Fishtory thank you - even your replies are succinct!

[@johnmaude5065]

This really really fascinating

[@Fishtory]

Glad to hear it! Enjoy :)

[@iwansantoso8778]

It is good to have a natural tank like that. Some people like a crystal clear water and good looking plant in their aquascape inside the home. Tank without co2 will have a plant with darker leaf, longer distance between leaf, smaller leaf. It is easy to grow some algae. As i know, the plant are need the water flow and they will grow more healthy.

[@Thomas.V.-223]

I found out by accident I took a 40 gallon trash can filled up with water and took an old tank That had guppies and Poured everything out of the old tank into the 40 gallon and completely left it alone The trash can was underneath the gutter downspout that was the only water they got from the rain I was mowing the yard like 3 or 4 months later and took a peek in there And they were thriving they were living off all the bugs 🐛 and Musquito larva.

[@Fishtory]

Same here...accidents are the mother of invention haha. Thanks for tuning in, my friend.

[@Dave_Andre]

My 3 year old set up is basically on autopilot now. The only reason I do water change is when the tannins accumulate too much from thedriftwood which doesn't look pleasant to me, especially when guest or special occasion arives at home. Its HOB filter doesn't contain any media now and just currently being used for water movement lol. And I remember last year when I was depressed I completely neglected my tank for several months no water change, not even top off, water resided to half with calcium buildup on the glass panels all around (but I didn't forget feeding them of course. Sorry to my fishies) but surprisingly the tank carry on to it self. No algae, plant still grew, and fishes still populated. This hobby really can be as simple as it gets. As long as we understand finding the right balance and having the patience, there's no need to complicate things and just enjoy.

[@Fishtory]

Score! That's what you want, ideally

[@mauricematla1215]

I have been saying for over a decade now that particulairy planted tanks should be able to go without. What filtration mainly does in my opinion is give you more room for error/enable's you to keep more fish in a giffen volume. More and more i find myself using filtration mainly for the mechanical simple because i do not so much enjoy cloudiness and stuff floating around. But i realize that is mostly for my enjoyment not so much that the system needs it.

[@Fishtory]

100%

[@rickyh8522]

You explain this method so much better. Thank you!

[@Fishtory]

Glad it was helpful!

[@omzdubz]

What are your thoughts on some people creating a bottom layer of substrate made of crushed lava rock to create a layer of anaerobic bacteria? Ive been seeing it more and more in youtube videos as of late

[@Fishtory]

Actually I did that 3 years ago on my channel with one of my 40 breeders. However, I prefer air "breathing" bacteria/ aerobic nitrogen processors. I use a big sand bag or filter media bag full of lava rock that's light then put a PVC pipe that has a bunch of holes in it- into the bag of rocks...so fish can use it as a cave, or you can put a small power head or pump near it and push/pull water through and basically create a large sponge filter out of the base of your aquascape

[@omzdubz]

@@Fishtory definitely want to give this walsted method a try some time but I absolutely hate the look of algae in my tank and im still fighting to get it under control in my heated, filtered and lit tank LOL. Hopefully when im wiser about this stuff I will give it a go

[@fakename67]

I did that in a goldfish pond a few years ago as a cost cutting method as i live in a volcanic country and there is lava rock lying around. Has worked really for me.

[@BassForever44]

Amazing explanation. Really liked that you complemented the video with scientific references not just your experience. I'll give this a try with my second tank

[@Fishtory]

Thank you kindly. I wish you all the best. And I think you'll find a whole new niche in fish keeping! Also .. I'm glad you appreciated the scientific info. All the 1.99 A Month members if my channel, get access to all my research work and references materials on videos like these

[@sandraragole2679]

How is your tank 🤔🌱🐌🐠🐟🐠👍

[@BassForever44]

@@sandraragole2679 haven't started it yet. Got to get myself a tank first 😅. In the meantime i just bought more plants for my regular tank

[@KamotoSam]

I always thought it had to.do with how planted the tank was. Like for something like this to work you'd need a thick soil bed, heavily panted, and the different layers of fish as well super cool idea basically maintenance free. Do you do water changes in that tank?? Or just top offs?

[@Fishtory]

Just top offs in the 20 gallon that's the oldest

[@KamotoSam]

@@Fishtory that's so awesome dude I'm in the process of tryna get my 36g to that point it's a slow process but I'm 2 months in. Btw i love your videos man no one else on youtube makes videos quite like you with the history shit

[@metalcowgirl34]

So glad other people agree with this! LOL I have 20 tanks....not all are filterless...The ones that I'm breeding guppies in or selling plants out of, that aren't staying stable because of number of fish and plants changing do have sponge filters and get water changes. But my display tanks that are focused on looking nice and being an ecosystem don't need filters and I only do water changes to clean them up once in a while so they look nice. Each one is different, a few don't need water changes, a couple are even damaged (balance is thrown off) by water changes!

[@Fishtory]

Totally *those are sort of my rules for which tank has filtration too :) thanks for writing.

[@EuroGupper]

This is by far the most amazing tank I've seen on the internet. I hope I can one day have an aquarium running like this. A nice thick substrate with lots of water plants, no water changes, just filling the water back up because of evaporation

[@Fishtory]

Heh well thanks man. It took 4 years of accidents and experiments to sort it out

[@EuroGupper]

@The Secret History Living in Your Aquarium Thanks to your groundbreaking adventures I hope my road will be less rocky.

[@techwithbec]

Wow thank you for taking the time to explain how this works! I have an empty 10 gallon that I'm going to experiment with. Definitely going to do the deep substrate and get lots of plants. Good stuff 👍

[@Fishtory]

Right on! Thanks for tuning in!

[@ljones4281]

LOL BIG Bird Showers.. Thank You for your suggestions. I am a die hard fan of yours. Keep em coming! Love your witt and ideas. Thank YOU for Sharing.

[@Fishtory]

Hey thank you so much! I'm truly humbled to read this. Please let me know If I can assist with any questions or topics I haven't covered yet. Have an awesome week!

[@IanSRutter]

I have been searching for something like this for ages. I've been researching for months about starting an aquarium, and just couldn't understand why I need to spend a good amount of money on a fair few products just to keep fish alive, when in the wild there's none of that. You have helped break down some of my problems. Just want to ask, I want to have my fish tank in the back of my house. The room has lots of natural light with lots of glass all round, a conservatory. I live in a sub-tropical climate and now the sunny days are at the moment around 32C 90F outside but can reach higher temps later on. If I add plenty of plants with a mixture of soil, compost, vermiculate, sand and wood, would that be okay as a substrate? Would you also recommend some plants to just float? I would add snails and one or two fish a few weeks later once the plants are growing, then later one or more fish. Everything from the compost is from my garden, and I have never used chemicals. In-fact, I make my own fertiliser by allowing fallen leaves and raked grass to rot in a barrel of water. A few months later everything has decomposed. I scoop out what hasn't rotten and the water is a rich nutrient liquid fertiliser. Your video is really fascinating and something right up my ally.

[@Fishtory]

I'd be a little hesitant of using the compost if it's really pungent and rich.. it can contain crazy nitrates/nitrites and ammonia concentrations. But everything else is fine... even compost is okay if you burry it like 5 inches deep and you have Malaysian trumpet snails or some digging critter to aerate and "burp" the bubbles of gas. But if you swapped compost for aquasoil for plants...you'd be golden! Best of luck to you and feel free to ask more questions. Cheers

[@IanSRutter]

@@Fishtory Thanks for the quick answer and noted about the compost. In-fact, it could be a good experiment in a separate tank and take some readings. Again, appreciate your answer the great video you made. All the best.

[@Fishtory]

@@IanSRutter no problem, it's why I'm here haha. Also...that would be an awesome experiment. If you do it, let me know I'd be really curious about the results even for a month or two...over time I'm sure it would work itself out as nature always does

[@IanSRutter]

​@@Fishtory Just to let you know, I got started. I bought NO2/3 test kits, still waiting for ammonia kit. A soil PH test reader. A water PH test reader, and a digital water temp reader. Compost for substrate. PH 7. Kids say it smells like pineapples! Tap water. PH 7.28. I put 3 inches of compost and potting soil mixture 1:1 into a 20 gallon tank. Put a layer of soft gravel on top. Added some plants: Java ferns, vallisneria americana and some red myrio. Filled with tap water PH 7.28 and let it rest for 24 hours. The colour is a beautiful red and plenty of air bubbles from the soil. After 24 hours, I tested for PH, nitrites and nitrates. Water PH 7.8 Nitrite 0.37mg/L Nitrate 15mg/L Water temperature is 28C / 82.4F. No heating system, just naturally standing in pure sunlight. Just going off the test instructions, it said that nitrites should be 0, but not knowing what the sensitivity of fish the result should be lower than 0.5mg/L Nitrate for fish should be lower than 40mg/L, but for breeding aqua plants lower than 5mg/L I'm finding this an interesting mix of results for the first time. I've seen many advocating zero across the range and other saying it's okay to have some over everything. I am planning on making my own filter system with a mixture of bio stones and volcanic stones, and then create a raining effect from the outlet so the surface can be broken and create some kind of surface movement. After that, experiment with no filter and plenty of plants. My next test will be probably Wednesday. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@kamrankambang7953]

Need to be careful with Dissolved Oxygen tho. Higher temp loses oxygen faster. I live in tropical area too and thats all my problem is. Either i put airstone or just put wave maker. But wavemaker look too tacky.

[@iwanjirkuw8596]

Thanks Alexander for super detailed explanation on the fish tank ecosystem! You are a legend! 😉 👍🏼

[@Fishtory]

That is kind of you to say, but I'm just a very passionate fish nerd. Thanks for tuning in and for the kind words!

[@michaeljoseph8229]

Filtration and media is a conversation we can have until the cows come home but when it comes down to it, your general 'tank husbandry' is going to dictate how well you do.

[@Fishtory]

I agree, the plants and stocking load are my "key stone" choices for this method....knowing the limits and signs of healthy and happy fish or plants etc

[@sleepytasmr]

In my experience guppies absolutely love my filter that blows lots of bubbles, they love playing in the fast water

[@Fishtory]

Totally. Some fish really need filtration or aeration. Guppies are from slow moving creeks and swamps naturally. But many domestic guppies like the moving water to play in. Great point. Thanks for sharing

[@texasfish8382]

I have been experimenting with this also. With a dirted tank (dirt from an old raised flower bed) capped with at least 2 inches of sand. Most have 3 Inches or more. I would have real problems with algae for the first 3 to 6 months. So I have started mixing in about 10 to 20 % of Safe T Sorb. This has worked very well. Plants grow great and I haven't had any algae on 4 different tanks so far. 3 of the four that have been running for about 4 months and I haven't had to even touch the glass. My plan is to eventually remove the sponge filter. I want the tanks to season and plants to really get going before I do it. I plan to pull them very soon and see what happens. Thanks you this video. People really need to know this is possible. I have a couple without filtration. They are my favorite tanks. Thanks!

[@Fishtory]

Thats similar to what I did, as I had fuller's earth/ diatomaceous clay local in the substrates at my fingertips... the PNW has a deep blue clay i have played with and it can cap in 1/2 an inch...amazing stuff that also sucks up all the bioorganic /ammonia related compounds a ton.... Which tectonicallg makes sense near me...a subduction zone where the earth was compressed and baked for eons, then churned by earthquakes and microbes

[@texasfish8382]

@@Fishtory I am near the Blackland Prairie in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It is named for the black clay that the soil is mostly compromised of. It might be something that acts similar to the clay in your area. It will be fun to research. I plan to start by talking to some of the Texas Master Naturalist. I love your channel because it sparks a lot of curiosity. It bet this will end up taking me down a rabbit hole. I love rabbit holes. Thanks and keep up the great work.

[@stennorlin8848]

adding some iron to substrate to assist anoxic bacteria might be a good idea.

[@texasfish8382]

@@stennorlin8848 that makes sense.

[@jt9513]

I got success with planted tanks after one year. I learnt snails and shrimps cannot be overlooked they should be in tank from Day 1. I put them just couple of months back and now can see the results.

[@Fishtory]

I totally agree. Glad to hear you are finding success!

[@williambarnes5023]

I'd be interested in seeing this become even more extreme: How far do you have to go before you can seal the tank airtight, and keep the fish alive just from the food grown inside the tank and the oxygen from the plants? I wonder how small you could make such a sealed tank, and still have it be able to sustain at least one tetra. A complete self-contained ecosystem only needing light.

[@Fishtory]

Yes, great questions!

[@BlatentlyFakeName]

I think for that to work you'd need land with plants on them as well. A full eco-system otherwise toxins would build up

[@PrecioustheMovie1]

I’m attempting this at the moment. My tank is not completely sealed because I haven’t glued the plexiglass lid in place yet but the results are very encouraging. Everyone in the comments here has the right idea, if you’re wondering what my setup is like.

[@Nettie-jt1nv]

@@PrecioustheMovie1 hows it working!??

[@PrecioustheMovie1]

@@Nettie-jt1nv I just added 6 pheonix rasboras to a 20 gallon tank TEEMING with life and they are hunting and feeding just fine as far as I can tell. If they survive the week, I’m on to something. Adding 6 was a gamble because they may overhunt the algae eaters and throw the tank out of balance before the population of algae eaters can rebound. If all the fish die then it’ll just enrich the populations of other species and then I can try again with maybe 4 rasboras next time. I’ve also toyed with the idea of introducing a single betta, they have big mouths and can eat larger prey. I’m not sure if that would work but it’s an idea. I tried to introduce oto cat fish but the other species out competed them for algae. Also I’m DUMPING light into this tank so there’s enough energy for the entire so-called “energy pyramid” to support predators. There’s so much going on in this tank, if this works I have a small business idea on my hands. It’s all zero maintenance. Be well, dude. Maybe try it out.

[@CarolynnMc01]

i just saw this again on 03/16. Thank you! I bought a 14 gallon cube tank yesterday and i want to put gourami into it. I was thinking a male and female,, and i'm hopeful they'd get along? I'm going to get the fluval statum to add to the substrate. Not sure about no filter, but i will see how it goes over time. I plan to let it sit for a few months with floating and stem plants and pond snails before i get the fish. Thank you for all the help!

[@Fishtory]

Of course! And male and female tend to fight for little, but are fine if there's some plants to break things up . It's more posturing than real violence 99% of the time

[@mikef3300]

After watching this I feel like an idiot for having a SunSun HW3000 on a 40 gallon breeder with just a pair of Kribensis in it 😆

[@Fishtory]

Well it's nice to still have filters and equipment, in that it gives you plenty of room for errors hehe

[@Pray4Mojo1]

Other than the tank, plants, and fish... you don't really need to spend any money at all. Once I was setting up a tank and went down to my local river and scooped out gravel/sand mixture and used that. I just rinsed it and added a little bleach, rinsed again and added a large dose of seachem safe. Added some clay/dirt mixture from nature and capped with said sand. Never had a problem with that tank.

[@Mango-h5h]

lol bro what, this is like saying “other than the cleats, bat, glove and uniforms you don’t really need to spend money to play baseball at all”, “other than the tent, sleeping bag, survival supplies you don’t really have to spend money camping” idk if ur being sarcastic

[@crystalc9036]

This is fascinating. What brought me to this video is I am in Michigan and the recent storm has had us without power for going on 3 days. I assumed I would lose all my fish in the 2 tanks I have. Did a head count and none have died. I’m a little worried about the temperature in the tank. It has dropped to 58 degrees. Some suggested putting warm water in a container and keep changing it out as the water in the container cools down to bring the temperature up. I have a gas stove and am able to heat water. I have Corys, a Pleco, otos, and tetras. Haven’t thought about feeding them, I assumed it was not a good idea and I know they can go a week without being fed. Realized today an algae wafer was still in there uneaten from 2 days ago when we lost power. I syphoned it out and skimmed biofilm off the surface but not adding water to the tanks until power comes back on. Didn’t think to test for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates but doing that first thing in the morning. Now I’m wondering if the live plants have helped the fish survive. It’s planted but not as heavy as I want it. The plants have just started growing good and I’m still in the process of adding more. I have media bags of eco complete under the gravel and was just thinking before losing power that I wanted to add another inch of sand mixed with gravel.

[@Fishtory]

Isnt it fascinating?! If you set the stage well.... they will flourish in far less...or rather different parameters than we original are taught to believe in the hobby. I wish you the best and hope at least the heat comes back for your tropical fish, soon! Cheers

[@crystalc9036]

@@Fishtory so we had no power for 3.5 days. Temperature in the tanks dropped to 54F. Nothing died. One of my established crypts melted a little but is fine. I did nothing to the tanks except sift off biofilm on day 3. I tested the water and the parameters were at the point I would have done a water change to bring the numbers down. I have been been working towards having low maintenance, filterless tanks but the plants have just started growing in. I noticed the fish stayed near the bottom and moved around a lot less I’m assuming to conserve energy. As soon as the power came back on I cleaned the filters in a bucket of tank water and did a water change before turning everything back on. I hadn’t needed any so was out of bottled bacteria. It took a day to get. I added that in as soon as I got it to help with the die off of beneficial bacteria that probably happened but I am baffled why I lost no fish? This is counter to everything being pushed by the fish industry as necessary to keep fish tanks.

[@petroman-cg8tt]

Alex after seeing this video i set up a 75 gallon tank, with caribsea floramax on bottom,then added osmocote, then added eco complete, then capped it with 3 inches caribsea sand, total 7 inches substrate. Went to petco to buy cat food, they were having a 65 percent off their fish tanks, i bought 2- 75 gallon tanks., I could not help myself, and yes i did buy the cat food.I put in a sponge filter and a fluval 3.0 light i bought from cory. I added some guppys and snails, then added sword plants, crypts, and anubias. I do heat the water to 78 degrees, i only use eheim heaters. I will let the tank do its thing. Thanks again Alex, joe h Navy Seabee

[@1Kent]

I'm just starting a tank and this video has stopped me from smashing it. I need more substrate and patience. Also I need plants with roots I had some stem plants that melted. Thank you for this video.👍

[@Fishtory]

So glad to hear! Best of luck and just keep at it. Nature will do the heavy lifting slowly over time

[@IgorEngelen1974]

started experimenting in a nano tank and it's going incredibly well. will certainly use this in my next big tank

[@abelcao5366]

Only thing i run is a bubbler to ensure O2 is accumulating and thats about it. Lots of java moss and snails are a great foundation for new and up coming tanks

[@Tsheets333]

This is such a wonderful video. Packed full of info, thank you!

[@Fishtory]

Glad it was helpful!