Natural Aquarium 2 Month Update

[@perrymason4208]

Really like the tank and the video, very interesting.

[@kathleenbronson9849]

Thanks for the analysis! I struggle with low Kh water so really interested in this limestone additions!🇨🇦

[@LushSaltyAquariums]

Even in sickly state I kind of love the look of this tank. The tan hues and blue platties... it works for me.

[@phillipsfishworks]

Thanks! I've decided I better continue on with the experiment... Not sure what direction I'll go yet. Thanks for the comment! 😁

[@kamiljeliman]

Thank you for sharing the experience. Looking forward to the new one!

[@phillipsfishworks]

Thanks for following! Will update soon... planning on starting the 75 this week.

[@adalbertofrugoni1981]

I'm quite new to the hobby. I've started two years ago. I've never done a single water change and never done any cleaning. My tanks are heavily planted and not too much stocked. The pH is stays steady around 8. This thanks to the FF deep substrate recipe.

[@phillipsfishworks]

Having soil, especially with some additives can help stabilize hardness and pH... Lightly stocked tanks are also easier to maintain water quality. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@pacae911]

Why you don’t put plenums in you aquarium ?

[@melaniecaron1650]

Looking forward to your next experiment.

[@phillipsfishworks]

Thanks for following along! 😁

[@adalbertofrugoni1981]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. That was very helpful. Congratulation for all your works and studies. I've seen you with FF. Hope the best for you. 👍

[@phillipsfishworks]

Thank you so much for watching! All the support helps! 😁😁😁

[@seannunes2041]

Thank you for the experimental build. While it may not have gone well, it was always good content on a natural aquarium. Sounds like you have a good plan moving forward. Can't wait to see the jungle build.

[@phillipsfishworks]

Thanks! I appreciate the comment and support. 😁😁😁

[@phillipsfishworks]

Got to always keep an open mind when experimenting.

[@hitmanskid-td4pg]

good experiment

[@rolfwelsch8570]

the Rotala on the left side are very sensitive and not right vor a tank like this. It's a pity to break up the experiment in such a short time! The Platys look very healthy.

[@phillipsfishworks]

Truth is I've gotten so busy and things are moving so fast that it's hard to keep updated on old projects. The tank still exist but it's one of those out of the way kind of things... Will definitely do something with it someday... thanks for the plant insight!

[@joesneed]

You never know what’s gonna happen till You try I love experimenting

[@phillipsfishworks]

💯💯💯 Yes, I completely agree!

[@johnheaton2545]

This was a worthy experiment, in my opinion. I use limestone and seashells in my own aquariums for the calcium, but in small amounts. Even so, I have difficulty getting my own pH to stabilize somewhere between 7.0 and 7.5, and since I started using leaf litter it has only become more difficult. Sometimes I add spring water to increase pH and hardness, but it always falls back down to 6.7 within a few days. My plants and critters seem to be doing okay, so maybe a lower pH is not the problem I assumed it would be for plants and critters with shells.

[@phillipsfishworks]

I know exactly what you're talking about. I use a lot of crushed coral and coral chunks to help. With all the seed pods and leaf litter I have in my system, it can still be a struggle to maintain PH and hardness. The animals will certainly adapt, but there is a "too low" point. I've hit that low point in my barrel system in the past. It showed up first as thin, eroding snail shells. 🐌 As I've been adding more crushed coral and seashells to the system, their new shell growth looks back to normal. Thanks for sharing!

[@thehairywoodsman5644]

so I have about 75 pounds of Texas holey rock in a 110 gallon tub pound , it has a 47 gallon tub full of lava rock I use as an overhead sump , the tub has a deep, about 5 inches sand substrate , it has valisineria and crypts planted in it and Christmas moss just growing wild in it. the ph is about 8 , the water from my well is about 6.2 the plants are doing great , the fish , a bunch of sailfish mollies and 4 huge dojo loaches are also doing fine. the holey rock is just limestone . I never do water changes on the tub/pond , its inside my house and I have 5 cats and 2 large dogs that drink out of it , so about once a week I drag the garden hose inside and top it of at least 5 gallons.. my suggestion is leave the rocks in the tank , but take all the fish and shrimp out , then do big water changes daily for a while , eventually the softer limestone will have dissolved and be removed through water changes and the limestone that is left will be denser so it will dissolve at a slower rate. this is purely conjecture.... also I have never tested any of my tanks for gh or kh , just ph . the alternative might be to put African cichlids in there !

[@johnheaton2545]

I had a piece of driftwood for about 15 years that dissolved away the softer parts entirely, leaving little grooves running with the wood grain. I never thought about it happening with rocks, but you might have something here.

[@phillipsfishworks]

Thanks for sharing your experience! Being a sedimentary rock there can be variation in one piece. It wouldn't surprise me if something like you said is going on!... sounds like an awesome setup!

[@cherryshrimp420]

I'm curious what would happen if you just let the tank run for a year or so, I think it might not be so bad! Only reason is because I had giant limestones and giant dried corals and they did very well in my tanks. But I kept hygrophila corymbosa, vals and rotala rotundifolia which seem to love hardwater. Hygrophila and certain plants can also use the bicarbonate as a carbon source. So different waters might necessitate a different set of flora The leaching was quite significant yes....but Ive always alleviated it with occasional water changes. Im not sure what solution there is for zero-maintenance tanks. I know when I stopped doing WCs at some point the TDS went over 1000ppm

[@phillipsfishworks]

After all the responses I've gotten to this video I have to continue this experiment lol... I'll change it up but probably leave the limestone in to see what happens long term..... Thanks for sharing your experiences!

[@ringocat1953]

❤

[@KentuckyGOP-wx9rv]

Why not remove the limestone, do a water change and re scape the tank? Unless you just want to experiment with something else.

[@Terboven-Aquaristik]

very nice, looks super natural! new sub for you and keep it up

[@phillipsfishworks]

Thanks for all the comments. More is definitely on the way.