I'm in the rebel mood!

**Mith** · 05-11-2011, 07:44 AM

We all have opinions regarding the proper way to maintain and introduce fish to your tanks. I've heard stories about people (or people they knew) who do little or no maintenance on their tanks.... yet their fish thrive! Specifically, someone way back when, said they knew someone who had guppies in a tank, yet they NEVER changed the water..... but the fish thrived! How is this possible?

Anyone who's spend a minuscule amount on this forum has read that you need to first cycle your tank, introduce fish slowly add fish etc. However, I've also ready posts about people who don't cycle their tanks, yet.... they have very successful tanks!

Who's right? I myself have started tanks without cycling. I just make sure I make frequent water changes..... and have done this successfully!

Who's right? I've lost ALL of my fancy guppies. I don't know why they died, but they did. Yet, there are those who do NO maintenance on their tanks yet they have more success than I have with the guppies?

So tell me........ if someone doesn't "technically" maintain their tanks as we recognize as, "proper" yet they have successful tanks.... how are we to decide who's right?

**Lab_Rat** · 05-11-2011, 08:31 AM

Define "thrived". Just because a fish can survive in a tank with poor water quality because it has adjusted to the slow decline in conditions does not mean it is thriving. Was the fish healthy, shiny, breeding? Did it exhibit behavior expected from the species? Did it hit adult size for it's species? If the answer is yes to the above questions I would say that person is doing a good job keeping their fish. If the fish are stunted or poorly looking then I'd say there is a big problem.

There are many ways to do things in this hobby, there is no one correct way. A properly stocked Walstad tank requires very few water changes spaced far apart.

**funkman262** · 05-11-2011, 01:09 PM

Check out my journal and you'll see a tank that's been set up for over 6 months with no water changes. It's moderately planted in a soil substrate so the plants and bacteria consume any toxins as they're produced. And yes, my fish are THRIVING. Everyone in there is active, I haven't noticed any sick fish or fish deaths, and yes, they are shiny and breeding lol.

**Rue** · 05-11-2011, 02:05 PM

My cousin has a guppy tank like that too.

Totally overstocked, but the water is crystal clear, the fish are huge and healthy and gorgeous...

I'd say they're thriving! Me? I get 5 guppies for the 25g and can't keep them alive.

**Brhino** · 05-11-2011, 03:35 PM

Honestly this is something that has been bugging me for a long time. I have definitely spent more time and effort on my tanks than most (not more than people here, just more than the average fishkeeper) and yet my results have been average or worse.

There's something to be said for variability. Not everyone who smokes heavily gets lung cancer. Not every fitness nut lives to a ripe old age. Still, there seem to be so many people out there that know so much less about keeping fish than me but still don't have half the troubles I have. I know some of them personally. I don't understand it.

And, with all due respect to people like funkman262, I don't think we're talking about the fishkeepers that have used careful and thoughtful planning to create a low maintenance tank. We're talking about people that frankly don't know the first thing about keeping fish, but somehow still manage to.

**Northernguy** · 05-11-2011, 03:36 PM

@Mith-"However, I've also ready posts about people who don't cycle their tanks, yet.... they have very successful tanks!
Who's right?"

This is the internet,the world wide BS room!Do not beleive everything you read.These people that say they just add water and fish are either full of sheit or they are leaving out many important parts of their story.
We all know first hand what it takes to establish a healthy tank.If you take short cuts or feel that they can go weeks without a water change or proper feedings.We know that your fish will either need to be replaced or any left will have a nice large understocked tank to swim in.

Nice to see you are still with us Mith!

**Wild Turkey** · 05-11-2011, 03:50 PM

Thrive vs. Survive. I hear the stories of fish surviving uncycled tanks and no WC's all the time, but all it proves is that those particular fish were able to survive the lesser treatment.

Its not about wrong vs right, its about how successful you want to be in the hobby.

Where ya been mith?!

**Cliff** · 05-11-2011, 03:59 PM

Just to echo what others have said, there can be a lot more to the story than what some poeple tell you or post about. Dumb luck never lasts too long either.

Glad to see your back Mith

**ZoSoSwiM** · 05-11-2011, 05:05 PM

There is a guy that sells livebearers in a town near me.. You walk in and his "shop" is CRAMMED with tanks. All COVERED in algae and next to no filtration. All of his tanks are interconnected and I'm guessing there are 1000's of fish living in them. Talk about healthy fish though.. They reproduce like mad and I'm willing to bet the water quality is better than most stores. He sells 10g kits to kits for dirt cheap and advocates low tech setups.. Obviously works for him!

**funkman262** · 05-11-2011, 05:38 PM

That's because all of the algae is consuming the toxins being produced by the fish. Who here wants a tank filled with algae in order to achieve that though? Sure as heck not me lol.