New tank setup

C asiatica can be hardy with water quality, but unless the tank is heavily planted (or if it is a walstad setup), i would still include a filter . My asiatica was housed in a walstad tank, fantastic water quality, even cleaner than tanks with filter. However she trashed the entire thing.

Hi,good luck!

I agree , it is possible to establish a balance between fish and plants that could allow you to run a filter free tank. I have a big old channa asiatica living filter free right now but it's not as easy as it seems.

I do not recommend starting up that way. I would include a at least a simple sponge type filter too start with and get the tank established. After your tank is cycled and plant life is growing steadily then u could start slowing down the filter to a min . Then eventually remove it . If u rush it your more Likely to fail. It takes time for the proper bacteria to form and stabilize in the tank/substrate.

Another thing to consider is asiatica are diggers when mature . So u need to select as many low light plants that attach to driftwood and floating cover as possible as anything in the substrate will end up uprooted up and shredded.

Hope that helps

Bacteria cultures cannot form without a source of ammonia. So to cycle a tank u have to either put slowly add fish to safely build up waste or manually add pure ammonia on a regular basis to mimic fish waste, and it takes several weeks for the various bacteria to form to allow ammonia to be converted into nitrites then into nitrates. Exact time will vary depending on temps and setup.

You'll know it's started to cycle when your tests stop showing high levels of ammonia & nitrites . Nitrates are the end product which are used by plants and/or removed in water changes. So you'll need a text kit if you don't have one.

If you can get your hands on some dirty filter media from someones healthy established tank then the process can be jump started . Simply get the media the same time you get the fish. First ad fish to the tank and then wash the media directly into the tank water. Don't be shy with it muck it up . This mulm is harmless to the fish , many actually enjoy the murky water while settling into a new home . it's messy looking for a day but the visible muck has already been broken down and is loaded with the beneficial bacteria which then can spread to your substrate and filter media and begin converting any ammonia the fish produce.

I do this with every tank I set up. In the evening before lights out I'll add enough mulm that you can't see through the water and by the next morning everything's Chrystal clear and stable like it's been running for a year. Again you need fish in the tank first for this to work or manually add ammonia otherwise any bacteria introduced will starve and die quickly.

Hope that helps.