I disagree. Without the biological filtration your fish would be swimming in ammonia all week until the next water change rather than nitrates.My point is if you add more filter, you can reduce and not eliminate water changes and if you do massive water changes, like 50 percent a week, it negates the need for biological filtration.
X2I disagree. Without the biological filtration your fish would be swimming in ammonia all week until the next water change rather than nitrates.
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I only change 10-15% (occasionally 20%) per week and rarely, if ever, see nitrates above 10ppm. My fish haven't dropped dead from a lack of ions and minerals, in fact my tap water (rain water) is almost completely devoid of minerals (usually 6-8ppm TDS). Big water changes are great for heavily stocked tanks, but I very much doubt they are necessary for light to moderately stocked tanks, especially with the use of Pothos.Stick with your current water change sked since it's not enough volume to begin with.
I did a calculation in another thread (the stickied Pothos thread F1 Vet began) using readings and information he provided over many weeks. I calculated that 1 pothos of moderate size (3 branches-8 or so leaves) can consume the nitrate produced by a singe 2-lb fish. For comparison that would be a single 14 inch Oscar.I think you'd need an aweful lot of pothos to negate the need for waterchanges but others have confirmed they do help keep nitrate levels more manageable between water changes. I have 2 tanks with pothos. I haven't been testing parameters.