Do i need to do water changes if i have good filter

[aae0130]

The lost art of reverse flow under gravel filter plates.

I would still use them, but my cichlids kept digging them up, every time they spawned.

Eventually the super fine sand jammed up most of the slots.

I use sand tiles with a sump, so no more gravel vacuuming, no buckets, pythons, hoses dragged through the house. Now I do water changes in the spare moments between cooking or mowing the lawn.

110 gallons of barrel storage in my basement sump room. That gets cycled though the tanks. Between irrigating and refilling.

What is s a sand tile?

 

[markstrimaran]

What is s a sand tile?

Plastic infused with sand.

Diy, plastic needle point screens, baked on a outdoor grill , on a sand filled cookie sheet, at 300f until clear, then sprinkled with your choice of shells, sand rocks.

They come in 18" x 12" sheets.

 

[markstrimaran]

At last I have figured out the secrets of never ever doing a water change.

The DIY 5 GPD solar powered roof mounted Still. Just like making Wiskey.

100 ppm nitrate goes in, pure water comes out.

 

[aae0130]

At last I have figured out the secrets of never ever doing a water change.

The DIY 5 GPD solar powered roof mounted Still. Just like making Wiskey.

100 ppm nitrate goes in, pure water comes out.

Thanks...that’s an interesting tile creation method. Is it low maintenance?

 

[twentyleagues]

At last I have figured out the secrets of never ever doing a water change.

The DIY 5 GPD solar powered roof mounted Still. Just like making Wiskey.

100 ppm nitrate goes in, pure water comes out.

Hows that work?

 

[markstrimaran]

Thanks...that’s an interesting tile creation method. Is it low maintenance?

Near zero maintenance if you have good circulation.

 

[markstrimaran]

Hows that work?

You tube solar desalination.

 

[Tire Kicker and Flakers]

No, you do not need to do water change at all if you have good filtration. 30 years of experience. only time i like to do water change is when its raining and that is a treat for them.

 

[twentyleagues]

No, you do not need to do water change at all if you have good filtration. 30 years of experience. only time i like to do water change is when its raining and that is a treat for them.

How do you handle nitrates? Most do water change to remove them. It's not an attack, just want to know what you do as this is a very interesting topic. I have tried to culture anaerobic bacteria with little success in fresh water to help remove the nitrates.

 

[aae0130]

You need another filter that has extremely low flow and media like Seachem Matrix or Biohome.
You need plenty of media when doing it this way.