How is this possible?

[ryansmith83]

I think you're forgetting a very important product of the nitrogen cycle... nitrates. Unless the tank is planted densley enough to take care of the nitrates on its own, the main reason for doing regular water changes is to keep the nitrates from passing certain level.

Thank you. I was waiting on someone to mention this as I was reading through.

If your filter is properly seeded and the tank is cycled, you should never have ammonia or nitrite because the beneficial bacteria will process them into nitrates. So assuming a tank's parameters are healthy based on ammonia/nitrite levels being 0 is wrong. Dissolved organics and nitrates are probably through the roof. They would have to be unless you A) did water changes, B) had tons of plants, or C) used something like an algae scrubber or a chemical like Nitrazorb to remove them.

I'd like to see pictures of the fish in this tank. I'd bet the SA cichlids probably have HITH.

 

[DCOWBOYS]

Something smells fishy here!!!

 

[DISCIPLE]

IM SURPRISED FH HASNT HAD MALAWI SNACK. JUST SMH @ 15" OSCAR IN A 29G. AND THEY TALK ABOUT VICK..THATS A HORRIBLE WAY TO HOUSE A OSCAR. IMAGINE LOCKED IN A SPACE YOU CAN BARELY TURN AROUND IN.....WE CALL IT A JAIL CELL. I AGREE SOME FISH CAN COHABITATE AS IVE HAD A JD IN W/ MALAWIS WITH NO PROBLEMS. DEPENDS ON TEMPERAMENT AND TANK SIZE. I DID A EXPERIMENT OF BUYING ALL MEAN @SS FISH ....JAGS, GRAMMODES, LOSELLI, AND RED TIGER MANAGUENSE AND CUTTERI IN A 225G TANK ALL DID WELL BUT THE GT PAIR AND CUTTERI PAIR. I NOTICED IF THEY HAVE SPACE AND ARE RAISED UP TOGETHER I DIDNT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. TAKE AWAY WOOD AND HIDING PLACES AND YOU GET WW3.

 

[cichlid_8810]

Guys I have some photos of this set up for you - the FH has been in there for 6 months now. He definately has had that exact stock bar the FH for coming up to 3 years this march - he hasnt lost one fish.

There is a big Venustus, A type of Mbuna, a big Red Empress that is best buddies with the JD, a Victorian Haplochromis and a few others I don't know. I even think there might be some kind of Tanganyikan in there. Also a Red Tail shark too. Zero aggression. they just all sit there peacefully and swim around past each other with no care in the world.

By perfect water conditions I mean his nitrite level is 0, PH has barely changed staying around 7.6 I don't know any more details on the water I will get an exact reading from him soon and post it up. Its mad, I guess it is a case of luck this one.

 

[DCOWBOYS]

He is one lucky dude,he should play the lottery,i have a 125 gal tank with all small fish and there is nothing but aggression,i have a 5"JD,3"RD,4"Dovii,3"Umbee and a 7" wuss Jag.They all have thier own "caves" and such but they just like to pound on each other,so if he has no aggression in his tank the fish "Gods" are with him.

 

[nikond70s]

he prolly has a lot of good aged bacteria's to help keep the water clean and clear. and with some plants it helps also. when you dont do water change and dont scrub things down eventually bacteria and algae will grow and acts as a filter. kinda why you see some ponds and lake thats really clear cuz of the good bacteria's. sometimes less is more.

 

[dent20]

Is that a Hap Thickskin in there, too? Mine was extremely aggressive and I finally had to remove him from my African tank. I'm not surprised it's working though. With more fish, you have less aggression. And outside of the Thickskin (assuming that is what it is) and the FH, most of those fish aren't that aggressive and do well in community tanks. Might be taking his chances with the FH in there though, but I'm not that surprised. As for the water quality, I've kept 10 large Africans in a 55 gallon for a few years now and have lost some here and there to disease, but have been quite successful with the majority of them.

 

[jclyde13]

Guys I have some photos of this set up for you - the FH has been in there for 6 months now. He definately has had that exact stock bar the FH for coming up to 3 years this march - he hasnt lost one fish.

There is a big Venustus, A type of Mbuna, a big Red Empress that is best buddies with the JD, a Victorian Haplochromis and a few others I don't know. I even think there might be some kind of Tanganyikan in there. Also a Red Tail shark too. Zero aggression. they just all sit there peacefully and swim around past each other with no care in the world.

By perfect water conditions I mean his nitrite level is 0, PH has barely changed staying around 7.6 I don't know any more details on the water I will get an exact reading from him soon and post it up. Its mad, I guess it is a case of luck this one.

There's no such thing as luck in chemistry, unless you are considering him lucky to have not lost any fish... And as others have already stated, 0 nitrites doesn't mean much, without nitrate and ammonia readings it's impossible to determine the quality of his water.

 

[Jason_S]

having 0 nitrites only means that the tank is cycled. I'd love to know what the nitrate levels are.

 

[jclyde13]

he prolly has a lot of good aged bacteria's to help keep the water clean and clear. and with some plants it helps also. when you dont do water change and dont scrub things down eventually bacteria and algae will grow and acts as a filter. kinda why you see some ponds and lake thats really clear cuz of the good bacteria's. sometimes less is more.

Biological filtration (of any amount) is not a substitue for water changes. As others have already said, biological filtration (aka beneficial bacteria) converts nitrites and ammonia into nitrates. And that amount of planting would not be nearly enough to keep the nitrates within a safe range alone, so without water changes, that water can't possibly be fish-safe (especially when taking into consideration how heavily stocked it is).