Nitrates are good lmao

[aussieman57]

One of my rules is there are different ways to do things, no single, cosmic secret. I've watched a couple of his videos and can allow that what he does works for him, but he lost me long ago by making it sound like he has the secret to fishkeeping, that his is THE way to do it, and by dishing up his own gumbo of personal opinion and cherry picked 'facts'. For one thing what he's doing isn't new, just his take on "dirted," low maintenance tanks, which have been around forever and include the "Walstad method" and earlier 19th century concepts of creating a natural ecosystem, before there was powered filtration. Imo the whole "father fish" thing is half grandiloquence and half marketing malarkey for the sake of his youtube channel.

Father fish is some eccentric old guy who once owned a shop and wants you to think he has a cosmic secret. Diana Walstad is an author with a microbiology and research background, besides other credentials, who explains the science in easy to understand terms without the labored, rustic philosophy. One is a waste of my time, the other is worth reading to understand aquarium ecology, even if you don't intend doing a dirted tank.

...my opinion

Well said.

 

[esoxlucius]

Huh, so what occurs to me is there's a spectrum from you can never have too much filtration and can never do too many water changes to you don't need ANY filtration or water changes. Whatever floats your boat, for me there's a sweet spot somewhere in between that's served me well for a long time.

Yes, exactly. But what's more important is that you wouldn't then gush at your achievements and go on you tube claiming your way is the best way informing everybody that they need to change their ways.

Father fish is no better than those Jehovah's Witnesses who come round to your house claiming their religion is best, join us!!

But he does it on you tube, not on your doorstep, lol.

 

[Joshuakahan]

Yes, exactly. But what's more important is that you wouldn't then gush at your achievements and go on you tube claiming your way is the best way informing everybody that they need to change their ways.

Father fish is no better than those Jehovah's Witnesses who come round to your house claiming their religion is best, join us!!

But he does it on you tube, not on your doorstep, lol.

And like those jehovahs witnesses, he won’t accept anything contradictory

 

[Lepisosteus]

I don’t have a problem with dirt, but he specifically says to get it from a pond or ditch for the microbes, he argued with me when I said that’s dangerous

There is actually some solid proof behind that. There is significantly more diversity in natural substrate than what can develop within an aquarium without external input. There is a few members in the reefing community with similar ideas. Look up Paul B method. I follow his process and never had a fish die. Some of the most finicky fish in the hobby I keep healthy and happy without any issues.

If no one swam against the current then no progress/advancements would ever be made. Not everyone in this hobby is a sheep.

 

[Joshuakahan]

There is actually some solid proof behind that. There is significantly more diversity in natural substrate than what can develop within an aquarium without external input. There is a few members in the reefing community with similar ideas. Look up Paul B method. I follow his process and never had a fish die. Some of the most finicky fish in the hobby I keep healthy and happy without any issues.

If no one swam against the current then no progress/advancements would ever be made. Not everyone in this hobby is a sheep.

I’m sure there’s all kinds of good stuff but there’s also the potential for bad stuff. I don’t play Russian roulette. But everyone is a sheep, if you follow father fish, you’re a sheep to his ideas, if you do things the standard ways, you’re a sheep to that. We’re all sheep

 

[esoxlucius]

Well, after much thought and deliberation guys, i've decided to jump on board father fishes ship. I always have been a sucker for someone who looks like Santa Clause. One slight problem though, the API test card only goes up to 160ppm!

Never mind. I wasn't going to be beaten on this, so I got out my coloured pencils and added to the test card. Now I can be confident of doing my water changes properly!

Hohoho.....and.....Baaaa!

 

[esoxlucius]

Something horrific has just dawned on me guys. Duane's hasn't commented on this thread yet. I suspect he's going to turn a funny colour, go all faint, and whilst collapsing into a shaking heap mutter all manner of expletives, lol.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

One can dilute the sample in a measured way, say 10x each iteration to get the concentration into the measurable range and then multiply it by the dilution factor, say 10x if one 10x dilution, 100x if two 10x dilutions, 1000x if three 10x dilutions, etc.

Fun thread, I enjoyed reading and learning.

I do wonder why all the focus is on the nitrates? Isn't there a plethora of minerals and other chemicals accumulating in a fish tank? Certainly sodium chloride, calcium and magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, microelements selenium, manganese, etc. aren't going anywhere from a tank from which nothing is ever taken out and the evaporated water is topped off. Even if no feeding ever done, the top off water brings in minerals and causes a slow enrichment. Can it eventually get brackish without WCs 1000-10,000 ppm or close to marine TDS 30,000 ppm?

PS as FF is a local figure to south western FL, I hear of him from our visitors (usually in a respectable manner) and 2 times he commented on my channel saying he needs to come visit us. I said sure but he has never followed through.

 

[Joshuakahan]

Something horrific has just dawned on me guys. Duane's hasn't commented on this thread yet. I suspect he's going to turn a funny colour, go all faint, and whilst collapsing into a shaking heap mutter all manner of expletives, lol.

duanes

 

[duanes]

Denitrification mechanism in oxygen-rich aquatic ... - Naturehttps://www.nature.com › npj clean water › articles