Filterless

[minxytota]

So I'm at that point again where I have more tanks than I have filters rather than buy filters again I'm considering going filterless on a few of my tanks. I know it's an option with my shrimp/snail tank but I'm curious about my axie tanks... has anyone had any experience with a filterless planted axie tank? I know axies get stressed by water current so it makes sense to me that there should be a way to make their tanks filterless. Anyone have any input? I use sand and live plants in all my tanks. Sand works as a sort of bio filter from my understanding and plants eat lots of things that aren't any good for tanks.

 

[auntiejude]

It is possible, but it still requires a cycle to convert ammonia to nitrate. The bacteria can live on substrate and tank walls, the nitrate is removed by the plants.

It's considered an 'advanced aquarium' subject though.

 

[Kaini]

It's possible but difficult. Axolotls are very sensitive to water quality so they need a cycled tank - and it's really hard to cycle a tank without a filter.

 

[minxytota]

So why can't I just pull a filter from an already cycled tank and wa-la filterless tank?

 

[Jonjey]

So why can't I just pull a filter from an already cycled tank and wa-la filterless tank?

You can make a sponge filter out of pvc pipe for like $3.
You can make a bio filter out of a water bottle for the price of the media you put in it. Just a bottle and drill some holes fill it with media and put an air tube in it. You can youtube these things and they work great.
Also pvc canister filters which are the cost of the pvc, media, and a powerhead(water pump).
Even sump filters can be made out of simple bins, media, and a powerhead.
They'll all work just as good as a $100 filter if you set them up right and use the right media.

 

[minxytota]

I didn't ask the question because I'm too broke to buy filters. If it is in the best interest of the axoltols I'll buy filters (and not noisy ones powered by an airstone). I was merely trying to see if anyone had any successes/failures with filterless or other low tech options with axoltol tanks.

 

[rachel1]

I think pulling the filter out of a cycled tank would remove the majority of your nitrifying bacteria. Nitrifying bacteria need more than just surface area to thrive . They are aerobic, and that is why most filtration systems involve moving water. Mixing the water pulls in oxygen, which allows nitrifying bacteria to thrive. Plants also produce oxygen, but in lower quantities. For an animal the size of an axolotl, you would need a very large volume of water and quite heavily planted tank to be successful. And you still might need a source of water circulation. Keep in mind that your tank is a closed system, while in the wild the vast majority of ecosystems are open, in that water is removed and replaced instead of sitting stagnant. Wind and rain mix the water, water overflows or seeps into the ground, etc. Shrimp and snails are tiny, and produce a proportionately tiny amount of waste, so it is much easier to make a stable miniature ecosystem for them.

 

[EmbryH]

So why can't I just pull a filter from an already cycled tank and wa-la filterless tank?

That would completely crash your cycle. The vast majority of the bacteria live in the filter, so if you removed it, you also remove the bacteria that maintain the cycle.

 

[minxytota]

Thanks everyone I'm ordering more filters as soon as I finish here

 

[Sweetie]

I have been doing this, and the question is whether the axolotl handles the water changes necessary to be certain the water quality is okay better than it handles the flow from the filter. (And whether or not you have the time and dedication to monitor closely and do water changes as large and as often as necessary.) In my case, the lotl seems to prefer it without the filter - he really hates water flow above all else, and does not seem at all stressed by water changes (though I have conditioned him to expect his 'water-change worm' as soon as the job is completed, so this may account for his lack of stress during the process). His tank contains living plants, and there is also a large volcanic rock, which I believe is an excellent media for bacteria to colonise. Not sure if that is of any use to you, but thought it may be worth sharing.

 

[layna]

Its definetly an advanced subject and would require loads and loads of plants as well as relatively frequent water changes.
Plus not all axies hate the flow of a filter, in fact mine chose to sit under the flow of my filter as it saves them having to flick their gills

 

[xxianxx]

That would completely crash your cycle. The vast majority of the bacteria live in the filter, so if you removed it, you also remove the bacteria that maintain the cycle.

This is incorrect, you will not crash the cycle. With an unfiltered tank you just have to make sure you don't overload the bacteria in the tank, ammonia spikes are more likely as the filter acts as a bacterial reserve. If you choose to go filter less make sure you have an understocked tank ie more than 10 galls per adult axy, loads of plants and avoid pellet foods as they screw water quality, or just feed them prior to a water change.
If your new to axys its best to use a filter

 

[Sweetie]

I have been doing water changes of about 20% daily, which seems to keep the axie happy. The tank is a 40-litre one (two feet long, one foot high) with just the one axie, which is now nearly 8 inches (20 cm) long. The tank has some live plants in it, but no substrate - just a bare tank bottom - a few large flat river stones anchoring the plants and a large volcanic rock for him to climb on/hide behind and for bacteria to colonise. Occasionally I have done a 50% water change if the water seems dirtier than usual. I remove poop as soon as I see it and he is fed earthworms, which create little or no mess in the tank. I do have lots of time, so the daily changes are not a problem for me, and the lotl seems very unphased by the process - not at all stressed. I am hoping to upgrade him into a larger tank, complete with filter, but until I can afford to do that, I will just have to continue as I have been. It does work - the lotl is doing great - and surely a few minutes a day is not too much time to spend on one's axie.

 

[2darescue]

I'm running a cannister into an undergravel filter, the under gravel filter is covered with slate chunks to prevent to rapid flow up into the tank, there's a glass separation, and the end where the intake is is layers of sand and flourite topped with a carbon pad so juvs can't get to sand and small gravel if they got there. The intake is above the sand so 90% of the water passes through it before the intake. It's silent, I adjusted the water level so a small amount of surface water goes over the glass. The main tank is relatively still. The sand and flourite came from an established pico tank I decided to break down. Tons of immediate bacteria. Between the plants and the sand it fad solid values in 36 hours and hasn't hiccuped since. You do lose tank space but I'm building them a 100 gallon now. I also have wayyyy too much time on my hands. I'll probably convert the starter tank to a small additional sump for the big tank. I don't like filter or airstone noise much either. That gets too chaotic w eight tanks. So I often use just plants or plants cannisters and some other quiet filtration because otherwise I get bored . I'm old, I've been handling tanks since I was 15 and I worked as a professional aquarist for three years, then fell off a ladder. Instant gimp. Now that I've retired, I like sinking with alternative systems, especially reverse flow, sumps and the like. I'm liking mangroves in tanks and sumps. That rootmass is effective! Can be done. Since carnivores do create a lot of ammonia, I decided to use a small cannister but with the sand filter, it doesn't get dirty like a regular filter, its job is flow rate and biofilter mass. Make sense?

 

[myan]

I've kept my two year old's in a 2ft lightly planted tank without a filter pretty much their entire life, and they're non the worse for it. I tried them with a filter when they were very much smaller and younger and they became really stressed by it, so i voted in favour of removing it completely. I do twice weekly 50% water changes, which is also when they're fed in a separate container. Nitrite was a problem at first because of the chemistry of the water in my area, but the introduction of live plants went someway to negating that.

 

[Boomsloth]

I've kept my two year old's in a 2ft lightly planted tank without a filter pretty much their entire life, and they're non the worse for it. I tried them with a filter when they were very much smaller and younger and they became really stressed by it, so i voted in favour of removing it completely. I do twice weekly 50% water changes, which is also when they're fed in a separate container. Nitrite was a problem at first because of the chemistry of the water in my area, but the introduction of live plants went someway to negating that.

What plants have worked for you? I've done duckweed with some success but I'm working on getting some water hyacinth to expand in my betta tank before setting up my axolotls. I'm looking into some non floating plants for them to climb around


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