On Wed, 14 May 2003 05:31:23 GMT, "Duncan A. McRae"
wrote:

Well if you do regular water changes NO tank will have "old tank
syndrome". And in a heavily planted tank you will not have the
nitrate buildup common in this "neglect syndrome"

It's been said there is not such thing as a stupid question but this
one really comes close in my book.


Semper Fi!

Visit the forums at Aqua Botanic!
http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/#1

Need Nitrate or Potassium for your tank? Go to www.litemanu.com
(Just a happy customer of the above!)

Many experts recommend regular water changes in planted tanks to help the
plants grow well. I have angels in a 55 gallon heavily planted tanks and do
a 40-50% weekly water change. Both plants and angels thrive in this.

Bob

--
Bob Alston


http://members.cox.net/tulsaalstons/
"Duncan A. McRae" wrote in message
able.rogers.com...

"Bob Alston" wrote in message
.. .
Many experts recommend regular water changes in planted tanks to help the
plants grow well. I have angels in a 55 gallon heavily planted tanks and
do
a 40-50% weekly water change. Both plants and angels thrive in this.

Bob

--
Bob Alston


http://members.cox.net/tulsaalstons/
"Duncan A. McRae" wrote in message
able.rogers.com...





Then again, I have a heavily planted tank, been running for about a year now
(I think) - about a 23gallon. Pair of angels (not paired, just two of them)
and assorted other smaller fish (probably a bit over the stocking guidelines
now they've grown). I do a water change of about 25%, every couple of
months. Have an eheim external cannister filter on the tank, feed fish
plenty, small amounts of CO2 on fairly variable schedule (ie, bell chamber
doesn't get filled every day), occasional plant fert, plain tiny-sized
gravel substrate, none of that flouritey stuff :-)

Tank now has the appearance of a more 'mature' setup, imo. Plants growing
steadily, but not rampantly as they were shortly after set-up. Everything
seems to have settled to a steady equilibrium. Snails population varies
dependant on type - some types seem to peak, then throttle back as another
one peaks. They don't do any noticeable damage to the plants, I think they
prefer to feed on uneaten fish food that makes it to the bottom, and algae
that attempts to grow on the glass.

I'm amazed at the health of the tank given the water changes are so
infrequent. I'm guessing it must have reached a steady state where the
plants take care of the nitrate for me, and there's enough fish to provide
for the levels of plants I have in there. Had a few bouts of algae in the
first few months after set up, but not seen any for quite a while now. No
fish losses through disease or anything else, either.

Tank looks a bit more on the 'wild' side than 'prettily landscaped' - but
the fish are all happy with it like that, so I just trim back what gets
excessive every so often.

Velvet

Well if you do regular water changes NO tank will have "old tank
syndrome". And in a heavily planted tank you will not have the
nitrate buildup common in this "neglect syndrome"

It's been said there is not such thing as a stupid question but this
one really comes close in my book.

I don't agree.

"Old tank syndrome" is poorly understood and certainly not as common as new
tank syndrome. But it's not always due to poor tank maintenance. Some people
find that after awhile the substrate goes bad. Even if you do regular water
changes and vacuum the gravel, the gravel in a very old tank can get so full of
rotting mulm that you can no longer keep the pH up. Breaking down the tank and
starting over is the fix.

Heavily planted tanks are less likely to get that kind of build-up in the
gravel. And they'll also take care of the rising nitrate levels that go with
old tank syndrome. However, you may have to replace the gravel in a planted
tank, just as you do with a non-planted tank. If you used laterite, it will
eventually get exhausted, and you'll have to replace the substrate. If you're
using Flourite, you won't have to replace the substrate, but you may have to
remove all the plants, a section at a time, and replant them, to keep them from
getting rootbound.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
However, you may have to replace the gravel in a planted
tank, just as you do with a non-planted tank. If you used laterite, it
will
eventually get exhausted, and you'll have to replace the substrate. If
you're
using Flourite, you won't have to replace the substrate, but you may have
to
remove all the plants, a section at a time, and replant them, to keep them
from
getting rootbound.

I'm using "anonymous" gravel; nothing special. So I should just test
monthly for... pH?

*snip*
I'm using "anonymous" gravel; nothing special. So I should just test
monthly for... pH?


If it's 3' or bigger and you know from trial and error everything you're
adding, monthly or even once every two months testing is quite fine. For
smaller tanks, each water change or fortnightly tests are recommended IMO.