On 2005-01-12, Ross Vandegrift wrote:

Well, it was funny, but I suspect the original poster wasn't completely
joking --- a filterless tank will need water changes frequently. If I
were going to do it, I'd shoot for daily changes. Lots of people do
fewer if they keep only a single male betta, and they do ok, but I've
rarely seen them do well. I've seen plenty of them dying from terrible
dropsy and bacterial infections.


Just use plants to suck out the nitrates. I've had peace lilies in mine
since the tank started. A former colleauge used pothos (devil's ivy).
I change the water in my one gallon container with two bettas once every
two to three weeks. Both of them behave like poorly trained dogs when
they see me approach hoping I'd feed them.

http://js1.kicks-ass.org/~js1/image005.jpeg

I threw some anacharis clippings in there, but they didn't do so well.
I've recently added some java fern.

--
"I have to decide between two equally frightening options.
If I wanted to do that, I'd vote." --Duckman

On 2005-01-12, Eric Schreiber eric wrote:

On the other hand, in a small enough tank those water changes can be
accomplished with a gallon water jug, a small bucket (or second jug)
and a turkey baster, in about five minutes. That's how I maintained my
original "I'm just going to get one fish, honey, honest" betta tank.


I just dump the fishy water into my potted plants. Works out pretty
well.


--
"I have to decide between two equally frightening options.
If I wanted to do that, I'd vote." --Duckman

With a filterless setup, you're pretty much limited to anabantids,
dwarf frogs, and snails.

Or Killifish. Or catfish or tetras or rasboras or pencilfish or,
um, anything thta makes sense for the tank size.

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On 2005-01-13, Richard wrote:

Or Killifish. Or catfish or tetras or rasboras or pencilfish or,
um, anything thta makes sense for the tank size.


I thought those fish (aside from the cats) required water circulating
for oxygen. The constraint I'm reading from the original poster is
basically nothing that could cause any noise.


--
"I have to decide between two equally frightening options.
If I wanted to do that, I'd vote." --Duckman

I currently have a cheap tank from Wal-Mart sitting on my desk at my office.
It's an Aquabrite V (5 Gallon tank w/ Filter) It's totally silent. The
only thing you hear is an occasional droplet sound if the water level gets
low. I top it off weekly with a 1 liter bottle. I wish I had pics of it.
But my coworkers really like it. I have a timer on the light and an
automatic feeder.


"scott" wrote in message
ps.com...
Hello All,

I have been doing a lot of research but need advice from the experts
(aka you guys) on what type of setup I can put in my cubical. I have
plenty of power (AC) but I can not have filters or what not due to
noise (we have lots of engineers in a very tight area). When I was at
Petsmart, I was looking at a 2.5gal glass tank. It was roughly
12x6x9inches. Small enough for my cube but not large enough to get in
the way. I was/am looking at getting live plants to use instead of
filters. What type of fish and what type of plants do you all
recommend? I was thinking of Tetras since they are pretty durable but
I am open to most anything (fairly small).

Thanks,
Scott

In article , js1 wrote:
On 2005-01-13, Richard wrote:

Or Killifish. Or catfish or tetras or rasboras or pencilfish or,
um, anything thta makes sense for the tank size.


I thought those fish (aside from the cats) required water circulating
for oxygen. The constraint I'm reading from the original poster is
basically nothing that could cause any noise.

They require oxygen, but the water doesn't need to be circulating.

I'm staring at a one litre tank right now with 2 harlequins, 2 pencils and
a glowline rasbora and a bunch of baby crypts. No filter.

--
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633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org

Here is a photo of my 6 gal betta tank at work.

http://www.nippyfish.net/6%20Gal.jpg

It's an Eclipse cycled with a power filter w/ biowheel, 25 watt heater
and air-stone. The air pump does give off a very faint sound but there
is a great benefit to cycling your tank even if it's "just for a
betta." If you end up opting for an uncycled tank you'll be spending
more time doing 100% water changes and testing for ammonia and
adjusting pH. Being cycled I only have to test nitrate at water changes
once a week and change out only 20% of the water. On occasion I'll run
the whole gambit of tests to make sure everything in on track, which it
always is. ;-)

On 2005-01-13, Richard wrote:

They require oxygen, but the water doesn't need to be circulating.

I'm staring at a one litre tank right now with 2 harlequins, 2 pencils and
a glowline rasbora and a bunch of baby crypts. No filter.


So your plants produce enough oxygen for the fish to survive?


--
"I have to decide between two equally frightening options.
If I wanted to do that, I'd vote." --Duckman

In article .com,
wrote:
Here is a photo of my 6 gal betta tank at work.

http://www.nippyfish.net/6%20Gal.jpg

It's an Eclipse cycled with a power filter w/ biowheel, 25 watt heater
and air-stone. The air pump does give off a very faint sound but there
is a great benefit to cycling your tank even if it's "just for a
betta." If you end up opting for an uncycled tank you'll be spending
more time doing 100% water changes and testing for ammonia and
adjusting pH. Being cycled I only have to test nitrate at water changes
once a week and change out only 20% of the water. On occasion I'll run
the whole gambit of tests to make sure everything in on track, which it
always is. ;-)

Niiice.


I've gone super low tech. No filter no heater no light:

http://images.aquaria.net/tanks/rjs/hex2-1/jan1305/

Some Farfards aquatic soil mixed with profile sealed with 1.5"
of white sand with 2" of pea gravel over that covered with small
black river rocks. Not for any good reason, it was just at hand.

There's some crypt (probbaly lutea) and some java moss. And two
rocks. I change most of the water once a week and only feed live
food.

It sits in the corned of my desk and is really supposed to be
an xmas prezzie for my folks. Any day now...

--
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In article , js1 wrote:
On 2005-01-13, Richard wrote:

They require oxygen, but the water doesn't need to be circulating.

I'm staring at a one litre tank right now with 2 harlequins, 2 pencils and
a glowline rasbora and a bunch of baby crypts. No filter.


So your plants produce enough oxygen for the fish to survive?

The plants are seedlings, or rahter tiny plants that grew from pinhead
sized spurs off a crypt rhizome. They were supposed to be there
"a day or so", but that was back last October.

--
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633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
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Richard, Your betta is adorable. He reminds me of my old betta, Bone.
He was always my favorite.

http://www.nippyfish.net/Boneswimming.jpg

With no heater doesn't he get too cold or is your office like mine,
80=B0F all the time?

In article .com,
wrote:
Richard, Your betta is adorable. He reminds me of my old betta, Bone.
He was always my favorite.

http://www.nippyfish.net/Boneswimming.jpg


Cool. Not bad for a betta from an LFS. Here's a better pic:

http://images.aquaria.net/fish/betta...1/DSCF0015.jpg

Here's the other betta I had in there fr a while (not an LFS fish) but
there wasn't enough contrast between him and the dark surroundings (so
he's back in a big jar).

http://images.aquaria.net/fish/betta.../DSCF0008s.jpg

With no heater doesn't he get too cold or is your office like mine,
80F all the time?

You guessed it :-)



--
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633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org