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WATER CHANGES and CLICKBAIT [Raw and Uncensored!]
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- Опубликовано: 17 апр 2023
- Some are not going to like this, because I’m naming names and telling you what I think is going on RAW and UNCENSORED
Is it being used as very effective clickbait by RUclipsrs, including me? Is all this talk about "no more water changes" and "stop changing your water" and "don't be lazy" and "don't get fooled" about helping other fish keepers or is it really about getting the clicks and views? Or maybe a little of both? Here’s my take on this hot topic!
What are your thoughts on all the talk surrounding water changes? Is it making a big issue out of nothing? Is it clickbait? Or is there some real help being offered?
After watching the video I'd like to get your take on my comments and what others have had to say about this subject. We all learn from each other at this channel. Remember to always be learning and don't ever forget that you reading this right now - YOU ROCK!
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![WATER CHANGES [DIAL them IN PERFECTLY!] *HERE's HOW!*](/img/1.gif)
Thank you Ben. You are at all times a gentleman. Of course you nailed it. This is a hot topic and it is all about clicks. Happy to bring the guys who understand this on board to share the benefits. AND you are certainly correct. I would never suggest procedures that would harm fish.
All your true fans know this without being said. However, even though it seems bad on the surface that people who don't know you and thus are getting the wrong opinion, it's bringing to light proper fish care and the importance of plants and a deep substrate. It's 100,000+ people are being exposed to what nature has been telling us all along.
thank you father fish for the inspiration to finally get a fish tank to operate properly. the ultimate goal is to bring nature in your living room without the chemicals and using sterile water. i had fish tanks when i was younger and always did water changes without knowing to much about the living aquarium. now with the keep is simple method its been the best thing i have ever done. keep up the great work. the chemical guys will keep hating on you.
What need to be stated is that father fish videos are for planted tanks ONLY & not for non plant tanks like mine i have rocks only so water changes must be done
@@frankiefingerz8047it doesn't need to be stated if you assume baseline knowledge from an audience of invested hobbyists.
@@danm8004 it does need to b stated cuz there r amateurs watching this along w pros
This is the way a response video should be, you have my respect Ben.
I didnt watch Caveman's video but John clearly said right off the bat that very aame thing. I struggle with how people get so bent over something ao clear. Its like they're going out of their way to find reasons to be mad. Its just common sense. Deep substrate and lots of plants in a lightly stocked tank isn't and will never be the same as a overstocked cichlid tank.
Yes John said the same thing and I don't believe he disrespected father fish. He was only saying the no water changes needed to be more clear. That father fish was talking about a certain way to set up your tank
@@matthelm3795 Exactly 💯
Ben, I commend you for giving Father Fish the credit and respect he deserves, unlike that other clown that encourages mocking and disrespect in the comments. Always respect and appreciate the elderly with experience. Much respect to you
I have converted my 3 tanks into father fish deep substrate tank and they are by far the most successful tanks ever, they are a little ecosystem that sustains itself and there is deep understanding of science needed to actually do it correct, nothing lazy about it. You are a real gentleman and straightforward in all your videos, I absolutely appreciate it.
When done correctly, the Father Fish method is rock solid.
I only discovered father fish's channel this last week, I love his approach, and methods, it makes sense to me.
I love that you speak respectfully of him, even though your fish keeping methods may be different, for various reasons, as you said❤❤❤
Much love from Australia 🐟🐠🐡🦐
I like father fish but there is no science to back up his 7 inch deep gravel bed.
@@davidleegoth what are you rambling about??? He's literally featured biologists in his channel and backs his methods with scientific papers lol
@@davidleegoth btw the substrate needs to be only 3" deep. 1" dirt and 2" sand 👍🏻
@JJR sure biologists etc. But still the presence of inches detritus , mulm , waste with no passage of oxygen through raises an eyebrow. If this method were so good , you'd think most aquarist around the world would adopt this method.
@@davidleegoth but they actually do! Lol in the hobby monster and big cichlid keepers are a minority. Get out of your bubble! If there's any mulm buildup you're not doing it right. And there's some that actually want mulm buildup. Nothing more beautiful than nature. We keep ecosystems, not fish tanks. Fake looking aquariums ain't it, chief
I love Father Fish's methods, I just created a tank following his instructions and it is by far the best one that I have put together. He has been doing this for a very long time, he knows what he is taking about. ❤❤❤
Same and loving it
Yep, imagine all the millennial fish keepers coming out and saying the guy who has 70 years of experience is wrong. They should learn from him. But then they won't be able to sell all those expensive products anymore. Many of them being bogus.
Same here! 🐠 ❤🐠
In my opinion, aquariums are like fingerprints and snowflakes…no two are exactly alike. That’s one thing that keeps the fun going on a fish room. If they all had the same needs, now that would be a boring hobby. Lol
Truth!
I think you did an EXCELLENT JOB of clearing up all the chat about Father Fish and " no water changes".
Father Fish's aquarium setup's are designed as a less water change biotope.
Father Fish's method works and in an all natural biotope...
It's a great topic for discussion.
Thanks Ben 😎
The Father Fish method is brilliant. If you don't apply the full method and setup it won't work. If you have fish that destroy plants and substrate or you don’t have the right substrate, plants and fish setup you need to do the hard work of cleaning, changes, filtration for the tank.
Father Fish type of tanks are awesome if you want that set up. If you don’t you need the changes. It's that simple and your video is spot on.
Father Fish specifically states that the aquariums he doesn't do water changes on are not over-stocked and that you need to consider the fish you stock when you go this route, something most people overlook. It's also going to heavily depend on the plant life you have growing in the tank as well. Awesome job defending Father Fish, you just gained a new subscriber.
I've been running a FF tank for well over a year and my nitrate/ammonium level has been zero for the majority of this time and I simply don't do water changes. There's nothing lazy about it, conversely I have to manage the good health of a planted ecosystem and make sure my tank is not overpopulated for it's capacity as should anyone. This method is more aligned with my values around this hobby and will likely have win me over for the long haul vs more "traditional" methods suggested in these other videos. I think the industry should change or at the very least acknowledge alternatives to the existing commercially motivated approach. Unfortunately we increasingly live in a world where you need clickbait to get people's attention.
I encourage all to watch FF videos and discover a man who's not financially motivated and cares above and beyond many other RUclipsrs on how the hobby will evolve without pushing the shelved products. Would love to see more videos on how pot scrubbers purchased at your local dollar store outperform the alternative and expensive filter media. That kind of content will show the creator's true colors.
-peace
Great video of course a Oscar tank can’t go without changing the water. The type of tanks the father fish has are small fish with many plants so he’s able to get away with not changing the water. He is of course a very knowledgeable, fish keeper.
Father Fish is my favorite. Every situation is different though
True
Ben thanks for your take on this I have seen all these videos. This is my take for experienced fish keeper we know what's best for our fish. But for those folks new to the hobby it can for sure be confusing. Thanks for helping explain it without bad mouthing others
Father Fish' method is my absolute favorite and works beautifully in all but one of my tanks (which has plant hungry Goldfish so that speaks for itself haha). Definitely depends on what type of system is running and their individual needs. Great video! 😀👍
If people would take the time to actually watch father fish's videos from beginning to end, they would know that he addresses all of these issues.
Great way of diffusing an unnecessarily heated topic.
It is, as you said, relative to the type of aquarium setup that you own.
Everything in context 👍🏼
Great job, Sir. Great job of explaining and clarifying both points of views - especially the part why it works for and the other.
You are so correct and such a gentleman to help others to understand People have to research all Father fishes videos not just one to understand the concepts of his tanks. Thank you for your honesty. 🐠
Father fish is AMAZING!!!!! To plant tanks like he does takes planning, skill, work, work, and more work!
I watched Father Fish speak about this. Where he went wrong was by not mentioning that 'one size does not fit all'. I agree with his method of cycling a new tank with 'nature' because I started my new tank ( after a 40 year gap) over a year ago using moss, sticks, swamp plants and real NH rocks. Took sand from the bottom of my local drinking water supply and it worked great. I also have a heavily planted tank My nitrates stay @5ppm and highest I've had was 10ppm. I have a 15 g. heavily stocked tank and have not had to change more water than about 3 gallons every 10 days or longer. Plants and natural ingredients make a huge difference But, not everyone can use the same method . At least you and the others you mentioned did basically say the same thing. One size does NOT fit all. Father Fish should have discussed that as well. And I KNOW he's not suggesting fish cruelty.
He ( FF ) never said that.
Hey Ben,
Great video
I appreciate the respect that you give and you understand that everyone is different.
In my turtle and fish tanks that eat and destroy plants I run a sump. in a part of it I keep fast growing plants and fish it helps so much I’m thinking of doing a algae scrubber In fresh water. I’ve heard it works wonders and it will change how I keep my other fish. 👊✊👊
I’m digging the music for the videos Ben, another great one, keep up the good vibes
I like to listen to everybody and see what each guy is doing and still do my own thing with alittle knowledge picked from each. Goldfish keepers got Pothos very popular in the hobby over the last year so I added a bit of that and love it, grows like crazy and looks beautiful, fish leave it alone for the most part. Definitely adding more and more plants from here out, I know some of you guys make fun of us "sterile tank" guys lol I appreciate that in its own way too.
Ben, you're a class act, you've nailed it! 🙂
Agreed. Water changes are relative to the way your tank is set up. It’s not a one stop shop situation. I have plants in my tank that are still in the process of growing in and still have to do water changes in the form of syphoning the bottom for debris to reduce sudden spikes in nitrites and nitrates weekly that neither plants nor fish do well in. I have listened to father fish and his conversation is based on setting up your tank a certain way, meaning a specific substrate, heavily planted with a complete ecosystem in the tank including scuds which leads to just topping off. He is not implying that every type of tank setup can just be topped off. He is very thorough in what he is saying. I am amazed how people still manage to take what he says out of context.
Exactly.
Solid. Stand up and be counted! A little consistency in testing will lay out the truth of the aquasystem anyone has and how to keep it healthy and vibrant. Plants are major filters and anyway we can figure out to apply them is a win. For me plants growing out of and floating have been really helpful and added beauty. I believe in algae scrubbers too. With sump a dedicated light to grow plants and algae as a refugium is a must. A cheap algae scrubber a is a hang on the back filter with a dedicated light and allow algae to grow on a grid or floating sponge media. Works wonders for nutrient control. Be blessed and thank you for your videos, much appreciated Ben.
You hit the nail on the head with the hammer here, anyone who’s kept fish and really understands that if you are trying to create nature in a little glass box will also agree.
Respect bro. I don't watch alot of your videos because I don't keep cichlids. Africans hooked me decades ago...lol. But I clicked because of the ongoing drama with water changes. Father Fish has become a hot topic as of late and alot of channels as you say are jumping on the bandwagon over his content. I love his approach for sure. Cheers and I hope you get lots of views on this video.
Hey DD, I’m keeping a planted community, Betta and live bearers now along with my cichlid tanks, so come on back 😉😀👍🏻
Father fish gives great information in my opinion. But, if you're overstocking, overfeeding, keeping a gravel substrate, or a combination of any of those 3, water changes will have to be done. And probably more often than not. Father fish is talking about creating an ecosystem inside a fish tank that will more or less take care of itself. Which is definitely doable. But will never happen if you over stock like cave man aquatics. And there's nothing wrong with doing what cave man aquatics does, just don't expect to do that without changing water often. It's just preference and different ways of enjoying the hobby. Most of us are probably somewhere in between, or maybe even have multiple tanks with different needs. The key is just knowing your tanks needs.
I’m glad you pointed this out because most other people seem to be forgetting he’s talking about an ecosystem style tank. Whereas they are discussing cichlid tanks with little to no plants completely different water parameters and no micro organisms. I think like you kinda stated deep down they understand this they just want clicks with all due respect.
I've seen Father Fish's videos. Quite frankly, I do not like the appearance of any of his tanks in his videos. His tanks are as natural as they come and that is why he doesn't have to do the water changes. I prefer the crystal clear look and algae free glass so therefore I must do water changes. I think a little common sense is required when you watch RUclipsrs nowadays.
Love your videos Ben!
That’s how I like to keep my tanks. Fish “floating in air.” 😀👍🏻
I don’t do water changes and have clear water. So I don’t get what you’re trying to say… it’s not like you have to pick between clear water and water changes 😂. Depends on your fish tho
I appreciate your take on it especially the click bait reference. I think RUclips is making a mistake by practically forcing people to make videos out of anything. Too bad they can't reward creators who actually make good content but may not get the clicks. I stopped watching videos from people who seem to do nothing but criticize others.
I started out 5 months ago wanting to create an ecosystem tank. I watched a zillion videos and gleaned the parts that made sense to me and what I wanted to achieve. I had a 20 gal tank 30 years ago and I gave it up due to the work to change water, it crashed a few times, always looked dirty and covered in algae.
I used an under-gravel filter in that tank so I did the same with my new ten gal but with a different approach. I have a deep substrate, loads of roots from plants I started above the water at the very beginning, plus aquatic plants. I have neocaridina shrimp which are producing like crazy, some pest snails and a dozen white clouds. I added each living thing a month apart testing the water all along. I have never changed the water since I started it up only topping it up. I test now and then. It always has a small amount of nitrate but I decided not to worry about it. I had hair algae appear about a month ago which is now nearly gone all by itself. I love watching my tank evolve.
Very interesting evolution and observation. With some set ups less is more😀👍🏻
I believe KG and Kaveman are talking more towards new people to the hobbie who don’t know or don’t want to know about ecosystems. I have see to many 5 and 10 gallon tanks with 20 to 30 fish and they are all dead in a week. Father fish is speaking to a more experienced hobbiest which a lot of people are not.
You don't have to be experienced to know overstocking is bad.
Let fatherfish set up a tank with Discus. He'll never get away with it
I have kept and bred and grown out discus. The water changes were non stop....something I will always do when keeping discus...water changes. Discus are a different cat. FF is going to set up a discus tank with no water changes and I am very interested in how that goes.
Some sense at last. I have most of my aquariums set up with the 3 inch dirted substrate (wonder if that is not more the thing rather than the plants) and plants. It works and I test my water. Quite heavily stocked as well. Nitrates stay low around 3-5ppm and I usually do a water change every 4 weeks. Got sick the other day, stretched it to 8 weeks and still the nitrates were only at 15ppm when I did a water change. BUT there is more than one way to skin a cat. Tanks with big cichlids and only a normal layer of substrate aren't going to work like that.
8 weeks! That tank is rock solid and "seasoned". You're very right. Lots of variety and ways to do things that result in happy healthy fish. Thanks!
In John’s defense he did say it depends on the type of setup one has - he said exactly what you are saying!
We agree
Yeah kg tropical actually agrees with father fish and says it works and he’s right.I think it’s the first thing he says , but again as you have said it depends on the setup
Thank you for being civilized in our more and more uncivilized world. You're absolutely right. If you notice, at least in my viewings of Father Fish, he pushes no commercial products that he endorses, as his rival youtubers do. So, of course, they need clicks and views to maintain their gravy train of freebies.
Thank you for using and expressing common sense and dignity. Sadly, commodities few possess any longer
Thank you for the kind words.
I agree Ben, I really like Father Fish but there is a danger to these statements. I've been seeing a lot of these "no water changes" and "no filter tank" with popular experienced aquarists. I think these ideas are dangerous for newcomers especially those who have new set ups, have little concept of bio-load etc and it must sound so good to them to imagine that all the "boring" stuff isn't really needed.
Great way to address hot topic. I am keeping RAINBOW FISH and all the experts and actual Rainbow collectors recommend water changes, sometimes 50% weekly. They have found that the fish prefer that and they show it by spawning and exhibit lots of colors right after the water change.
Well said Ben!
There are different types of aquariums out there. Each one is a different system. And there are different kind of aquarists, each one with a particular style.
For each tank we have a different goal, so we can’t use the same procedure in all of them. We can’t treat all of our tanks the same way.
That’s what’s great about this hobby!!!
Truth. Thanks!
Ive noticed that the oldest fish keepers all suggest no water changes and low water movement. You also never see them interfering with the bottom. Its clear to me which method seems more natural
I would like to thank you, Ben, because your video might lead to people start seeing that nothing that any aquarist says should be treated as a rule, as it was written on stone!
I monitor all my tanks for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. Usually, I top them off. However, there are some occasions when the nitrate levels start to rise, and then I do a water change. The key to doing or not doing water changes is purely simple: monitor your systems, and be reasonable. You even might find a "fully zeroed" system (no ammonia, no nitrite, no nitrates) might have low dissolved oxygen on it, which could be solved by doing frequent water changes... I've seen that before, where the fish weren't gasping for oxygen, but the dissolved oxygen levels were pretty low.
Your comment lines up with my next video. Essentially a common sense approach to water changes and using testing to “dial-it-in”
Thanks for watching and commenting 😃👍🏻
The no water change topic is a viewer bonanza. I watch a lot of videos on aquarium keeping on youtube and I see it over and over again. I wish people would, like you, take on the topic with caveats explained.
Hey Ben well done! I saw your comment on my channel and would be willing to discuss this with you and the community. I know alot of everyone thinks they are right which they are in some perspectives there are alot of perspectives that are available to be shared. I have been through these perspectives that have been veiled to most in the regards of the reaction of nature in our aquariums and the mutlifaceted ways to do it. Keeping hundreds and hundreds of aquariums in most everyway possible through the years you learn new things. I would love to shine clarities on these situations to help better expand the hobby for all.
Very cool. Let’s continue via EM. I’m at ben.o.cichlid@gmail.com 😀👍🏻
It’s about how you set it up from the beginning. If you do gravel, you’ll have to do water changes bc the waste will go to the bottom of the tank through the gravel and can freely communicate with water column. Ever seen detritus worms have a bloom? If you do deep substrate method and create a self sustainable natural aquarium from the beginning then you dont. I have a 75gal freshwater set up this way 1.5 yrs ago and I’ve done 2 water changes (top offs not counting here). That said, I add aquarium salt, epsom salt, and sometimes fertilizer from time to time. You have to tend to it but not the water changes. The system set up this way will balance itself but its dependent heavily on the lasagna you make with the different levels of the tank. Having a lot of plants is very key to this working also bc they are your nitrate consumers so just having slow growers is not enough.
Love the “lasagna” analogy. I might steal it for a video title😉😀👍🏻
Uncensored! You're always tasteful. It's impossible for me to remove nitrates without water changes. Sometimes these debates seem to be fads.
I think you nailed it. “Fads” describes it perfectly!
Thoughtful analysis that pretty much nails it.
Very well said Ben! It's all clickbait. I have to wonder what kind of person watches a Father Fish video and walks away thinking that they should never do water changes in an overstocked tank with pink gravel and fake plants.
You’d be surprised…
Phil's double header today, I'll be watching all 5+ hours. What do you think of the faster games? I was grumpy about the pitch clock at first but now I kinda love it.
I like it. If the game is going to continue with a shorter attention span generation, they had no choice but to speed the game up.
Ben, I am currently doing a test that I've been wanting to do for a while but was always afraid...I have not changed the water in my main display tank (240g) in 7 weeks. I have not done any gravel vacuuming either. I only change the filter socks in the sump and small top offs...my tank is thriving! Not a single issue with any of my fish. We really do need to start thinking more about WC because if you're doing things right, you don't need to do them every week.
Hey GP, this could be an interesting video follow up. Is this an AC tank with no plants?
Have you tested ?
@@BenOchart Yes, no plants, strictly gravel substrate...my sump has some of Dr Novak's BCB boxes and crushed coral for pH buffering. I do have anoxic zones in the sump which I'm sure is playing a role in keeping the tank going...the only thing I've had to deal with is more algae growth but it's been manageable. I'm actually quite shocked at how well the fish are doing. They are looking great, great color, very active and very good appetite. We should definitely discuss this in more detail on the Livestream. Father Fish is right. We don't need to do nearly the amount of WC that we have been led to believe. I think people get scared of nitrates but fish like African Cichlids don't really get affected by nitrates..and if you let nature take it's course, it will balance itself out. I am planning on finally doing a WC this Saturday after the Livestream which will make it a few days past 8 full weeks.
Edit: I should add that I changed feeding from 6 days to 5 days during this period. I started skipping the second and forth days of feeding.
@@Awsimilate My nitrates were high but leveled off at around 80ppm. I was worried about that but it really hasn't had an effect of my cichlids at all. They seem more happy with the water not being changed if I'm gonna be honest. I definitely see a lot more activity...they are constantly splashing water out the top at feeding time too..it's been a very eye opening experience.
Father Fish says water has a memory, do not get rid of your seasoned water
Thank you for standing up for a good man. We have a couple different style aquariums and ponds. Our Father Fish style tank is maintained way differently than our bare bottom goldfish tank. They both differ from our bog system tanks. Education is key. And we are so grateful for the abundance of knowledge from experienced keepers such as yourself, Father Fish, and others. We hope that one day our channel can help others in the same way. You have our Sub.
Well said you’re awesome had to sub!
I have a Father Fish (FF) tank. It's still in its early weeks. So far its going really well.
What is not mentioned and must be highlighted is that when the FF tank is first getting established and if you have already introduced your fish, if you care anything at all about animal husbandry you *will* be doing water changes.
In the early weeks or months the entire ecosystem is in a constant state of flux and you will need to nurse it through, especially if it starts un-cycled. Otherwise your livestock will suffer. Unless you have a source of plants and bio bacteria to transfer over from an already established tank, new plants and bio bacteria take time to establish. There's no magic around this.
Once the tank and its ecosystem has matured and balanced, the plants have established and grown out, you have a very light bio load and introduced leaf matter and creek debris etc, sure the FF style aquarium can go a long time without water changes.
Great points! Thanks!
One of the issues with no/limited water changes, according to the '50% A WEEK OR DISASTER' crowd, is about depletion of KH. I'm not sure I've seen this aspect explained by FF, when it comes to his style of aquarium...maybe I've overlooked this though.
I asked about that and apparently leaves from the creek take care of that.
Exactly right Ben well put Bro!!!
No appreciate you doing this video. I was starting to question everything I thought I knew. 😂
🤣🤣🤣
You got my respect ben everyone need to remember that what works for me might not work for you every tank is different
Even a heavily planted tank needs a water change because adding for evaporation only would be a buildup of heavy metals, and possibly some undesirable minerals, eventually a crash.
Agreed. I'd be curious though - could you forgo water changes in a tank like yours with 'refugium' type tank where you cycle the water through a heavily planted, lightly stocked, 'natural' tank? It seems possible...
Right to the point Ben!! Drama sells !! :)
Those responses to father fish actually boosted FatherFish subscribers. But the dilemma here was actually about putting things into context, many beginners misinterpreted the message and spread unhealthy information. Hot topic indeed. Lol
Father Fish is a 3,000 year old Fish Wizard. If he told me to put apple juice in my aquarium instead of water. i would.
(This is a joke)
Gotta respect Father 🤣
I lost my 20 gallon tank last august by doing a water change thinking that our power had been off for 5 days due to hurricane and even though I used prime the city dumped tons of clorimine in our water. Found my planted 3 year tank with 9 neon and one ember tetra dead. If I’d just not done that damn water change. At 73 I can’t carry the water like I use to so I threw everything out for donate. Father fish got me interested again. I have planted 5 gallon dirted sponge filter betta tank. I realize the difference between heavy loaded tanks with whappers like you have or large tanks of goldfish. But I’m never going to have that and why after watching 2 years of prime youtube aquarium did I think I needed a water change due to oxygen levels. I’ve decided to keep learning and maybe set up another 10 gallon dirted tank with neon tetras in the future planted. Thank you for offering common sense video. 🫶💕
Sorry that happened. You’ll never have to worry about Betta and oxygen since they just go to the surface and take a breath.
I stared watching Father Fish a month ago, and I'm very intrigued! I have to give my tank the bleach treatment every month due to brown alga and would like redo my aquarium the Father Fish way, but it takes about two weeks after the tank is set up and then for the cycle to reintroduce my fish to the tank, and that is a bit if a problem!
Hi Ben. Yes I absolutely agree. Neither father fish nor Kaveman aquatics nor KG tropicals is wrong and neither do they specifically say father fish is wrong. They are all right in their own way. Besides yes it is excellent click bait.
All they say it will depend on your type of set up. If you are going for an ecosystem type of set up with lots of plants, bugs, microorganisms, dirt and deep substrate etc which is self sustaining then yes you can minimize your water changes depending on how mature your tank is and your specific water parameters, set up, type of fish, bio load and many other variables. However for the vast majority of aquariums again depending on their individual set ups, water changes will need to be tailored to the specific set up, maturity of the tank, parameters, choice of whether you want more fish or plants, etc.
For my particular set up I normally used to do 25% to 30% water changes and gravel vacuuming weekly but since I need to buy the purified water, it turns out quite expensive and I needed to find a way to reduce nitrate levels so that I can reduce the number of water changes without reducing my number of fish. Since I keep goldfish I don't have any plants. It does not mean I am lazy or want to make life easy and skip water changes. After a lot of research and experimenting I implemented the anoxic system as taught by Dr Novak and although it was not a quick fix, it took about 8 months continuing with weekly water changes waiting for the system to finally mature and bring down nitrates to reasonable levels and thus reduce the frequency of the water changes. Again I say reduce the frequency and not avoid as some water change is still necessary due to other benefits.
So end of the day each hobbyist will need to decide on his/her own choice of set up, do their own research, experiment and find their own sweet spot for frequency of water changes to keep their fish healthy.
Love Father fish❤
Very well said!!
Your so right,I have very big fish, like a 22"dovii,and a 17"umbee I must do water changes for sure once a week .thanks
Hello Ben Ochart,
I was scrolling through whole RUclips for a sump video and I came across your channel. I am just amazed at the content you put forward.
Anyways, I would really appreciate if you could help me. I just set up a sump filter. The problem however is that my return chamber where the pump is, has a low water level. I put a mark there and rhe first 2 days, it stayed there. However , the 5 th day I noticed it kept decreasing by day. I set up a higher pipe in my overflow tower so that the sound decreased. Now, I'm worried it's causing the water level in the pump compartment to lower. If anyone, could please assist me in solving the problem. Thank you. Good day to all of you.
Post a video to RUclips and send me the link. I’ll take a look. You can write to me at ben.o.cichlid@gmail.com
I'm testing father fish's methods now with a 10 gallon to start and go from there. I do think you're right that with larger fish the "load" they produce is too much for the father fish method. But I did get mud and do the mix of fertilizer that he recommends and we will see how things go
Keep me posted!
You articulated what Father Fish (Who I think is great!) really didn't in his video, this advice doesn't apply to all tanks. A beginner watching that video could get the wrong idea. Most experienced aquarists saw it and said "ok I see the tanks you keep, and I get what you're saying." While the guy with 10 neons, six corys, and 2 dwarf gouramis in a 10 gallon with a castle and some gravel thinks "sweet! I was right , I just put'em an a glass box and feed 'em!" (no offense to the person with 10 neons, six corys, and 2 dwarf gouramis in a 10 gallon with a castle and some gravel.)
Thank you for having a good head on your shoulders. I'm sorry to say that I really enjoyed the other 2 big name youtube channels but have unsubscribed from them only because I believe they have shown themselves to be beholden to big advertisement i.e. Fluval, Seachem etc. .....I honestly don't understand why they had to make a video on it.
I've kept fish for 50 years. I don't do a lot of big water changes. Even on salt water. I add distilled water as the water evaporates and keep charcoal in the filters. Maybe do a 5% water change once a month. I do lightly stock. No aquarium that fits in your house can hold very many fish comfortably.
Problem is that beginners look at Father Fish as the man who knows it all. They copy what he says, but don't understand why he says what he says.
I've seen people with overstocked tanks full of plastic plants that say no water changes are needed and they advice others to do the same, even though they have no idea what the tank of the other person looks like.
I have four tanks. One is heavily planted and 3 years old (young tank in my opinion). It has a good clean up crew. Two species of corydoras (aeneus and pygmaeus) (both in a group (one of five and the pygmaeus in a group of 24), guppies, swordtail (only one at the moment, busy getting more of the same color), snails (yep, the ones people hate so much) and two ramirezi. O, and some Amanoshrimp, I think.
It is a 110 liter tank, so not very big. The bioload and the plants are in perfect balance. Got some very fast growing ones and slow growing, mosses and ferns. Even house plants (pothos).
Now, this tank need little waterchanges. I say little on purpose, because I do clean the filter. And I do top it off (house plants and cats drink a lot) and I do a water change whenever I think it is necessary. I rarely test the water. I see when it goes wrong (plant growth, water behaves different (bubbles on the surface for instance), change in behavior of the snails and fish, etc.).
That is when I test. Depending on the test, I change the water.
However, when I want my fish to breed, I also change the water. Fresh and cooler water makes them in the mood.
My Malawi cichlids need more waterchanges. Even though they have plants (yes, alive and thriving), it can never absorb all that is bad. They eat a lot, some species poop a lot too (L001, four of them, are worse than horses). Even though I have plants and snails, there are still changes needed.
It is a 2 meter tank of 800 liters, so I don't do changes often.
My other tanks are small. 25 and 50 liters. They will be heavily planted when I am done. But it is still in the startup phase. Plants need to grow, bacteria need to establish and the whole cycle needs to go through its misery. Except for some snails, I don't have any animals in there yet.
These tanks will not get a waterchange or test during their cycle. I completely ignore them. For at least 6 weeks. When I think the water smells good (like a forest), I will test the water. If the parameters are good, a few critters can be added.
First shrimp.
Later the babies of the fish I am breeding (corydoras and swordtail, but also some cichlids).
If I need water changes and how often, I don't know yet. It all depends on the bioload and the plants.
All tanks have sand as soil, by the way. And rocks and wood as decoration. No plastic of other fake stuff. Which, in my opinion, is the best for the natural balance in a tank.
So, Father Fish has definitely got points, depending on the kind of tank you have. But most don't have them like he does. They overstock in comparison to the plants. And then it will never work.
The fact that people just repeat what he says, without fully understanding how it works, is a red flag for me.
I studied biology and animal sciences. I get how it works. I also know there is more to tank water than just ammonium, nitrite and nitrate. So, so much more. I also know some elements will get depleted (calcium and iron for instance) and that will affect the parameters you can measure.
Calcium is partially responsible for the pH. A high pH makes ammonium more dangerous for fish. So in a cichlid tank it is very important to keep a good eye on that. And if you do not understand how ammonium becomes ammonia (or even don't understand the difference) and how it gets in your tank, there is a huge problem with the no waterchange idea.
I agree with Father Fish and his method, to a certain degree.
I just don't agree with people yapping about stuff they don't understand and declare Father Fish a saint and all hail to his method and screw the rest for changing water.
Today I had a discussion with a beginner about all of this. He said that changing the water will crash your cycle, especially if you do the filter too.
I always rinse the filter under the tap (yes, in the sink). I always hook a hose to the tap and poor it straight into the tank.
According to the guy, I crashed my cycle every time I do that. I should stop cleaning the filter (I only clean it when the outflow is significantly less, which occurs about 2 a year) and never do a water change again.
I looked at his message and after laughing real hard, I wondered to whom else he gave this advice. It turns out he said it to many.
Oh, where to begin!
Well, I live in the Netherlands and our water is 100% safe for fish. So no killing bacteria. He was from the USA and I know they have a lot of chlorine in the water. Now, that is a problem. But here it is not allowed, only in extremely rare occasions. And they notify you when they use it.
There is no safer water than this water, I think.
Ah well, long story short:
Everyone had an opinion and a method that works for them. That is perfectly fine. I just wished people stopped saying their method is perfect for all tanks and the rest sucks. Because that is just not true.
And I think that is where it goes wrong with Father Fish. He tells about his method for HIS tanks. Not for all other tanks on this planet (I hope). But people think he does (I hope they are wrong).
People even tell me I am wrong about the things I know (I am a zoologist ffs). I admit I don't know everything. But at least I am open to learn and change if I think something else is better. I am not biting into a method and not willing to change or learn.
I keep fish now for 30 years. I guess I know a bit by now 🤭
Thank you for the insight. All excellent point, spot on!
Well said my friend
I love all my utube teachers and you
Broke it down the best 100
Does cleaning the filter media of an HOB count as a water change?
The stocking level really is the primary factor. FF tanks are very lightly stocked. I personally overstock my tanks. If I see a great fish that I want I get it which leads to a high bioload. This is the factor that I believe many people forget. If you are really disciplined about your stocking you can pull off few water changes. Otherwise dont bother. If that fact is clear in the ‘no water change’ conversation then I’m ok with it.
great vid. people should always use common sense. One might argue that if they can't tell what's possible in their own tank they shouldn't have it. I have a no water change nano tank with only 4 fish and some shrimp and plenty of plants. It's working. Adding more big fish would not only be stupid but also break the balance.
Spoken very diplomatically and bringing out the truth with wisdom.
Agree!
Right on! Couldn’t agree more.
Yes you Nailed it.... but lrb, father fish and I have been promoting this option, lou (father fish) just has a new guy ...a gen z or zoomer kid doing his thumbnails, and its set off quite the curfuffle lol.
Now it all makes sense, LOL! Thanks and I hope that your tanks have bounced back from that bad water situation you talked about. I suffered watching what you went through ... but we all hit patches like that. Thanks for stopping by.
Spot on. I don’t change water because I have tons of plants. Periodically I use the water for house plants and then obviously replace that water loss. I’m also understocked for the 75g tank.. I test often and fish are very happy. However, before I had plants I needed do weekly water changes.
What you said was spot on
Great video
Thanks!
If I stop changing my aquarium water I would come home to dead fish
Ben, you have a great channel with awesome fish, wonderful tanks. I love your content, keep doing what you do. But I have to laugh at the attacks on Father Fish, some content providers send out the attacks then say what, no I didn’t say anything bad about father fish! Please. I wish everyone would just keep doing their own thing that’s what really produces well rounded knowledge. Btw, father fish has more knowledge than all of us combined, then adds additional information from biologists. So, don’t challenge him, just do your own thing. Forget he is there..
There are so many ways to be successful and so many different kinds of set up that are possible. There's really no need to take a side. But there is a need to really look at any advice from anybody from different angles before making changes in one's tank. A warning that I've mentioned in my video descriptions for years.
FF literally says that when the water is not good, you simply need to replace a portion of the water. When the parameters are good, that doesn't need to happen.
Sensible approach 👍
I think the problem is the people that don't watch the video and go by the headline.
I can usually tell from the comment. I favorite a comment that shows up within seconds of my uploading a 15 minute video, LOL!
@@BenOchart for sure. Lol
👍😎 Agreed.
@BenOchart Thank you for making this video. I agree anyone who watches Father Fishes videos in entirety knows FF is sharing his way to keep fish happy healthy in the way that nature does & you should change the water when it needs to be changed. I am a follower of Father Fish and I have made 6 Father Fish tanks since. I love my tanks. They are natural, heavy planted, deep soil and sand substrate tank! New subscriber to you now Ben 🐠
Im glad this is finally being addressed i mentioned this several weeks ago at first i thawt father fish was old & senile & didnt know what he was talkin bout anymore but then i realized every tank he shows is planted The prob w his vids is he never mentions his vids r for planted tanks only & he needs to do that cuz amateur fishkeepers wont know any better & this will lead to disaster
Stay tuned...this Saturday will mark over 8 weeks since I did a water change in my non planted African cichlid tank of 240g plus 40g sump...only gravel substrate and crushed coral in the sump fir pH.
You don't think he mentions plants in the tank?
@@voluntaryismistheanswer he never mentions his instructions r for planted tanks only
All true Ben, I’ve been keeping fish as long as Father fish and he is referring to a Enclosed biotope.
Good info I believe you are correct . Test water , change water when necessary , and use your nose a well trained nose is good a good tank has that special smell you get to know. Use your nose.
And thats why I watch Ben's videos!!!
You are absolutely correct, actually father fish did encourage water change in the video if the tank having issue. The guy did not properly see the video and make the irresponsible comment.
Use Kevin Novak's denitrification and you will be able to reduce water changes too.
You’re right been.. good video I’m a old timer been watching RUclips for years and caveman came on the seen alittle while ago . He is entertaining but what he puts out there has already been done . I respect older guys they figured all this out way before him . Me personally it surprises me when I watch half man half cichlid he doesn’t get as many people watching but in my opinion he is one of the goats in fish keeping. I would say he is not in this hobby for clicks. Thanks for the videos ..
Yes. He had a tank in an office years ago that was very inspiring to me in my early days of African Cichlid keeping.