Keeping Fish

[Shellybean02]

I was comparing natural ponds to fish bowls (ones without human assistance and filters),but I do have a tank. And does this mean I have to empty the tank (to get rid of bacteria) and start over just to add a filter? Or is it okay to install the filter once there are bacteria in the tank?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

yes, put a filter in there, it will be fine.

 

[LeafBlade12345]

I was comparing natural ponds to fish bowls (ones without human assistance and filters),but I do have a tank. And does this mean I have to empty the tank (to get rid of bacteria) and start over just to add a filter? Or is it okay to install the filter once there are bacteria in the tank?

Just install the filter. Also, I would maybe take your snail out while the sand settles, keeping him in a separate bowl. You did dechlorinate the water and treat it, correct? If not, you may soon have a very dead snail.

 

[politicalcenter]

Ponds aren't like fish bowls, right? Not only because of their big size; is because their balanced environment filters itself. I thought I could create a version of this but I guess I don't have it in me... if the water doesn't clear by Wednesday I will try to buy a quiet (even better, soundless)filter that doesn't use a lot of electricity. Thanks for the replies

Here is the problem. You could run an aquarium without a filter if the aquarium was very large and it didn't have too many fish in it. A large pond or lake has many gallons of water per fish and the ocean has even more gallons of water per fish. That is the reason salt water tanks seem to be the hardest. A pond or a lake also has a greater surface area to exchange gasses for fish respiration.

Too many fish in an aquarium is like putting a lot of people in a room with no ventilation. The people ...like the fish....will die for lack of air. They would also begin to pile up waste that cause disease.

A betta will take a lack of air better than most fish but the waste will still pile up and begin to foul the water. You need a filter to digest waste, take out poison gasses, and to break the water surface for better gas exchange.


If you have 5 square foot of surface area that is very calm you have that surface for gas exchange. If the surface is disturbed by waves this increases surface area. It is like flat land verses hills.

 

[politicalcenter]

Just install the filter. Also, I would maybe take your snail out while the sand settles, keeping him in a separate bowl. You did dechlorinate the water and treat it, correct? If not, you may soon have a very dead snail.

If you let your water stand long enough you don't have to treat the water. All of my ponds are filled with city water with no treatment. I just let the ponds sit in the sun for a couple of days.

But if you take water directly from the tap and put fish in it they die....snails too.

 

[Shellybean02]

Half of the tank was filled with pure water(no additives of any kind), half with tap; and that was on Wednesday. I'm pretty sure that by now the water is good. I can still remove the snail as a precaution. I'll be getting a filter when I can, in the meantime I'll do water changes.
My little sister got her first "fish" before me!
Using Beados I made: a male chocolate plakat with one matching fry; a female pink plakat dragon with one matching fry; and a chocolate plakat dragon fry - none of which look anything like actual bettas. lol

 

[LeafBlade12345]

If you let your water stand long enough you don't have to treat the water. All of my ponds are filled with city water with no treatment. I just let the ponds sit in the sun for a couple of days.

But if you take water directly from the tap and put fish in it they die....snails too.

Good advice. Shelly made it sound like she put the snail in immediately after filling the tank. The snail should be taken out until the water is suitable.

 

[jak2002003]

If you let your water stand long enough you don't have to treat the water. All of my ponds are filled with city water with no treatment. I just let the ponds sit in the sun for a couple of days.

But if you take water directly from the tap and put fish in it they die....snails too.

You should always treat the water... leaving it to stand will help most of the chlorine evaporate.. but there will still be heavy metals and a sometimes a kind of chlorine / chloride chemical that will not evaporate.

You always need a filter in a fish tank... unless you are some expert on indoor water gardening.

Cloudy water in not always a bad thing for the fish.. it only looks messy to us.

A tank can have crystal clear water.. but that water can be deadly to the fish if its got ammonia or other toxic waste products dissolved in it.

 

[politicalcenter]

You should always treat the water... leaving it to stand will help most of the chlorine evaporate.. but there will still be heavy metals and a sometimes a kind of chlorine / chloride chemical that will not evaporate.

You always need a filter in a fish tank... unless you are some expert on indoor water gardening.

Cloudy water in not always a bad thing for the fish.. it only looks messy to us.

A tank can have crystal clear water.. but that water can be deadly to the fish if its got ammonia or other toxic waste products dissolved in it.

I never treat my water with anything but sunlight. Usually water is treated with chlorine or chloramine. Chloramine is chlorine and ammonia as a molecule. You can google your local water treatment facility and find out which.

Treating the water won't hurt but I am a cheapskate and won't spend my money on it. I also usually have over a thousand gallons of water to treat at one time. I buy my fish food in 50 pound bags and everyone gets the same food. I buy my fish by the hundred lots or more....except Koi and I like to pick them out one at a time.

 

[Shellybean02]

I'll just test the water to be safe. And I'll use a filter and get more plants. When the water clears a bit more I'll add fish. Do you think it'll be okay if I get everything later today, set up the filter, and let the fish sit in bags in the tank overnight(to get used to the changes)? The pet store is really far from home and I wouldn't like to make my mom drive me back and forth just for a filter, gecko food, fish, etc. It would be best if I could get everything in the same day, otherwise I would have to wait a week or more - staring at a lonely, empty tank...
Also I was wondering, how does the environment temp(indoors) affect the water temp? Does the amount of water matter? For example if the temp in my house is in the 70s or 80s what would the water temp in my ten gallon be? If the water will be less than 75 - and I can measure the temp if necessary - I'll get a water heater.