THE VERY BEST FILTER FOR YOUR AQUARIUM I FATHER FISH
SAND IS THE SUPERIOR FILTER MEDIA FOR YOUR AQUARIUM.
Learn how Father Fish uses sand to create a stable, healthy aquarium that will last years and years with little maintenance.
Sand is the miracle in the aquarium. Try this substrate and you will be delighted. We promise.
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FATHER FISH SHOAL-KEEP IT DIRTED T-SHIRT :-fatherfish.creator-spring.com/?
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The beach video is by MICRODAC and is offered as a challenge to add copy to the video and send it to the creator. This video will be sent to MICRODAC and may be viewed on their KZhead channel. Please visit MICRODAC. This is a remarkable site expressing many of the sentiments important to me.
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STEM PLANTS BUNDLE SALE - Over 75 plants - 15 Species for $59! Limited Time OFFER so HURRY! father-fish-aquarium.myshopify.com/ For Special Soil Supplements, Plants, FIsh & Merch in your country: fatherfish.fish/
Do you offer shipment for overseas countries?
I bought a plant bundle from this man and honestly I got tired of planting plants 😂 by far the best deal I’ve seen!! Completely filled a 125 for 54 dollars one of the only person I’ve bought from that you’ll actually know you got your money worth all the plants were super healthy as well thank you father fish for all you do!!!!
Wish i could say the same. I recieved a lot of small stems. Had to go but more from the store. :/
Excuse me,I have tidal 55 and its outstanding
I will buy mines today.
How do I buy them lol
When my tank is ready I plan on buying plants from him 😊
Father fish should be nominated for a Nobel environmental and ecology award. He has taught the world a better way of looking after aquatic life. Everyone should nominate this legand for his pioneering work in making the world a better place ❤
tottaly agree! i've just find out this chanel and from yestarday to todary i've watched more then 12 videos of him and particulary it changed all my thoght about aquariuns... amazing (sorry fo my bad english. Im kind a rusty.)
@@tiagobejart check out my KZhead channel l will be showing how to set up tanks from beginning to end 🐠🐟💦
Agreed!
@Awsimilate Hi, thanks for your comments. As always, it's good to share what others feel, and ovcourse everyone has the right to have their opinion shared. Much appreciated 🙏
@Awsimilate hahaha. You're mad...lol
Father fish, I think you should write a book, it would be a bestseller!
I think my videos are my book.
A documentary would be good.
Three dirted tanks three years old thriving in my home attest to this system of keeping fish and plants in a glass box. Puts the joy back in the hobby and with less toil at that.
When you know the true joy of fishkeeping you will never go back (to gravel and plastic plants). lol
@@FatherFishyes indeed !!! Something that puzzles me though 😮 Doesn’t potting soil break down and become acidic after 1 or 2 years ? TIA 😊
@@Just_Lurking8 Yea, looks like FF doesn't like you. 😀JK!! I'd like to hear the answer to that question as well! ✌
Father Fish! I just found your videos today and ordered a fish tank online! I have a creek running through our property full of leaves.... Planning on setting up exactly as you have explained. I had tanks in the past and filtered, changed water, vacuumed the gravel... I'm very excited to see the results of doing it your way. I have a huge jar to create the resurrection jar. Always was fascinated with pond water when I was a kid... putting it under a microscope. This will be so much better! Thanks and God Bless!
This one was an amazing video Father Fish congratulations on the 1K ❤️ so well deserved!! Thank you for all you do and teach 🙏🌿🐟🌿💚
Thank you Mary.
this is mind blowing!!! I AM ABSOLUTLEY MESMERIZED
I would like to say thank you for all the information you give. Just about to start a new tank and trying to manage a natural system according to your help. Best regards from Germany
Enjoyed your youtube channel. Your insight opens a new light and perspective. You by far have become one of my favorite fish keeps. Thank you Sir for sharing your wisdom and knowledge. Take care of yourself and God bless you and yours.
After years of aquarium troubles I followed father fish's advice soil sand plants its now been two years not had one sick fish or even a death water changes hardly ever mostly top ups.
Amazing!
I followed your directions and tank is clean and fresh and and my 5 fish love it. Another tank I added sand I got from the beach on a vacation. It’s loving it in that tank as well
I use sand soil and natural tumbled gravel. I start with layers but overtime it naturally mixes and or is redistributed by my fish. I have tanks from 5 1/2 to 75. Ive always admired your content because your tanks look real.
I set up a small aquarium following your instructions and it has been going about 8 months, I think it is balanced. No algae, a few snails and plenty of guppies. I don’t normally have live bearers so this was an experiment. It is in the window so gets natural light.
Sounds wonderful.
How is you aquarium doing this far?
Can you use a plastic thank for your FISH THANK With sand and muck
Powerhead is all I have along with substrate and sand on top as you told me. My setup is working great since than. Thanks Mister F. FISH!!! U R a GREAT man! God bless you always. Nelson from south Brazil 🙏
Thank you for explaining it in a way that is easy to understand. The wave and sand thing clicked for me.
Glad it helped!
Just discover this channel its re ignite my passion about fish keeping, i quit for 2 years emptied my 3 tanks due to something personal, i like the video its like im talkinh to my grandfather.
I truly respect your knowledge and wisdom
Hi Father Fish, thank you very much for all your advices, everything you say makes sense, just copy what nature has always been doing. That's amazing! 😊😊😊 I've started a new dirted tank just a few month ago (just following your deep substrate system adding leaf and mulm collected from the wild) and hitherto I'm delighted with the results. Finger crossed for what the future holds! 🤞🐟🐟🐟
Proud of you Adalberto. Your trust in the wonder of nature will provide you with an every changing aquarium filled with wonder.
I found your videos about 4 days ago and I think you are amazing I watch a lot of fish videos but I've learned more watching your videos then any of the other videos I watch I'm going to be get stuff from you and change up my tank I have a 5 gallon tank it was a gift thank you for your videos keep up the great work that you do.
Awesome! Thank you!
I also agree. The other channel just give publicity to the enterprises that sell all kinds of unnecessary products.
thank you very much for all your advices😍
You are awesome! Father Fish. I’ve just put together a pond and now you have inspired me to get an aquarium. I love watching your videos. ❤❤❤❤
Love this challenge, thank you!
Good for you. Accept the challenge. Trust Nature.
Very true great information thanks for sharing
Thank you Mark
Man’s right..just did it ..grabbed natural sand and sediments from a clean river out side my door in northern Ontario…
Works like a charm
You help confirm my intuition a bit more. Do as the earth do. For my pond i am pumping to a planter bowl, half rocks to hold the hose and the other half silty sand and trailing pond plants, tubifex worms and to my surprise a few baby water snails. This flows over the plant side onto some rock in the next tub then through the fine grain sand in the next half of that tub which has an air stone buried under it, to promote oxygenation not only of the water but of heavy minerals out of the water, before waterfalling into a rocky corner of the pond, where my second air stone is. And there are plants in every section, though the pond has the most by far of plants sand and soil
I have first thought everything was relayed on the filtration. Throught experience and by your knowledge I have learned the filter helps with moving the water around. I do not now use any top on my tanks I angle my input up towards the top so it helps brake the water line which in turn helps with the carbon dioxide and oxygen Exchange. I have always added some aeration to the tank to help as well with oxygen in the water. The real filtration here is what you use as your substrate if you have a great foundation for your substrate and you provide the right Aquascape both of these will be able to provide all your bacteria that you need to help break everything down. At this point in my tank I could substitute my filtration system for one or two small power heads. Angle them a little up towards the surface just so they're breaking the surface line and my tank will be able to be self-sufficient. I currently have 30 gallon tank fresh a 75 gallon fresh and 125g saltwater. I rarely with my freshwater tanks at this point even do water changes. Because I don't have any Lids on my tanks my evaporation rate is anywhere between 1/8-1/2 gal per day if you add this all up you're looking at it being just about sometimes two to three gallons a week that I'm using to top my tank off. So I will come back maybe once a month and do a 10% water change. Ever since I have taken a step back and let my tank do what it needs to do just like you would in nature or my guppies is starting to have babies my mollies are having babies. All I get to do now is sit back and enjoy my fish. Thank you father fish. For my substrate I use crushed coral layer dirt and sand on top with smaller pebbles I run a fluval 110 on my 30g Fluval fx4 on my 75 Fluval fx6 on my 125g (salt)
This man is a genius! 🐟
He speaks with such a passion sounds like he's preaching the gospel of John.😊 I love it❤
I found this channel through the comments on aquarium co-op and I'm so happy I did! Thank you, sir, for sharing your wealth of knowledge with us. I will always be fascinated with Nature's perfect and complex design.
Welcome aboard! Thank you Shannon.
@@FatherFish I just found your channel & being I'm a visionary person, I get what your saying if you follow nature you will learn God's gifts.
@@raisinggoldfishonabudget7058 You understand the key to the channel.
@@raisinggoldfishonabudget7058 Join us on Discord. A wonderful fishy community. discord.gg/Tc84Xf5P
I tried his method a couple of months ago in a small glass bowl. The plants have now tripled in size. The water looks great and the fish seem to be happy!!!
Binge watching all your videos!
i just found your channel today and it is great. I have two tanks that are set up exactly the way you describe, but I didn't follow any internet guides. I just tried my best to copy the environment found in local ponds. I have one tank stocked with wild caught minnows, two brim, and all sorts of snails and worms and bug things that came in with the drift wood and pond mud that I used. I have not done a water change a single time since setting this tank up nearly 5 years ago. My other tank is stocked with neon tetras and a gourami, and is set up the same way. It has been doing fine with no water changes in over 6 years.
Very interesting and incredible! please answer - how is water filtration arranged in your aquarium? do you have an external or internal filter installed in your aquarium?
Everything you said is so true. Really enjoyed it, Father Fish. Take care, and god bless you.
Glad you enjoyed it Michael. God bless you.
This man is wise. Let Nature do the work.
interesting and informative share boss, first hearing this idea.
Thanks for watching.
I have a fair bit of African wood in with my cichlids. The wood yellowed the water quite a bit, but didn't seem to affect the fish. I use a Fluval C3 in my 30 gallon. I replaced the carbon filter media in it with Seachem Purigen. Within 6 hours the water was beautifully clear....tannins gone and toxin free. Purigen is awesome for removing organic waste (ammonia, etc) and stripping tannins. Plus, you can recharge it up to ten times. It may seem expensive but considering you can reuse it ten times.....it's very affordable!
Amazing video thank you 👍
Glad you enjoyed it
Cool... thanks. I was thinking of using 4 inches of sand, heavily planted, without dirt given their sand sifting. I was worried they may reach the dirt layer. The other side of the issue is whether additional filtration may be required with larger cichlids. I was thinking of adding a couple of sponge filters. By the way, wonderful info in your vids... nice to have a low tech solution these days.
90 gal - 26 Tiger Barb tank & pelco I use 2 HOB filters & air stone pump & wave maker to move water & i change water 20% from gravel every 2 weeks & Prime water conditioner & small amount of tank salt .have not lost fish in a yr ..good info
You go Rick!~
Thank You, Father Fish. You da MAN !!!
Love it!One thing though what kind of water do you use?
I got to agree the best filter for biological purposes is the substrate if done correctly. I know for a fact I can rely on my substrate alone in the event of having to replace my entire filter and all its biological media. If you have a strong substrate then a filter is purely there to keep the water looking pretty and to help oxygenate the water if required for your fish. However a good substrate can support most fish with no filter providing you got plants and a really balanced eco system.
What is a strong substrate? Is it something I can just purchase
Hi father fish, I've just found your channel and I can't get enough, I'm from Canada and very new to this, when you kept saying sand i keep thinking of sand from the beach! can i use that to put in the tank? I have some gravel already and two plants because I want a natrual environment but i'm still wanting to learn Please let me know and it would be great if we can have a conversation sometime.
for me the BEST filtration is a well balanced one! I like to use many different filtration media stacked so that there is a lot of different media to hold lots of good bacteria....also key is lots of oxygen...if you have good dissolved 02 in your water you will get good bacteria production
With losts of plants no filtration is needed.
@@FatherFish the challenge for me is my Koi fish love to eat plants LOL. I actually created a separate settling pond not attached to main pond where I keep my floating pond plants at...that in itself keeps my water crystal clear in full sun
Father fish thank you for enlightment, i have a question, do we need filter in all type of natural aquarium and air pump
Amazing great info
Glad you liked it
Very informative.
Glad it was helpful! Adam
Thankyou so much sir...
Yes , Father fish is right indeed.....I have set up my dirted tank 6 months ago and added leaf mulm from nearest pond a month ago.. Really my tank is thriving well, with happy fishes in it...as if they are living in their natural habitat. I feed very little amount of food , 2-3 days a week. Father fish, my question is , how often or what is the frequency of adding leaf mulm in our fish tanks. I added a month ago, the leaf litter had subsided and formed a layer above sand. Next time when should I add leaf litters? Thanks in advance.
The litter should be feeding an active culture of micro organisms. Adding new leaves once a month is probably not too much.
I have a pond and a tropical aquarium. Im a bit weary about moving things between them because of the risk of bringing in foreign diseases.
QUESTION: I made my tank up with the mud and sand. Initially I had not added enough sand and the water was dirty the day after I carefully added it. I did many 20% water changes and eventually added more sand to block out any mud from leaking in. I have the tank up and running, plenty of plants and added a few fish. It looks beautiful, but for some reason I can't seem to get the water to go crystal clear. Now, I think I may need to give it a little more time to clear on its own, but want to make sure there isn't anything I'm missing. Any feedback is much appreciated. Thank you in advance, and keep up the incredible videos! I love your channel and your fish-wisdom.
sometimes it takes a week or so to clear. A fine pore sponge filter helps.
@@FatherFish thank you for taking the time to respond. Will do! Keep you posted my friend!
There's nothing wrong with your water - so don't change it. It's un-clear because you keep stirring the sand. Let it rest and settle for a few days.
Great advice. I'm going to setup a new 20 long with this process. Should i just go out and collect dirt or buy some top soil without fertilizer? I'm going to pull some sand from a natural spring in Florida with some debris from the water also. Thanks, again.
All natural is all good.
[thank, you father fish for you're video. I, been using a commerical swimming pool filter system it is over kill but it works great but now it pulls on the electric bill]👍
True dat!
For my marine tanks I use only aragonite sand. It's fantastic. I swear by the stuff. For my freshwater tanks, because they are planted, I tend to do mixed media. Sand and some substrate (like Eco-Planted). I typically do a layer of sand, then the planted substrate, and a layer of sand on top of that. That way I can have the sand down low to create an anoxic zone. What are your thoughts on layering substrate in this way? Do you think it would be better to have all the sand on top or all the and on bottom?
I like aragonite in salt. Sand below and above dirt does not accomplish anything just like plenums do not accomplish anythiing.
Argonite is great in salt and high ph fresh tanks like rift setups or rainbow fish
What part of AZ are you? I just left AZ after 17 years
Aragonite works well for a while in brackish setups as well. I had at least six months without detectable NH3 and nitrites right off the bat, with barely detectable nitrates.
You’ve done it again ❤️❤️❤️😉
Thank you Wendy.
I just discovered this great channel and have been binge watching - Thank you! Father Fish (and viewers), have you ever experimented with ways to encourage flow downward through the sand? I have well-water, and I'm considering trying a constant drip-exchange with a peristaltic pump. Instead of a traditional overflow, what if I put some uptake tubes under a screen under the soil that then go up-and-out so that the exiting water would be taken from the very bottom? Would that increase the efficiency of the sand as a filter?
The water drawing through the sand is not good as it takes away the anaerobic processes.
@FatherFish Makes sense, thanks!
As a devoted aquarium lover, I can say the only time I've ever been more delighted in enlightenment was when I understood the Gospel !...LOVED this video ! Thank you !
The workings of Creation demonstrate the love of the Creator!
@@FatherFish "....so that men are without excuse."
@@andrewnkunda7 Amen brother
@@FatherFish Amen.
Started adding sand today, 1/2" and already and plants and even if it has not setteld yet the aquarium looks so much better
Why is there a Bio-Magnet Clarifier with m'y sand ?I dont intend to use it and let the water clear itself
Second load of sand today , m'y aquarium looks so much better, seeing as the bottom is gravel and not substrate will my plants survive or will i have to replace them often?
When should i add the " river water and gunk" once all the sand is in and setteld ?
Please someone when do i add?
If anyone is looking at diy filters keep in mind... Siporax is not the same as siporex.. one is inert and building material will make your water hard and high in PH ... They even look the same :D
Just discover your vidéo. And you inspirer me. I will experiment with medaka fish 😊
Thoughts on ‘capping’ the sand with clay such as cheap cat litter or other absorbing earth clay medium? Or maybe putting the clay between the dirt and sand? I’m thinking to help absorb nutrients from the water column and help it get to the plant roots.
Clay on the surface does the opposite of removing nutrients. It adds nutrients to the water column. Mixing soupy clay in with soils adds nutrients to the substrate, a good idea. Adding a layer of claydeep in the substrate prevents natural flow through the substrate, a bad idea.
@@FatherFish for clarification it should be baked clay which have the consistency of gravel. I will agree on soupy clay will stop water flow. But baked clay which is hard actually pulls in ammonia/ammonium by it negative charged nature.
@@guppiesstories5942 porous baked clay. But in case of planted tank dirt with additives provide better nutrition
Hi Father Fish .I have loved watching all your videos . When i set up my next Aquarium , which will be a dirted Tank .Does ot matter that im tanking leaves etc from a stream that will a lot cooler than my tropical Aquarium water ?
Nope. It will be fine!
I might play with a sand aquarium this winter.
Don't wait too long. You don't know what you are missing.
Father Fish, thank you for your work. I'm just starting my tank. I want to follow your system. Can I buy the soil nutrients from you? If so, where do I go and what should I buy? Lastly, once I follow your system of enriched soil and sand, fully planted with a few fish, you said don't feed it. Does that mean don't put any fish food in the tank? Please clarify. Anthony
The supplement is available at father.fish. One portion is sufficient for 100 gallons You need to build a food web. There are lots of videos at my channel explaining how to do this. Join us on DISCORD to get more personal help. discord.gg/9dcKdGnG
Hi Father Fish, I have just purchased a 6ft tank and wish to put a few 5in rainbow trout or Red fin (Australia here) or other natives. Have gravel already and was about to purchase an FX6 fluval canister filter (925GPH, 6 stage filtration, basket in basket media design) until I came across your videos. I’m now keen on adopting your method but wondering if I still need the canister filter or will it be detrimental to the system or a waste of money. Thankyou, look forward to learning more.
2 sponges is all you need.
@@FatherFish Thankyou. I assume you mean two sponge filters?
Thank you sir
I use alot alot alot of plants a small hang on backfilter with sponge on pickup with ceramic media differ corse sponges and also a small sponge filter powered by ziss air stone
Sounds good. What is your substrate?
Your not gna like it but it's 3 inches in front and about 4 to 5 inches of natural small river gravel .. started tank with little experience . But have cryps swords and other rare bulb plants thriving with a heavy fish load ... have a 20 long that iam going to do the father fish substrate method next
The best filter is Mother nature. Father Fish has a sandy bottom. lol
More specifically a dirted bottom covered in sand. lol
That's how most of my shop is set up, or more specifically sand/gravel blends (to change looks from tank to tank) over dirt. That along with all living decorations with the exception of the driftwood as a lot was dry. Greatly simplifies things and everyone complements on how good they look. Blows their minds when I tell them it's a lot less maintenance.
@@natereinhold6180 I think you’re over simplifying it. There’s a lot of variables such as stocking level and type of fish and also the local where the fish are from. That definitely wouldn’t work with my heavily stocked rift tank and other fish such as crenicichla that come from high current heavily oxygenated areas would probably not do well either. I think this method could work great for lake and low current species that don’t dig too much
@@NotSure876 I've had that issue with Oscars.. I do DEEP sand but, the damn fish just dig down into it & toss the sand around nonstop lol. Had to change that tank around and just set it up to maintain with changes 😔 at least until I can figure out a better idea
@Prison Mike my rift lake tanks are definitely not set up that way. And you can dirt with digging fish, cover it with geotextile fabric, they will not dig through it. As for over simplifying, the biggest majority of fish come from soft, slightly acidic waters and do extremely well in dirted sand bottoms. There are a few outliers, like you stated, but that's over complicating things for the average aquarist. When people want to move into fish with specialized needs, that becomes a junction to educate on specific needs.
I wish I went with soil when I built my tank, it has only sand for thr substrate. Some plants do grow in it though. I also have a lotus plant but it's growing in a pot with soil.
Just for clarity. I set up my tanks before I saw your channel so they are river rock. I did this in May. Should I redo them with your method or wait a few months and add sand. I have only had one incident that was my fault for overfeeding. Now they just get fed 3 times a week with scallops or shrimp. Sometimes baby brine. They are once again hatching out of control in my high tech mason jar. 😂 I have 2 10 gallons and a 5 gallon
Add sand now but do not completely cover the river rock if you like its look.
@@FatherFish thanks
I cant put substrate seeing as i have gravel, i will start adding sand today 1/2 " every 3 days, should i take the water actualy in the tank to wet the sand ?
Thank you sir 🙂
I am setting up a new aquarium and I am going to use your method of soil and sand, but I have a Fluval 207 canister filter that I bought before finding your channel. I would like to use it in conjunction with your method. Can you recommend a filter media that I can use to enhance the method that you use? I have had aquariums as long as I can remember and I don't remember ever having big problems with any of them, but I have always tried to re-create nature in my aquariums.
any media will do
its interesting when i grew up in the ninetees in the czech republic we just used plastic foam medium where in the middle was a perforated plastic pipe where compressed air sucked up the water through the foam and expelled it out on the top. additionally we used an bubble stome, and that was it. but today we don't use air bubble stones at all but instead inject co2 addtionally into it, and for filtering purposes we use a pump. But it seems to me, that you don't necessaraly need to inject co2 into the tank, as i don't see it in that video. thats interessting.
A deep substrate produces CO2 naturally.
I like the idea of adding leaf litter from a natural system. I live in the Pacific northwest so my local sources for river or lake water leaves are from cold water. Will this be acceptable for a tropical temperature aquarium?
Yes. Micro organisms know no borders.
I absolutely took notes
You go Catheros!!
@@FatherFish thank you! just watched 12 of your videos! I keep learning
Hi father fish I will try your way cus I'm trying from couple of months to be like how is in the nature with out any himicals sow whats the best plants for Oscar fish thanks
After watching couple of you videos about dirted tank..I want to give it a go. What type of sand should I buy, is it fine or grainy? Is it ok to buy a builders sand like the one they used for paving or any sands would be ok from the hardware shop? Sorry for asking too many questions. I am a beginner & done already too many mistakes & this time I would like to do it right. Thank you Father Fish
Join us on DISCORD, Aida. You will get lots of help and encouragement. Yes, builder's sand is good. discord.gg/YVzpEsdN
@@FatherFish Thank you Father Fish. I did!! Amazing & full of stuff of knowledge in there by just reading all the conversations. Thank you soo much🙏❤️
Can you use play sand 🙏✌️👍🇨🇦
@@gk9417 I got a sand from my local fish store & I did rinse it out couple of times. So not sure with play sand. One year on..my tank is thriving & so my fish☺
Hello father fish…I bought a 20 gallon kit everything included, can I use the power filter it cam with or buy a sponge filter? I am setting it up with dirt and sand per your directions! Thank you God bless you and your family 🙏🙏
What a great educator! Father Fish told it like it is no BS😊.
Hello Father Fish, I have 2 fish tanks with dirt under golden grain silica sand, but I don't know if this kind of sand works like regular sand since it looks like something between sand and tiny gravel. If it works, then I will leave it like that, but if it doesn't; can I add the regular sand on top of this golden grain silica sand or should I try removing it completely and cap it then? Thank you so much for helping out, and your wonderful videos!
yes
@@FatherFish Oh sorry Father Fish, I made so many questions and with that yes answer, I do not know what that yes was for. So, what I gather from your videos is that I could just basically drop sand over golden grain silica? Or just leave it alone since it works like regular sand? Thank you so much for all your knowledge and passion. I have had a blast watching your videos; it is really inspiring. Keep it up!
Hello father fish, I found your videos and method a few days ago, I don't have an aquarium yet but I'm researching it. Regarding the sponge filter, you mention that it would be interesting to use it at the beginning, but what about when the tank is 6 months old, 1 year, 2 etc., do I still need to use the filter or does there come a time when it is no longer necessary? Can I just use the sponge filter or do I need an oxygenator (air stone) too?
I use sponge filter always.
You mention the filter will help with ammonia, I’ve also seen where it’s recommended that floating plants are critical to take care of ammonia. Is the filter, and regular plants enough to beat the ammonia or are floating plants a must have?
All plants take up ammonia naturally.
Im going to change my tank in the morning can't wait
How many problems have you had since? Fish deaths?
yes, my filter does this job now.
cool
So, is that mean, that for good filtering, sand and air stone is enough?
Wanting to start a 20g tank. I’m planning on using 1 inch of dirt from my backyard, and two inches of pool sand. Should I put the seeded lake leaves on top of the sand layer or underneath?
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Hi Father-Fish!! First of all thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge with us. I have a doubt... If your tank is to create a freshwater aquarium and you use that sand from the ocean... What about the salt? If we boil the sand, we're going to kill the micro-life... But we do not want salt for our fresh-water aquariums... 🤷🏻♂️ Do we? And what about calcareous level? We shouldn't put calcareous rocks inside our tropical tanks... and the sand from the ocean (or from the sea) is mostly composed by calcareous rocks' sand and shells' rest... Right? So... we could have a trouble (or more than only one problem). So... What would be the way? What would be the option and the process to use sand as our filters? Thanks in advance and all my admiration from Seville (Spain). All the best, Father-Fish!!
Dry sand from high beach areas has little or no salt.
Thanks a lot for your answer,@@FatherFish All the best from Seville!!🇪🇦
After putting in the outside matter can you keep your hanging filter going thank you Juan
yes
I am definitely going to do this in the coming months. Can I ask you a question please. ? As the sand locks all the nutrients out of the water column, do you not recommend dosing the water column at all with any ferts as we are all told these ferts are needed by the plants. Will they get everything they need from the fish food/poop in a more natural way
No liquid ferts. Fish will provide all needed nutrients for non rooted plants.
@@FatherFish wowsers ! Thank you for the advice
Fish will absolutely NOT provide all nutrients needed for water column feeding plants! They will lack alot of micronutrients and macronutrient potassium needed for proper growth. Fish will provide nitrogen, phosphorus from your fish food, but almost no potassium. This statement that the fish will provide everything needed is absolutely false!
I am soo far away from ur country sir but i would like to talk with u soo much...thx for ur advices and nice voice
join me in the Father Fish Shoal discord.gg/father-fish-shoal
What about a wave maker? Just to have flow? So gravel is a no no? Just want to be sure so I do it right. Also I’m getting some fish I never had before it’s a galaxy rasbora and these alge eater catfish they call oto something like that.would a sponge filter be ok for them in a walstad tank or no?
All good. Otocinclus, nice little algae eater.
Hi thank you for the great video. I would like to improve on my existing tank- I already have soil and plants and a few fish/shrimps. How do I add sand at this point? Must I empty the water?
Well rinsed, or clean, sand can be poured directly int othe water. Add 1/2" at a time every few days until 2" min has been reached.
@@FatherFish thank you!
I have a question. What is best sand to use for African chiclids?
@@FatherFish I did as you advised. My tank looks crystal clear after the sand, better than before. I also added mud under the soil base at some parts of the tank. Thank you so much, I’m learning a lot from you ! Keep the videos coming 😃
@FatherFish I have about 3 inches of sand with about a half inch of gravel on top in a fully planted tank with fish. Is it a necessity to put the dirt under? And how should I go about that? Do I restart my tank?
At first I thought it had failed, but when I turned on the corner filter, I found white worms and many other types of microfau
Hi, Firstly l just love your videos and advice, You'r so easy to watch, brilliant stuff, thankyou. Ive got a 4 ft long tank which i filled with the soil and capped it off with sand, looks and has been great, the plants have really thrived, especially in one area. My problem im having is that i have a tank of cichlids and baby plecos, the cichlids do like to dig, theyre are all happy, little familiers forming, which is fascinating to watch esp as the tank is right next to my bed, I Love my tank, but the soil keeps seeping up where they dig, clogging up my canister filter. So im frequently hoovering up what soil has settled ontop of the sand every 2/3 days, am I doing the right thing, am i removing good stuff? should i change my fillter? Help please Any advice would be great, thankyou. Hi from Torquay England 😊
add a few flat rocks for the cichlids to spawn on
@@FatherFish will do, Thankyou for replying 🙂
I followed your advice and have a layer of dirt with everything you put in your soil and then sand over top about 3 inches. My question is do I need a filter at all like a canister filter or will the air stone with the leaf mulm do enough?
I like sponge filters/
@@FatherFish how often would you suggest cleaning the sponge filter? And great channel by the way. Game changer!
This is why I always say that the old fashion filters work much better then any power filter, for example scientist created the box filters where mechanics created the power filters, who do you think knows more about biology? Someone that spends all their time under a car or someone that masters in science ? I tried power filters before, they can’t ever work as great as a box filter. I have them in all my tanks starting with the 125 gallons all the way to the ten gallons and had never regret it.
agreed
I am setting ups 75g, I was considering the fluval planted 3.0 LED, any thoughts?
good light
I did everything you said FF, I have 1 inch of dirt on the bottom followed by 2 inches of sand, I planted 13 live plants and waited 2 weeks before I got an Algae eater and 2 small Oscars in the tank. I took a water sample to the store and they said my water was perfect. My fish and the plants look fine and the FIsh eat when I feed them and swim all over the tank. Im only concerned that the water is really GREEN. Is it because I leave the light on 12 hours a day ?? Im only doing it to GROW the plants, maybe drop it to 6 hours a day ?? Love your videos and trying to learn your ways - THANKS !!!!
edit - I have a Fluval 307 pump, a Power head, and an Air Bubble in the tank as well .... 75 gallon tank ...
Yes 8 is fine
If i have an establiahed acquarium (that doeant go very well though) with gravel, can i still add aand on top of it? Or juat leave like that?
add an inch of sand
Can you use crystal clean crick water, area is upstate NY Will the ph be perfect using cricket water
Yes you can. ck ph
If I have just smal gravel in my aquarium, can I add sand later too? I mean without waterchange, maybe left the 1/3 water in the aquarium, get out the fishes and snails things like that and add the sand, leave it a day or two and load back the old water and the creatures, could this work?
Add the sand on top of the fish, plants and all. Will not hurt Fish. TRUN OFF filter to protect impeller.