Stalker wrote:NH3+filter=NO2-
NO2-+filter=NO3-
Plants and algae doent love nitrates, they prefere ammonia. Before eating nitrates, their need to reduct it to ammonia again... and it consum energy. Nitrates concentrate in the water and you need water changes.
Without filter, the small amount of ammonia is available directly and plants grow faster. And there isn't any form of azote concentrating in the water, you dont even need any water change.
The filter is only needed for realy big or polluant fishs creating ammonia too fast for plants and for tanks without plants to remove ammonia (very toxic at high rate). In a normal tank it only create waste, slow down plant growth and stress animals. Sadly aquario-gadget's industry created the need to filter more and more... But almost all tanks work better without any filtration... Most people are just afraid to turn this crap off.
But for opae ula even Mustafa says it:
... You may also want to read some other people's current posts as these kinds of things are mentioned very frequently. I practically say "no filter needed or desired" in almost every other post. It makes no sense (and wastes everyone's time) to have to answer the same question 500+ times...
Thanks for your answer - Like I said, I have been lurking this site for many months, and have seen this quote from Mustafa - only from himself, which sounds quite a bit better, honestly, IMHO. I have read Many many many posts. I have been reading this forum every day for months - it's not very active..... So I keep reading what comes up. I searched everything you could think of in relation to my tank. I am not just asking something just to ask. I am asking because I need help. Way for you, by the way, a newby, to make another newcomer to feel welcomed. Great going.
Yet.... have never seen Mustafa explain what you posted in re. to Nitrates. In fact, I can't find it anywhere on the web - I can find it from
you, in mentions, but not as explained as above.
On Mustafa guide, which yes, I read plenty of times, he doesn't even mention having or not having a filter - he just doesn't mention a filter at all.
NOW - what I can tell you, is that this modified filter is NOT bothering my shrimp. They are actually hanging ON the filter - if they were bothered, would be there? I think not.
I came here with two questions -
1- An overgrowth of green algae in the tank walls (which I suspect was because my previous lid had LED strips too close to said walls)
1.1 - Should I control this growth? My understanding is that nerites will eat the algae in the substract too, risking not leaving enough food for the shrimp. Shoud I just scrape it off the walls? What's the best plan to reduce this without affecting the health of my shrimp? I am no longer feeding them as they are rejecting food - sign they have plenty in the tank.
2- the hiding - why do they hide so much? I see them on the walls, lava rocks, plants and such, but not actively swimming like I see in some videos.
If you can't help me with that, I hope someone else can.
