Reef Tank which doesn't require to change water

[Marine Newbie]

Hi all,

i just went to aquarium setup consultation place at tagore lane. He claim that his Advanced Biological Filtration System doesn't require changing of water. Furthermore top up with normal tap water can already. He is just using special bioballs and bio rings which he said no need to change forever. And wool also for the filtration system. His display tanks are doing very well and he claimed that he did not change water for 1 year 8 months already. How true can it be?

His corals are looking nice and well as well as the fishes. He said his system is capabale of reducing nitrate. He said they have done years of research on this and their idea is to have full control of the water parameters and not change water to make it stablize, DSB is not encouraged becos he say this will not enable him to control the water parameters completely.

Can anyone verify this as the idea seems very new compared to the usual sump with filter materials and constant water changing. The company's profile is quite good and been around for a long time doing research and import and export. Dunno whether this method will work, have anyone tried this filtration b4? He claims all his customers are very statisfied and he is currently doing research in Singapore polytechnictoo..

Need some advice..

Thanks.

[aStRoBo|]

maybe he is an expert to this. cos he does alot of researches. As we know, DSB isn't the only filtration way. There are also mechanical filtration. Think they have done alot of research, based on their own experience, advises from the expert locally, overseas. We wouldn't know. No need change water? Underwater world for instance, dun think they have much of a water change(i maybe wrong) they very much rely on those heavily invested equipments and filtration to keep their LS healthy.

[Marine Newbie]

Heard some bad comments about the system, any other people out there have views about it? anyone know of anyone using this system?

[bubble_gum]

hmmm this reminds me of the guy whom he claimed invented the sump she also says that no need water change and blah blah blah...

if im nt wrong he is the one from sp also isst

everyone has different ways to maintain their tanks...

when i see bioballs and bio rings... i see a nitrate factory unless they are rinsed very regularly

[Marine Newbie]

what's sp?

[FuEl]

What livestocks are involved? Damsels & mushrooms?

[Marine Newbie]

I mostly see LPS, bubble corals all these. Livestocks there is a variety other than damsels.. maroon clown.. he claims that he feed only once a week..

[Marine Newbie]

He still said he doing research in i think Singapore Poly and his tank outdo those by the students there where they maintain everyday and he just did nothing except to clean the tank surface...

[eques]

even if he said that he does not need to change water can any one be there all the time to be sure that he dose not change the water?may be he change the water after he shut the gate? this is some sort of sales talk, human only wan to hear those things that are nice. that why this is some sort of talk only. bubbles and marroon clown are hardy even my tank now have not change water for at least 6 month still eating very well.

[Marine Newbie]

Ok, i guess it's reli a sales gimmick... need to ask someone who had tried his system to confirm the results though.. haha

[typrobin]

feeding once a week, prolly explains his low bio load...

as from my understanding, it is still possible..to control nitrate, use a denitrator, to reduce phosphate use rowaphos, blah blah blah...

but the main reason tat i change 20% weekly is to try to maintain a balance in all the chemicals in my tank..such as trace elements and other stuffs tat i usually dun and cannot monitor (magnesium, etc)...

i dun have the luxury to utilise a 4ft tall dual beckett skimmer, and i enjoy watching my fishes fight for food (i feed almost 3times a day, so i have no choice but to work harder...

my theory is, wat goes in MUST come out. if u feed your fishes, there must be a way to remove them, as such water change helps..

different pple has different ideology, i've also seen reefers tat don't change water for almost 1/2 a year, but he had powerful skimmer/s running in his tank...but there is no way that our tank can be compared to the massive ocean that doesn't need any water change...

so it seriuosly boils down to wat u wanna keep and how u wanna keep it..

but from experience and advises tat i gathered here, do your water change as often as possible..

[Marine Newbie]

I saw his tank reli only contain wool, bio balls and bio rings... somemore the skimmer is just a normal weipro skimmer.. he claims he dun dose trace element and topping up with tap water will replenish the trace elements needed... i have to admit his bio load is small.. but in his 3 by 1.5 by 1.5 tank, he was just using a weipro 2011 and there were ard 7 fishes inside..

[RAV-65]

I saw his tank reli only contain wool, bio balls and bio rings... somemore the skimmer is just a normal weipro skimmer.. he claims he dun dose trace element and topping up with tap water will replenish the trace elements needed... i have to admit his bio load is small.. but in his 3 by 1.5 by 1.5 tank, he was just using a weipro 2011 and there were ard 7 fishes inside..

maybe feeding very low and also the tank is pretty stable with all the bacteria in abundance, if u can keep a low fish load and feed very little, and not keep too many corals, ur tank can dun change water too!

[Marine Newbie]

But both his 3ft and 4ft display tanks are full of corals and the colors are well... As i saw the whole setup myself, i sort of think it can work because there is reli only bio rings and balls.. haha.. the 4ft setup has something like a sump full of bio balls and bio glass with a weipro skimmer.. the 3ft setup filttarion is in the behind compartment with top and bottom overflow.. and a weipro as well. anyway they charging $880 for a 3ft by 1.5 by 1.5 setup complete with filter materials and skimmer, T4 lights and seawater plus delivery./...

[RAV-65]

But both his 3ft and 4ft display tanks are full of corals and the colors are well... As i saw the whole setup myself, i sort of think it can work because there is reli only bio rings and balls.. haha.. the 4ft setup has something like a sump full of bio balls and bio glass with a weipro skimmer.. the 3ft setup filttarion is in the behind compartment with top and bottom overflow.. and a weipro as well. anyway they charging $880 for a 3ft by 1.5 by 1.5 setup complete with filter materials and skimmer, T4 lights and seawater plus delivery./...

IMHO, gotta see wat kind of configurations to know if its cheap, if the tank with iron stand, thin glass, lousy skimmer, den $880 maybe it little too pricey...

[tineng]

But both his 3ft and 4ft display tanks are full of corals and the colors are well... As i saw the whole setup myself, i sort of think it can work because there is reli only bio rings and balls.. haha.. the 4ft setup has something like a sump full of bio balls and bio glass with a weipro skimmer.. the 3ft setup filttarion is in the behind compartment with top and bottom overflow.. and a weipro as well. anyway they charging $880 for a 3ft by 1.5 by 1.5 setup complete with filter materials and skimmer, T4 lights and seawater plus delivery./...

see if after 1 or 2 weeks the corals are still there....

most shop maintain 'successful' tank by constantly replanishing their stock....

[35Cents]

My friend had a system similar to that, system is called Alantis just need to top up water when water level goes below the indicated line, except that there's no skimmer in the system. Sounds like the same person as seller says he's been doing research about the system.

As far as I know, the system is very unstable in the initial startup, new tank syndrome, killed almost every thing in the tank. Bioload also cannot be too high. Then my friend and I slowly added in LS (didnt know about cycling then, now hooked to the hobby! ) now system is stable with anemones and fishes, but cannot put in corals, not even zoos.....sure die one.

IMO, this system is for people that had little time to maintain their tanks, just feed daily and top up with water, not for the serious reefers.

My 35cents.....

[XPeriment 626]

yah, take a good look at the corals and try to remember what they look like. two weeks later go see again if its the same corals. quite possibly this salesperson simply replaces dying corals.

had the same problem with my tank from Atlan***. Fella claims no need to change water, worse, his system only coral chip chamber and wool, no skimmer. Got all sorts of nitrate issues and the fish one kind of stressed. When you introduce new fish and they die, he claims that it is cyanide poisoning.

Up to you whether you want to believe such things from sales person. But here's a thought which occurred to me when listening to the Atlan*** guy - if your system so pro no need change water etc etc, you have invented a miracle system and can beat everyone else in the industry especially priced at just $880. You will be rich and every one of your buyers will be recommending the system to their friends etc etc. You will be selling hundreds of sets to all the corporations/schools/shopping centres etc who will pay good money for a reef setup. You won't be stuck in a little shop in the middle of nowhere trying to attract customers off the street. Since it hasn't happened, I think it means the supposed miracle setup is really just sales bullsh*t.

[35Cents]

wah XPeriment 626, same timing talking about same system....

[alanseah]

why not ask him put sps into his tank and we see how the sps survive..

also ask him to test his water and give his water spec and we will see how wrong his water spec is..

[darkstar]

I have a 2ft tank which I have not change water for about 6mths or so(hell too long I also forgot when). But its only a FOWLR setup with about 5 clowns.

But dun follow examples like mine or follow the sales guy. Changing 15-20% water weekly is always the way to go.

hands down to all my clowns, really hardy.

[XPeriment 626]

wah XPeriment 626, same timing talking about same system....

[pisces]

Wonder what would be the nitrate reading on a tank like that ? With all the bio balls and rings and no change of water...it should be really high, or else the 2011 skimmer is doing too well by reducing all the dissolved organics. If the guy really means what he says then it looks like it has to be the skimmer thats doing the trick.

[alanseah]

no way for a weipro skimmer to really do all the work...if not all of us can throw away those high end skimmer and stick to weipro..

i bet his n03 is above 100ppm..

[tineng]

if he feed his fish only once every 2 day and about 2 brimeshrimp per feeding...nirtate should be fine!!