TAL's Zero Water Exchange Test Thread

[TAL]

*DRUMMER*

Hello Everyone and welcome to my thread on the Zero Water Exchange system by Hi-Q.

First, I would like to thank Hi-Q for allowing me this opportunity.

Second, I would like to tell everyone a bit about myself.

I am a 30-something married father of three. We have quite a busy life. We have always wanted pets but our life has little free time. Several times we considered fish and one day my wife came home with a three gallon tank and some fish.

The tank was nearly a total disaster. Fish died, kids cried and it wasn't fun. But, we liked having fish. Reading on MFT helped us alot! We then bought a 38 gallon tank. But the water changes.....oh no.... there wasn't much time for me to do these 20% water changes on a regular basis.

So here we are. Hi-Q is letting a novice fishkeeper test their system and see if I can keep my kid's fishies alive and save me time for playing with my kids instead of changing water, paying higher water bills and being yelled at by my wife for spilling water!!!

Frankly, if this system only significantly reduces water changes I will be very happy!

 

[TAL]

The box arrives !!

 

[TAL]

Here is the tank where the system is going...

This is a fully cycled 38 gallon tank.

What does fully cycled mean??? This is a term you need to know if you are a novice like me. It has to do with the biological filter/nitrogen cycle. These are things I knew NOTHING about when I started with fish.

The tank is going to be broken down and then reassembled with the Hi-Q system and you will see pics along the way.

 

[TAL]

Water testing

The water in the tank will be regularly tested for:

Ammonia

Nitrites

Nitrates

pH

I will be using the API master kit. When I first started using test kits I started with strip kits. The API kit takes a bit longer but the results are more than worth it.

I will be tracking the results and levels will be posted.

 

[TAL]

Ok so here we are. I have the day off with some of the kids still home with me. I am going to be putting the system in today and periodically changing diapers, posting, eating crackers with New York Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese and I may even prank call Froggy at her new house a few times. (I will no doubt eat wayyyyy too many of those little mini twix bars my wife bought for halloween too.)

Oh and yes, if I act somewhat off my rocker, everything is ok. I am just a bit crazy.

Time to empty some water and snatch some fish!

 

[TAL]

Unloading the tank has been fun...NOT

and done:

 

[TAL]

OK, time to read some more instructions from Hi-Q...

 

[TAL]

Time for the bottom plates to be assembled...

They went together fast and easy...

and I had some left over pieces...

I'll save them should they be needed for a larger tank.

 

[TAL]

Now it is time to make PB and J sandwiches, check my facebook Mob Wars guy for a sec and catch the bus!

brb...

 

[FroggyFox]

... and I may even prank call Froggy at her new house a few times.

You could only do that if she were home I have it on good authority that she is at work.

 

[TAL]

OK, getting back on track.

BTW, I make a mean PB and J.

One of my air tubes on the top of a tower was disconnected.

Repair is easy. Remove the cap of the tower be removing the two screws or pegs at the top of the tank.

Put the tube back in place. There is only one spot for it to go and it is easy to find.

The air tubes at the top of the towers allow air into the system. They can just be hung out over the tank. I used the ties that were on the power cords to tie the air tubes to the power cords so the air tubes would stay in place.

 

[TAL]

Time for the included water filter.

Curious as to what are the patented Bio Balls??

Also included are small amounts of the Vita Magic and Bio Magic additives. We will be seeing more of these when I have the tank refilled as they are part of Zero Water Exchange kit.

 

[TAL]

A black background has been chosen for the tank:

And with a little gravel added, it is time to stop and think about how I want to decorate...

 

[TAL]

With everything back together and the system installed, it was time to add

Vita Magic

and

Bio Magic

 

[TAL]

The label says Vita Magic provides a protective coating over the body of the fish. It also helps grow and maintain beneficial bacteria.

Bio Magic's label says it is a water conditioner that rapidly accelerates the nitrogen cycle's decomposition of ammonia and nitrites while also helping to cultivate beneficial bacteria.

 

[TAL]

System all ready and running:

LET THE FUN BEGIN !!!

I am going to observe for a while and get the fish back in tonight.

 

[ishar]

Sorry if you answered this already, I just skimmed through this, but if you are truly testing the zero water change system, maybe you should have used uncycled, fresh gravel. From what I can see you used your old gravel which will already have some bacteria on it. Just to point it out.

 

[TAL]

This was, as mentioned, a fully cycled tank.

The real test to this system is how it handles the nitrates. We know we can get a tank to cycle without this system. We know we can grow beneficial bacteria without this system. But as we know that leaves us with Nitrates to be removed by water changes or partially controlled by aquatic plant life which would use nitrates for food.

Now if you are a first timer or begining a new tank you do have the advantage of the items included in this kit to help establish the nitrogen cycle.

PS I will be testing the water this evening to establish our starting point. With the change in water filter I have no doubt lost some beneficial bacteria.

 

[Kissyboots]

ishar: as far as I can see, it looks like Froggy is doing the "totally new tank with nothing cycled" and Tal is doing the "already established, fully cycled tank."

That's perfect because now we can see the differences between setting this up in a new tank versus an established tank.

 

[brian1973]

I believe it was said the tank still has to go through a cycle before adding fish but the system should shorten it.

TAL..I have to say that so far this has been a very enjoyable thread..even if half of it has nothing to do with the system itself..lmao.