THE VERY BEST FILTER FOR YOUR AQUARIUM I FATHER FISH 

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/

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!!!!

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 ❤

Father fish, I think you should write a book, it would be a bestseller!

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.

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 🙏🌿🐟🌿💚

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

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

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.

thank you very much for all your advices😍

I truly respect your knowledge and wisdom

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 🙏

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. ❤❤❤❤

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.

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 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.

Thank you for explaining it in a way that is easy to understand. The wave and sand thing clicked for me.

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.

Binge watching all your videos!

This man is a genius! 🐟

Love this challenge, thank you!

Very true great information thanks for sharing

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!!!

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.

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! 🤞🐟🐟🐟

Man’s right..just did it ..grabbed natural sand and sediments from a clean river out side my door in northern Ontario…

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.

He speaks with such a passion sounds like he's preaching the gospel of John.😊 I love it❤

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.

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

Thankyou so much sir...

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!

Thank You, Father Fish. You da MAN !!!

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)

Amazing video thank you 👍

This man is wise. Let Nature do the work.

Everything you said is so true. Really enjoyed it, Father Fish. Take care, and god bless you.

Amazing great info

Very informative.

interesting and informative share boss, first hearing this idea.

Thank you sir

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.

Father fish thank you for enlightment, i have a question, do we need filter in all type of natural aquarium and air pump

Love it!One thing though what kind of water do you use?

What a great educator! Father Fish told it like it is no BS😊.

Thank you sir 🙂

Just discover your vidéo. And you inspirer me. I will experiment with medaka fish 😊

You’ve done it again ❤️❤️❤️😉

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.

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.

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.

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

[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]👍

Hello, it’s my 5th tank and I did all what you said. It’s all natural with roots and stones picked up from the wood behind my house 😁 Used some filter media from different tank and placed fish after two weeks. They doing just fine , really happy fish. I have Black neon tetras and Apistogramma cacatuoides. I wish I coul lime pictures here ehhh 🙏

I absolutely took notes

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 ?

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?

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?

I might play with a sand aquarium this winter.

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 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.

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

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.

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

GRATITUDE 💥🐟💥

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 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.

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

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 !

Started adding sand today, 1/2" and already and plants and even if it has not setteld yet the aquarium looks so much better

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?

So, is that mean, that for good filtering, sand and air stone is enough?

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 ?

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

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?

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.

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 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

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?

yes, my filter does this job now.

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.

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?

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.

After putting in the outside matter can you keep your hanging filter going thank you Juan

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!

Great video FF. I have a sponger filter with 3years of use in a tank. I am creating a new set up, with the dirtied system, if i add this filter, plus some collected natural water media, will this tank be able to support fish immediately, or will it still need time to cycle? Thank you, Andy

Im going to change my tank in the morning can't wait

Hi, Sorry but I am not clear on what is humus? My impression is that is can be leaves/grass that were mulched and became compost? Thank you in advance.

Love from Siliguri 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

The og of AquariA

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?

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?

The best filter is Mother nature. Father Fish has a sandy bottom. lol

Hi farther fish what happens to the fish waste if we have no filters and are not water changing and syphoning the top of the sand. I have stopped doing water changes a while back now as i really like your method i have x2 fluval 407 0n a 313l tank with a inch ^ half aquar soil capped will 2 inches or more sand with a lot of natural plants what would recommend please. Many 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

Is it feasible to use pumice stone mixed into the soil substrate, and then seal it with sand? buy a bag of it (pumice) because I understand they can lead to the growth of beneficial bacteria on their porous surface. ~ in case of not using it mixed in the soil substrate, could I use it in another way?

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?

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