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She's definately set on having a fish tank with colourful fish on her sideboard and has no interest in flat packed budgies or other pets for company.

Googled  'self cleaning fish tanks'   and came across this website  called nocleanaquariums.com (sorry can't get it up as a link)  unusual tank, but a bit too small, would be ideal for MIL if it was slightly larger.

(The ideal F.Tank for MIL hasn't been designed yet.)

Another 'self cleaning' F.Tank  I came across, though can't remember the name of, grew plants in the top without soil, the fish's food and waste nourished and fed the plants which in turn kept the water and tank clean. It was just the right size for MIL, but don't think it's on sale yet. 

Hi Coast Walker

I had a look at the no clean aquariums and in my opinion its a bit of a con, they are only for siamese fighting fish which are able to breathe air although they do really need a filter to maintain water quality. The jar has an undergravel area that you flush through which is an interesting idea but I think you would be flushing your good bacteria that assist to maintain the tank away.

I think by the sound of it you are probably going to have to bite the bullet and get an ordinary tank and do a monthly partial change for her. It is possible to do it with light weight small buckets its what I have to do.

You can get away with a monthly partial water change with a well planted tank that has been allowed to mature. The whole maintainance takes me approximately 30 minutes a month on a 90 litre tank and I struggle due to physical problems.

If MiL wants a big tank some shops will do the maintainence for you for a fee but I think it would be quite expensive.

I use these to test my water simple, easy and effective.

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/6-in-1-water-testing-strips-25-pack-by-tetra-16292

Thanks too, to Madz, mick S and Bozler,

Have taken it all onboard hopefully, (keeping there is more difficult )  everyone's input together has provided us with a good insight into a previously unknow topic, will pass it onto MIL.  

We're still not interested in being lumbered with cleaning out duties as we have enough duties for 'others' lined up for us each week, but will let you all know the eventual outcome.   

Sorry, I've read this for a while and feel I have to say something.

Fish are not ornaments, they are pets that require responsibility and commitment.

I appreciate that you have researched how tricky they are by asking the question on here, however, despite numerous people advsing you they they are not easy pets to keep and maintain, you still intend to purchase them, and are now looking at 'self-cleaning' tanks as an easy (lazy) way round this.

How sad for any future fish you may own.

Fish crap and pee in their water. Nothing, upon nothing can or will clean this up for you. No filters, no bottom feeders, nothing. There is no such thing as a self cleaning tank.

You may see the by products by eye, but ammonia, nitrites and nitrates will build up in the tank, and will kill your fish. Not sure about you, but I wouldn't want to spend a miserable existence floating around breathing in a noxious cloud of my own excrement just because I looked pretty to somebody. Only to die and be replaced because 'that's what fish do'.

I suggest you google 'cycling' a fish tank, so you know and understand the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate process.

It sounds confusing, but is quite simple.

Fish poo & pee = ammonia. Bacteria introduced to a new tank change ammonia to nitrite. Bacteria then change that to nitrate which is the safest chemical for fish to live in. Howver weekly 10% (no more than this) water changes should be done to maintain healthy levels of nitrates. In excess these can be damaging to the fish.

Without cycling a tank before you add fish they are likely to die. There is no point leaving a tank to sit for 5, 7 or 30 days before you put fish in. Without adding bacteria to start cycling then it will achieve nothing.

I know this comes across as harsh, but I truly believe that the vast majority of fish in this country have a very rough deal and are not researched well and not looked after correctly once bought.

Like I said, they are living, breathing things and desreve to be seen as more than ornaments.

Thank you for all your recent replies, all input taken on board

As said before, we're not interested in tank cleaning duties ourselves and have never been interested in keeping fish, though they do look good on someone elses sideboard.

All pets should be well looked after by their owners. (No pet is an ornament)

MIL can have her Fish in a Fish Tank if she is fully prepared and is capeable to care for them and can cope on her own.

Not knowing anything about the subject before, we are doing a little 'Fishing' around  (some homework)  to weigh up how easy/not easy it is to look after fish.

TBH would prefer MIL to have a Flat packed Budgie