Curious As To What You Would Do

[pixelpefekt]

At the moment I've got a small community tank and a smaller shrimp tank. I've got into the habit of making water changes twice a week. When I change the water twice a week, the community tank nitrate levels never really get above 5 whilst the shrimp tank nitrate levels are even lower.

If I only change the water once a week the community tank shows at about 20 and the shrimp tank somewhere between 5 - 20


Do you think I should keep changing water twice a week or chill out a bit and do it once a week?

 

[smegforbrains]

Nothing wrong with 5 NitrATE.


just means you have a well matured tank and you are quite understocked.


I would keep up with twice weekly changes.

 

[drobbyb]

I do twice weekly myself. There's nothing wrong with it. It's just a bit more work than your average fishkeeper.

 

[pixelpefekt]

Think i will keep up the twice a week changes for peace of mind.

Think I've read that nitrates are okay as long as they are kept below 40. Is this true?

 

[kribensis12]

^ Si mi amigo =]

 

[joecoral]

What percent do you change when you do it?
If you are doing say 20% at a time, instead of doing 2 x 20% changes, why not just do one 40% change a week

 

[pixelpefekt]

What percent do you change when you do it?
If you are doing say 20% at a time, instead of doing 2 x 20% changes, why not just do one 40% change a week

It's only a small tank so I'm changing about 33% each time. I have in the past gone for a 60% when I've returned from holiday or something like that but it tends to spook the fish more as the water level is fairly low at that point.

 

[andywg]

Think i will keep up the twice a week changes for peace of mind.

Think I've read that nitrates are okay as long as they are kept below 40. Is this true?

It isn't true. 40ppm is a made up figure with no basis in science. The science on the issue suggests somewhere between 400 and 1,000 ppm is the safe level for fish.

Many people in London have nitrates of 40ppm yet keep sensitive fish such as rays without issues.

 

[pixelpefekt]

Think i will keep up the twice a week changes for peace of mind.

Think I've read that nitrates are okay as long as they are kept below 40. Is this true?

It isn't true. 40ppm is a made up figure with no basis in science. The science on the issue suggests somewhere between 400 and 1,000 ppm is the safe level for fish.

Many people in London have nitrates of 40ppm yet keep sensitive fish such as rays without issues.

That's amazing. I wonder where these figures and guidelines come from!?

 

[joecoral]

Think i will keep up the twice a week changes for peace of mind.

Think I've read that nitrates are okay as long as they are kept below 40. Is this true?

It isn't true. 40ppm is a made up figure with no basis in science. The science on the issue suggests somewhere between 400 and 1,000 ppm is the safe level for fish.

Many people in London have nitrates of 40ppm yet keep sensitive fish such as rays without issues.

That's amazing. I wonder where these figures and guidelines come from!?

Most of the time they get pulled out of thin air by so-called experts, and slowly filter down as a "rule"