Do You Ever 100% Change

[Em29]

I was wondering if you ever do a full clean of the tank and how often. I get doing 90% wc if required due to sudden filter cycle or something but after some length of time do you need to clean the tank out and all the gravel etc?

If so - what do you do with all the carefully planted plants and their trailing roots? Is this something that should never need to be done as long as a gravel hoover is used and the tank is well maintained?

 

[Llegmore]

It's not something that I would recommend as a 100% clean destroys a large portion of the 'good' bacteria which is vital for the tank's nitrate cycle.

It should only be done if there is disease in the tank which cannot be eliminated by medication.

 

[HannahBear77]

the only time i did a full water was when i dumped all my fish food in the tank in my 30g and when my 2 bettas died in my 15g from being sick other than that i dont think you should do a full water change just cus

 

[Noahs ark6]

there is virtually no bacteria in the water itself, it's all in the filter media with a very small amount on ornaments and gravel, but never do a 100% change unless, as above, some sort of cleaning etc chemical or excess food has been added to the tank accidentally. The sudden change in parameters and/or stress could harm or kill the fish

 

[Llegmore]

Ah sorry. I thought by full clean as opposed to full water change you meant completely cleaning the filter too.

Noah's Ark is right.

 

[the_lock_man]

It's not something that I would recommend as a 100% clean destroys a large portion of the 'good' bacteria which is vital for the tank's nitrate cycle.

I would disagree with that. A 100% water change has problems which others have mentioned, but the bacteria cling onto the filter sponges and ceramics, they don't live in the water.

 

[Llegmore]

It's not something that I would recommend as a 100% clean destroys a large portion of the 'good' bacteria which is vital for the tank's nitrate cycle.

I would disagree with that. A 100% water change has problems which others have mentioned, but the bacteria cling onto the filter sponges and ceramics, they don't live in the water.

Lol. I already took it back. The statement was a 'full clean' not '100% water change' so I thought Em was including cleaning the filter not just changing the water.

 

[the_lock_man]

It's not something that I would recommend as a 100% clean destroys a large portion of the 'good' bacteria which is vital for the tank's nitrate cycle.

I would disagree with that. A 100% water change has problems which others have mentioned, but the bacteria cling onto the filter sponges and ceramics, they don't live in the water.

Lol. I already took it back. The statement was a 'full clean' not '100% water change' so I thought Em was including cleaning the filter not just changing the water.

Sorry, didn't see that. As you were......

 

[snowflake311]

I did 80-90% WC weekly never had a problem. Discus keepers do huge WC daily some do 100% WC. I have done 100 % no problems.

I did have a huge bacteria bloom when I did a 90% WC and cleaned the filters then replaced some media. This was bad. The bacteria bloom made my water cloudy and bacteria uses lots of O2 to reproduce so my fish were gasping for air. I had to run a power head full blast to boost the o2.

As long as you don't change your filter when you do large WC you will be fine.

 

[Em29]

Thanks everyone! Just trying to gather information really so I know about general maintenance.
I wouldn't ever clean the filter out completely - but was worried that over the course of a year or so I should be doing a full empty of the tank. Now that that isn't the case I am

 

[Akasha72]

the only time I've done a 100% w/c was when I changed the tank to sand. I think if you maintain the tank weekly and do w/c's then it shouldn't really be needed.

I have had to do large w/c's when I was cycling - just leaving enough water for the fish to swim upright in so probably 80-90% though. It's the only time those big changes should be needed - unless, as others have said - there's been some kind of accident.

 

[FishBlast]

I used to do 100% changes for 17 years until I've been told, on this forum, how to use a filter.
Used to carry a 16 gal, and later on a 5.5 gal fish tank to the bath tub to wash it. I didn't have any decorations in them most of the time. There was a time when I had some sand and plants... used to remove those too along with the fish, and put the fish in bowls till the tank was cleaned.

Nowadays, largest water change I did was 50%... and it did not end well for 2 of my fry that succumbed to whatever the next day. -.-