I Will Never Do A Water Change

[beany_bot]

Hey guys, I see a lot of topics on here about water changes and people doing them. Some people seem to do water changes every week!!!!.

I have kept fish for 15 years now and NEVER do water changes and i have never had a problem. I only clean the filter about once every 2 years. I just dont seem to have any problems? My fish are healthy and my water is clear. why do you guys change your water so much?

 

[mark7616]

 

[Esfa]

Hey guys, I see a lot of topics on here about water changes and people doing them. Some people seem to do water changes every week!!!!.

I have kept fish for 15 years now and NEVER do water changes and i have never had a problem. I only clean the filter about once every 2 years. I just dont seem to have any problems? My fish are healthy and my water is clear. why do you guys change your water so much?

because the nitrate would build up and soon kill your fish (although this usually only happens then its 100+ ppm)

it is possible to have a self-sustaining tank, but as far as im aware these need to be very lightly stocked, and very heavily planted.

 

[beany_bot]

What

 

[Helen G]

Can we have pics and stats of your selfsustaining tank please

 

[beany_bot]

Can we have pics and stats of your selfsustaining tank please

Well is any tank i have ever owned!!! Also i dont have stats because i have never tested for anything. I think its all a bit OTT. I just put tap water in tank, plant, cycle as usual, add fish gradually and then leave it for x number of years. never had a problem. only thing is sometimes i have had whitespot from the lfs but just med as usual.

 

[Esfa]

if you've never tested it, how do you know it's fine?

you could have really high nitrates.

 

[Piltdownpaul]

It isnt a natural system is it. In the real world if the fish lived in a river the water would be changed reasonably rapidly, if it was in a lake or pond it would have a large volume of water for the ammonia etc to dissipate. So keeping an amount of fish enclosed in the same water for years seems like an unnatural situation to me. Probably 99% of people on here do some sort of monthly,weekly water change and i'm sure my fish love the fresh water-it certainly invigorates them. Got to be right as far as i can see.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

It isnt a natural system is it. In the real world if the fish lived in a river the water would be changed reasonably rapidly, if it was in a lake or pond it would have a large volume of water for the ammonia etc to dissipate. So keeping an amount of fish enclosed in the same water for years seems like an unnatural situation to me. Probably 99% of people on here do some sort of monthly,weekly water change and i'm sure my fish love the fresh water-it certainly invigorates them. Got to be right as far as i can see.

i agree its not quite natural!!

 

[Thomas 2507]

basically, i think it's just foolish not to do water changes. it puts your fish at risk.

 

[Helen G]

In the wild, mother nature performs natural water changes in the rainy season, with old water evaporating in the dry.

 

[emmsy]

No good I can't sleep. I still feel drunk. WOW, you have never done a water change!......okay, can I put that into context. It's like sleeping in a bed that the covers haven't been changed for a week.

Naah mate, I can't endorse what you are doing.

Emma

 

[Helen G]

It's like sleeping in a bed that the covers haven't been changed for a week.

Eeeew, I change mine at least twice a week! imagine sleeping in the same covers for years!

 

[Esfa]

Eeeew, I change mine at least twice a week! imagine sleeping in the same covers for years!

Erm...

 

[emmsy]

Eeeew, I change mine at least twice a week! imagine sleeping in the same covers for years!

Erm...

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Emma