Is Water Change Always Necessary?

[Beemeeup]

if the ammonia and nitrite readings are 0 (nil) and the nitrate reading within reasonable parameters - is there a need to regularly change the water?

will nitrates always rise and therefore a regular water change is inevitable?

in a well planted and co2 plenished tank - can there be long periods before water changing?

 

[Bignose]

nitrates are not the only things that get in the tank that should be removed.

Firstly, your water's buffering capacity needs to be refreshed. The end products of the cycle are acidic, and given enough time without refreshing the buffers, your tank will drop in pH, sometimes very quickly. Given the other benefits of a water change, I feel the best buffer refresher is new water, instead of chemicals.

Secondly, there are tiny concentrations of all sort of other things in the tank that cannot be healthy for your fish. These chemicals are in the air and some of them do eventually make their way into your tank. I am talking about things like cooking oil, cigarette or candle smoke, carpet fumes, fumes from cleaning products, and many more. For people, all we have to do is open a window and clear the air. But, small concentrations of these get in the tank, part per million, parts per billion, maybe less, and for short times they probably have a negligible effect. But, if you don't change some water out, they sit in there, and build up, and I cannot imagine that they are good for the fish's long-term health.

Finally, for the sake of the fish, don't they always seem more perky and vibrant after a water change? During certain times of the year, every time I do a water change my corys respond with a spawning event. All the evidence I have ever seen shows that more water changes, the fish will respond will greater health and vitality. I keep fish to try to keep a little slice of nature in my home, and while it is impractical for most of us to do continuous water changes like nature provides, that water change is trying to approximate nature.

 

[Beemeeup]

nitrates are not the only things that get in the tank that should be removed.

Firstly, your water's buffering capacity needs to be refreshed. The end products of the cycle are acidic, and given enough time without refreshing the buffers, your tank will drop in pH, sometimes very quickly. Given the other benefits of a water change, I feel the best buffer refresher is new water, instead of chemicals.

Secondly, there are tiny concentrations of all sort of other things in the tank that cannot be healthy for your fish. These chemicals are in the air and some of them do eventually make their way into your tank. I am talking about things like cooking oil, cigarette or candle smoke, carpet fumes, fumes from cleaning products, and many more. For people, all we have to do is open a window and clear the air. But, small concentrations of these get in the tank, part per million, parts per billion, maybe less, and for short times they probably have a negligible effect. But, if you don't change some water out, they sit in there, and build up, and I cannot imagine that they are good for the fish's long-term health.

Finally, for the sake of the fish, don't they always seem more perky and vibrant after a water change? During certain times of the year, every time I do a water change my corys respond with a spawning event. All the evidence I have ever seen shows that more water changes, the fish will respond will greater health and vitality. I keep fish to try to keep a little slice of nature in my home, and while it is impractical for most of us to do continuous water changes like nature provides, that water change is trying to approximate nature.

nitrates are not the only things that get in the tank that should be removed.

Firstly, your water's buffering capacity needs to be refreshed. The end products of the cycle are acidic, and given enough time without refreshing the buffers, your tank will drop in pH, sometimes very quickly. Given the other benefits of a water change, I feel the best buffer refresher is new water, instead of chemicals.

Secondly, there are tiny concentrations of all sort of other things in the tank that cannot be healthy for your fish. These chemicals are in the air and some of them do eventually make their way into your tank. I am talking about things like cooking oil, cigarette or candle smoke, carpet fumes, fumes from cleaning products, and many more. For people, all we have to do is open a window and clear the air. But, small concentrations of these get in the tank, part per million, parts per billion, maybe less, and for short times they probably have a negligible effect. But, if you don't change some water out, they sit in there, and build up, and I cannot imagine that they are good for the fish's long-term health.

Finally, for the sake of the fish, don't they always seem more perky and vibrant after a water change? During certain times of the year, every time I do a water change my corys respond with a spawning event. All the evidence I have ever seen shows that more water changes, the fish will respond will greater health and vitality. I keep fish to try to keep a little slice of nature in my home, and while it is impractical for most of us to do continuous water changes like nature provides, that water change is trying to approximate nature.

thanks for your time and comments - as i am about to add fish in a week or so time - you have convinced me to undertake regular water changes from then on

 

[cujoho78]

Hi. In addition to the comments left by Bignose, water changes replenish trace elements and minerals that are unseen in the water. These minerals are used both by the fish and the plants and so is another good reason to keep up with the regular water changes.

Changing water really is the best thing you can do for your fish in my opinion. Good luck.

 

[Beemeeup]

Hi. In addition to the comments left by Bignose, water changes replenish trace elements and minerals that are unseen in the water. These minerals are used both by the fish and the plants and so is another good reason to keep up with the regular water changes.

Changing water really is the best thing you can do for your fish in my opinion. Good luck.

thankyou for your helpful comments.

 

[mr.dark-saint]

I don't do water changes like some of the folks here (as a second religion). I loose about 5 gallons of water to the air a month so my main reason is just to remove the brown muck.

As for the "replenishing trace elements and minerals" I doubt it unless you're using well water. At most I can add Phosphates and other undesireables in the water to the tank. Ideally I just want clean water (no nothing just water) since there is enough minerals in the tank from Calcium based rocks and sand (desolving). Trace elements on the other hand it'll just depend on the region and the source of the water but I see this comming out of some bottle than the tap.

 

[raptorrex]

if the ammonia and nitrite readings are 0 (nil) and the nitrate reading within reasonable parameters - is there a need to regularly change the water?

will nitrates always rise and therefore a regular water change is inevitable?

in a well planted and co2 plenished tank - can there be long periods before water changing?

lol
yes
yes
no.

 

[andywg]

if the ammonia and nitrite readings are 0 (nil) and the nitrate reading within reasonable parameters - is there a need to regularly change the water?

will nitrates always rise and therefore a regular water change is inevitable?

in a well planted and co2 plenished tank - can there be long periods before water changing?

lol
yes
yes
no.

Actually, a number of people do keep planted tanks where the plants are the filter and do very minimal water changes (think once per year). Also, in these tanks the nitrates do not rise as they never appear. The palnts take up the ammonia and utilise that, meaning the baacteria never form to break down ammonia into nitrites and then nitrates.

 

[Bullrock74]

Changing water really is the best thing you can do for your fish in my opinion.

Unless you are using tap water and your water supplier goofs! I know the chances are small, but it does happen. But, that does not deter me from performing regular water changes.

 

[Beemeeup]

if the ammonia and nitrite readings are 0 (nil) and the nitrate reading within reasonable parameters - is there a need to regularly change the water?

will nitrates always rise and therefore a regular water change is inevitable?

in a well planted and co2 plenished tank - can there be long periods before water changing?

lol
yes
yes
no.

thanks for advice - i'm beginning to understand the science but all i want is to do the correct thing.