Less Water Changes?

[gearhead65]

How many less water changes would have to be done with a moderately planted tank? For example, if I changed 25% a week without plants, what would this reduce to with a moderately to heavy planted tank? Is it true that plants use a lot of nitrates? Also, what is the purpose of water changes besides controlling the nitrate level? Thanks!

 

[ian]

Water changes in a planted tank ,it's to try and dilute the organic matter. As for reduction in water changes, we'd have to know how much light your using.

 

[gearhead65]

It's very low light. I only have one T8 for 30 gallons.

 

[ian]

We'd need to know the wattage, ie if it's a 15watt you could start to go down the less water change route. Google diana wallstad and have a read of her method. A few people on here do it as well, llj (planted mod) and supercoley have such tanks running at the min, I do think both tanks started with some c02 though.

 

[gearhead65]

Yeah, I believe it's only a 15 watt bulb.

 

[SuperColey1]

We can get away with no water changes because we have a great substrate that is sucking in nutrients away from the water column and very high plantmass.

I ran the first 6 months with pressurised CO2 and once I got to the point where I like the scape I pulled the CO2 off and haven't done a water change since (September 2009)

However you do need to be sure that you have good filtration. I don't mean you need the high turnover that hi tec tanks need, I just mean that you need to keep it well maintained. I clean mine every month.

I don't think it would hurt you to reduce to 10% weekly straight away stop dosing ferts and set lighting period to 8 hours. Once you are confident that the lower water changes are not hurting the fish then you can go fortnightly or stop. Just keep an eye on things. You can always do a major 50%+ change if something does go wrong.

Even when I was hi tec when I used the PMDD+P dosing I only did 10% weekly or 20% fortnightly. I don't think I needed to but was more a case of doubting the no-water change suggestions. I have changed my mind now though. lol

AC