Nitrate And Water Changes

[pirategrl]

Do you still do a partial water change every week if your nitrates are reading 0?  

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Water changes are carried out for lots of reasons. Lowering Nitrates is one, Nitrites and Ammonia others. It can add freshwater to your tank and stimulate spawning in certain fish.

I don't even really check my Nitrates at the moment but still change water every week.

On the other hand I set a tank up a long time ago that I didn't change the water on for months. Everything was perfect so I left it alone.

I think these days you'll find more people recommending regular changes though, if only as part of regular maintenance of your tank.

 

[cowboy507]

A 10-20% water change is recommended every week. Along with that most people like to do a simple maintenance with it also, such as cleaning the outside of the tank, scrubbing alge off, replacing chemical filters, ect

 

[pirategrl]

Thanks.  I was thinking it's probably a good idea for me to do it just to stay in the habit.  Is it normal for the nitrates to stay 0 for an entire week?  I do have plants but while it was cycling I was getting some nitrates.  

 

[attibones]

Now that it is finished cycling, you will not have any nitrates (or very few). While cycling, you were creating a massive amount of nitrIte to be changed into nitrAte. Your plants are now able to absorb the remaining amount of nitrate which would be found in a non-planted aquarium.

 

[pirategrl]

ok great!  I was worried I was doing something wrong.  

 

[frapadoodle]

I always have nitrates in my tanks. 20ppm, but I also have them in my tap water.
As has been said waterchanges are done for many reasons. Another is if you have fry, they excrete a chemical that inhibit growth. Water changes help to remove it.