Water Change Frequency

[bronzecat]

Good post Rdd

The problem with this thread now is, that people who do less that weekly wc's are going to be put off posting by the aggressiveness of previous posts

 

[WillyRBeek]

I don't really have a set schedule, I just do 20% water changes in both of my tanks every 3-5 days.

 

[bronzecat]

Hi
As we have lots of various sized tanks, with bettas at various ages we have different schedules for each. The juveniles individually housed get water changes every 2-3 days. The ones in tanks with sponge filters get the uneaten food and poop syphoned out every 2-3 days and approx 25% per weekish. Any tanks, apart from the marine set-up, with power filters are done every 10 days give or take a day.

Other factors play a part though, i.e. dosing with meds, unexpected spikes etc....

I would also like to say i googled "tropical tank water change routine" After 1 and a half pages i got bored lol, but only one site said 25% or more weekly and then went on to add that it also varies depending on size of tank, stocking levels, filteration etc.....
The majority indicated 2 maybe 3 weeks, so it is fully understandable that people have varying views. I first started keeping fish some 23 years ago, longer than some so called internet experts have been alive, LOL. As the quality of filteration, dechlorinators and the like have improved, it makes it easier to keep a healthy tank these days. Before the "Internet" there were "books", and some were very good. The problem is, its far too easy for anyone to make a website with little effort or knowledge, but some people believe what they read on the net. Its a lot harder to write a book and get it published, not to mention far more expensive, and as such is normally only attempted by people who are knowledgeable and experienced. Probably one of the best books i owned was by Dr Axelrod, and that was from back in the 80's.

A forum is for education and sharing experiences not dictatorship

 

[Truck]

A forum is for education and sharing experiences not dictatorship

100% agree their

 

[TigerIssey]

I think there a alot of factors involved when decideing on your maintenance schedule, stocking levels, type of fish, filtration, planting, water quality of tap water to name a few.

Personally I do change 25% weekly this for me is based on a few of the previously mentioned factors. I have plecs, these are poop machines, along with plecs I have German Blue Rams now these fish are extremely sensitive and nitrate can never go above 20ppm, I choose not to let mine get above 15ppm. I have been growing out 6 angelfish and 8 rams in this tank so have not been letting nitrates get over 10ppm. Once some angels and rams are moved out of thhis tank I will probably revert to 25% fortnightly or every 3 weeks. I based my decision on the amount my nitrates were increasing in a weeks period, however I have also recently added more plants and am seeing a nitrate reduction from that. I would never leave my particular tank any longer than 3 weeks as I have low KH, the tank seems to run better if I regularly replace the carbonate buffering capabilities of my water via water changing ( I will occasionally add 1/2 tsp Bicarb to new water if dropping too fast)

I test my water before every water change, this |I think is because I am paranoid and like to know exactly what is going on). I could probably get away with less, this is how I choose to maintain my tank and it works for me.

 

[backtotropical]

50% every week on a wednesday although im currently riding out a nitrite spike with 3*75% changes a day with buckets

i must have had a freak die off

i test once a week (good job i spotted the spike!) and act accordingly

I am only home from school on the weekends.

When I come home, I check the levels, and based on my findings do a X% water change.

-FHM

I do 25-50% every monday, depending on the readins and i test every two or three days

I do 50% a week. Sometimes I might go 8 or 9 days.

I do a 30% water change and vac religiously every week although not always on the same day.

I change 50% every week regardless of stats. I only test if I see any other indication of a problem

Bitteraspects,

As you have quoted me indicating that I somehow agree with your opinion on aquatic maintenance, I feel that I must state that I don't.

Whilst I do weekly water changes, if you had read further down my post, I also said to Justkia

However, that said, you are performing some water changes, and as long as you change enough water to replenish essential minerals and prevent Old Tank Syndrome setting in, I foresee no problems.

The members you are arguing with, in my limited time on these forums, have shown themselves to me to be able and knowledgeable in not only the fish but also the water science.

Just for clarification, water changes every 2 weeks is fine assuming that your nitrate level doesn't go too high, same applies for monthly water changes. The only other factor which really influences the need for water changes is the dissolved mineral content, which I covered in my last post.

I change 50% weekly because I want to, but if I changed to 50% per fortnight would I be a less able fishkeeper??? You are entitled to your opinion of course, but I can assure you that the correct answer here is no.

BTT

 

[GSD]

I usually do 25% on all tanks weekly, although its not set in stone and i have left it alot longer with no problems, and all of my fish are thriving. Whatever works for different people, there are many variables that need taking into account, such as tank size, type of fish anf filtration before people are criticised.

I dont use water testing kits often and i have had my oldest tank 5 years with no problems.

 

[Athena]

Gosh! I think some people just like to cause contention on forums like this...you always get someone who gets a kick out of belittling others. Makes them feel superior. Ah well...

If the OP had come on here saying "Help my fish are dead - should i have done water changes?" then fair enough you could say she had a problem and lack of care caused the fish deaths. But she is saying that even though she does less water changes than the rest of us, her tank is pristine, water stats are perfect, fish are all healthy and thriving etc - so what IS the problem with that? Jeez, we should be applauding her for her success!

She has obviously got her tank set up and regime down to a "t" and is reaping the benefits! Well done to her!

Going back to the original question of how often we do water changes - well, on my larger tank that is way understocked, I often leave it 2 - 3 weeks before a water change, although the usual is 2 weeks (recently, with fry present I have been doing weekly changes). If I do weekly changes I remove just one washing-up bowlful - and I do gravel vacs fortnightly. If it's fortnightly I remove 2 and if it's been 3 weeks, I remove 3 bowlfuls. So basically 1 bowlful for each week that passes.

Nobody told me to do it this way - it's what I devised over a period of time - a routine I fell into because it works for my tank and my fish stay healthy.

On the two smaller tanks - again, one is understocked and I use the same routine as above - the other is fully stocked and this tank I try to do every Saturday - but even if I leave it a few days over this it doesn't cause a problem.

Everybody's tank is different - some are understocked, some are way overstocked, some have sensitive fish, others very hardy fish, some planted, others are not, some are over-filtered, others under-filtered (e.g. large tank with small filter) - so it's a bit impossible to say that everyone must follow the same tank maintenance regime.

Oh happy days! LOL

Off to do some work now - Athena

 

[Bigpig]

320l tank around 20-30% Weekly

 

[JustKia]

She has obviously got her tank set up and regime down to a "t" and is reaping the benefits! Well done to her!

Or rather Well Done TFF
Pretty much what I learnt I learnt here and then verified elsewhere - after all never trust one source to be 100% right 100% of the time.

-----------------------------------------

As for not "making the time" hehehe I have plenty of time. I have time to do several 90% WC per day - doesn't mean I should.
BTT's comment about the essential minerals is one area I am interested in - and something I am looking into further - such as which are essential and which are beneficial, even if not essential, how much and what are the various sources of such (sorry, but I like the science bits).

BitterAspects, I don't just base my actions on water stats - I use the stats to back up my observations. I observe that the fish are not swimming in their own poo, the water and substrate are clean and trust me poo shows up well on a pale sand base. They aren't swimming in waste (other than actual poo) because there is no trace of ammonia or nitrites. Although, it's interesting to think that I may have smaller bacterial colonies in my filter because of the plants using the ammonia.

Now, while this system works on my community tank, there is no way I could make it work on my smaller tank - which has less fish per litre. I need to do twice weekly water changes on the small tank and so I do. I know that I need to do those changes because of my observations. The community tank is one of the first things I see when I wake up - I can assure you I wouldn't want to be looking at a murky, dank sludge.

Diana Walstad's tanks interest me very much. I have no intention of changing the substrate in this particular tank (as she doesn't use sand), but when space and finances allow a bigger tank it's something I'm definitely going to try out.
I'm all for pushing boundaries, I rarely do something because someone says I should, but rather because I want to see for myself it works, to figure out tolerances, to see if there are other ways of acheiving the same or even better results and I'm not afraid to learn that I'm wrong or admit it, I'm not too proud to change what I do if it doesn't work.

I'm sorry if anyone feels belittled by BitterAspects but the clue is probably in the name. No need to justify yourselves, if your method works and you are happy then who cares what someone else thinks? I'm just interested to see, as per original post, who does what and how often (sure I'm interested in the "why" but the "why" wasn't really the question). So thanks to everyone who answered =)

 

[Darkstar]

thats where i think youre confused. this has nothing to do with my opinion of YOU or anyone else for that matter. i was never speaking directly to you.
furthermore, as i have stated NUMEROUS times, this isnt MY opinion. not only are there 10 other people in this thread alone saying they do weekly wc, but if you would bother to research it before responding, youd see that it is common practice everywhere.

There's not much worse in this hobby, than those that have learnt a little and think they know a lot...only to then start berating others about the way they do things.

Anything less then 25-30% weekly is poor husbandry

Making such a general sweeping statement just highlights the posters lack of knowledge imo.

 

[pippoodle]

my 180 ltr tank has been having weekly 30-40% water changes but now it is going to have 2 weekly (one every 2 weeks) water changes of 50% as the stats always show
nitrites 0
nitrates 0 (10-20 from tap then after about 30 hours drops to 0)
ammonia 0
ph7-7.2
i also turned the heater off so that the tank gets hotter in the day with the lights on about 24-26 degrees and colder at night about 20-22 degrees and the fish have been thriving - corys , gouramis (honey and dwarf) , harlequin rasboras and the rice fish have all started breeding the last 2-3 weeks - originally turned the heater down to 20 degrees but it never came on so last week turned the heater off completly

my 130 litre has 30 % weekly - though nitrates in that tank are now dropping to 0 after 3-4 days - if that one gets to drop within 1-2 days like the rio that one will go to 2 weekly 50% changes aswell , this ones heater has also been turned off so the tank has a more natural temp - warmer during the day and colder at night - the fish in here have also gone nuts breeding - though temp only reaches 24-25 in the day as lights are smaller than the rio

rekord 60 has 40% changes weekly - in cold kitchen so heater set to 22 degrees
55ltr hex has 20% twice weekly changes - no heater

I have a rena 30 litre half hex i'm using for a fry tank for the corys and gouramis and that one has 10 litres a day - heater set to 22 degrees

I have been constantly told by people that i should not turn my heater off and should keep a constant temp in the tank , but while talking to a breeder in Vietnam he said that he didnt think i would need a heater and that as long as the temps dont fall below 18-20 degrees then all the fish i have will thrive having the varied temp during night and day hours as the tank slowly heats up and cools down with the lights as it would with the sun --
So as far as it goes it's working perectly - the fish are brightly coloured , breeding and thriving

I think you learn something new all the time while keeping fish and should always listen to other thoughts and advice but not be preached to if you have found a regime that works for you and your fish

WELL DONE JUSTKIA - you have found a habitat and regime that suits your fish perfectly - if not they wouldnt be breeding and surviving aswell
Sarah x (sorry MS warble lol)

 

[JustKia]

Sarah, interesting comment about the heaters.
I turned the heater off in the community tank around the start of the year, and the temp sits around 23C and doesn't drop lower than 20C at night - I can't cope with cold so our flat is fairly warm anyway.

 

[pippoodle]

Sarah, interesting comment about the heaters.
I turned the heater off in the community tank around the start of the year, and the temp sits around 23C and doesn't drop lower than 20C at night - I can't cope with cold so our flat is fairly warm anyway.

snap our flat is warm all the time

 

[minxfishy]

Well mine depend on the tank and what fish are in it.

In my 100+g tank I do 50% w/c every 4/5 days no longer as it has rainbows in it and they like large frequent changes, I find if I dont they seem a little lethargic - couldnt tell you what the stats are as I only test if something seems amiss or if its just been cycled/cloned.

The 10g with ADF's 40% weekly. Again dont test unless need to.

The 47g will contain channas soon and they apparently do not like w/c so it will be done minimally once a month depending on the nitrAte levels.