Water Changes

[SchottayB]

I know water changes a nessasary in a new and mature tank.

But I'm just wondering how regular people do water changes for a tank thats mature and water stats are fine.

I know of some people who do a water change maybe 4 times a year! Sounds crazy, but they never have problems with there tank and/or fish by doing this.

And some people do one weekly or monthly?

It's a weird one....

 

[markandhisfish]

i do 50% waterchange minimum weekly . with no plants to help suck up nitrates etc i have to keep on top of things.

i have read about a planted tank method that uses next to no waterchanges cant remember what it was called tho

 

[StandbySetting]

On my low tech tanks which were planted they went without water changes for 6 months at a time, anaerobic bacteria can reduce nitrate into nitrogen, but it's not just about nitrate, there are certain trace minerals and other dissolved organics and inorganics which we do not test for that which may become depleted or rise to unacceptable levels and there are also other acidic products that may lead to a reduction in PH.

It all depends on the individual set up.

 

[SchottayB]

i do 50% waterchange minimum weekly . with no plants to help suck up nitrates etc i have to keep on top of things.

i have read about a planted tank method that uses next to no waterchanges cant remember what it was called tho

So people with planted tanks need hardly any water changes? As long as water stats are good?

 

[StandbySetting]

Depends on the set up, on a high tech set up water changes are generally done weekly, it all depends on fertilisation regime etc, but most that use the Walstad method or run low tech set ups leave them for months at a time, some aren't even filtered, the plants do all of the filtration.

 

[SchottayB]

So low tech setups can do find with out regular waterchanges?

 

[StandbySetting]

Yes and no, it depends on the set up, my definition of a true low tech set up would be one with no additional fertilisation, in this instance it is generally okay to not do frequent water changes, if you're adding fertilisers however, frequent water changes should be performed.

 

[minnnt]

Something i am interested in too as 2 of my 3 main tanks are becoming to be more planted and need to know if i would be doing more damage by doing waterchanges than not doing them (or at least a smaller percentage)

Forgot to say, all 3 of my tanks i believe are classed as low lighting? An Aqua One ar620 with the standard lighting, a fluval 125 with 2 T8's and a fluval 180 with 2 T5's?

 

[SchottayB]

If you was adding ferts weekly, would you be doing weekly water changes? and if so what percent?

If you had a planted tank with no ferts being added, but water stats good, what water changes would you preform then?

 

[Dutsey]

According to The Bumper Book of Tropical Aquarium Fishes the water should be changed monthly.

From my own experience when I was changing the water every week I was losing fish. This could of been a coincidence but since I do less frequent changes havn't lost a fish.

 

[cheeky chappie]

rio 180, no real plants etc, barebottom, been set up for a few months now, i do 50% weekly changes and add 'tap safe' stuff at same time. so far (touch wood) so good, good enough stats and fish seem healthy.

 

[StandbySetting]

Well in a low tech set up there is no need to add fertilisers anyway generally, the fish should provide enough nutrients.

In planted set ups there's no real need to measure nitrate concentrations, the test kits are so inaccurate it's not worth testing for, and nitrate concentrations aren't likely to be a problem in a low tech set up as the plants consume the ammonium produced by the fish before it goes under the nitrification process, any surpless ammonia will be processed by the filter, if you're doing infrequent water changes they should be done in small percentages as the difference in water chemistry in tap water and tank water will be vastly different.

In a high tech set up however where growth rates are fast and fertilisers are being added generally weekly water changes are done, this is to remove any products that the plants have produced, plus excess nutrients etc that have been added by the fertilisers, generally 50% should be done.