Water changes

[JuiceBox52]

I have 10 aquariums, and I do weekly 50% water changes. However, I'm leaving on Friday for 19 days, I'm planning on doing a water change tomorrow before I leave. Should I just leave the tanks without a water change while I'm gone? Or should I teach my family and have my parents do a w/c while I'm gone? Most of the tanks are planted pretty heavily, 3 are not planted.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

I think it may depends on what is the bioload and how heavily planted your tanks are.
If you have many fast growing plants like Hornworts, Anacharis Elodea, Cabomba, then it may help.
You may also have to feed less during this period if you don't change the water.

But if you have big fish above 4", it might be difficult not to change water.

I know of one guy who posted in the FB saying that he didn't change his tank water for a year.
He has some plants, Guppies and shrimps in his tank (probably light bio load).

 

[JuiceBox52]

I think it may depends on what is the bioload and how heavily planted your tanks are.
If you have many fast growing plants like Hornworts, Anacharis Elodea, Cabomba, then it may help.
You may also have to feed less during this period if you don't change the water.

But if you have big fish above 4", it might be difficult not to change water.

I know of one guy who posted in the FB saying that he didn't change his tank water for a year.
He has some plants, Guppies and shrimps in his tank (probably light bio load

My bioload is fairly low on all but one tank, which is one of the non-planted ones. And it's the one with the biggest fish. (The stocking is an absolute mess, it was a bunch of rescue fish and was supposed to be temporary, I'm working on fixing it) it's a 55g with 2 rainbow sharks, 3 giant danios, and African leaf fish, 1 yoyo loach, 1 Columbian tetra, and 1 skirt tetra. (Nobody stock a tank like this it's not good lol) all the other tanks have fast growing floaters

 

[Colin_T]

Leave them alone.

If nobody is feeding them they won't need the water changes.
If someone is feeding them 2-3 times a week, they still won't need the water changes.

They will only need water changing if someone is feeding them every day, and I wouldn't recommend that.

-----------------
Clean your filters today.

Do a water change today or tomorrow.

Increase the lighting times to 14-16 hours a day to encourage algae and plant growth. This will give the fish something to snack on and help keep the water cleaner.

Feed the fish before you go and have a nice holiday

 

[JuiceBox52]

Great! I only feed 2-3 times a week anyway, when I'm at my other house with the fish. Thanks!

 

[Colin_T]

just feed them up a bit before you go

 

[itiwhetu]

Leave them alone, they will be fine.

 

[GaryE]

When I travel and have non-fishkeeping friends feed my fish often - fish die. If you can trust someone to feed sparingly 2 or 3 times while you're gone, all should be well. No food will mean a reduction is bioload.
You might want to measure out 3 or 4 feedings and leave them on top of the tanks to be dumped in one at a time.
I would do a series of smaller water changes when you return - maybe 3 20% over 3 days instead of the regular 50%. The water will change over 3 weeks, and you don't want to shock any of the tanks.

 

[JuiceBox52]

When I travel and have non-fishkeeping friends feed my fish often - fish die. If you can trust someone to feed sparingly 2 or 3 times while you're gone, all should be well. No food will mean a reduction is bioload.
You might want to measure out 3 or 4 feedings and leave them on top of the tanks to be dumped in one at a time.
I would do a series of smaller water changes when you return - maybe 3 20% over 3 days instead of the regular 50%. The water will change over 3 weeks, and you don't want to shock any of the tanks.

Yes I was going to have my parents feed them!