Weekly Water Change Or Not

[Newbiesoulman]

hi everyone , can I please have some ball park advise on water weekly changes,
 
I have read that it should be 10 - 25 % a week , but I also read that it should be 10% every three weeks,
 
the water in my tank has now cycled and has been steady for the last 6 weeks at
 
ph 7.6
 
ammonia 0ppm
 
nitrate 0 ppm
 
nitraite 0 ppm
 
 
I have been doing  10% weekly water changes once the cycle finished , but I am worried maybe I am doing too many changes or not enough weekly water change , or maybe leave it as it is.
 
thanks in advance , Eddy

 

[levahe]

When it comes to water changes there isn't such thing as too much! Just set yourself a realistic manageable amount to change every week and try to stick to that.

 

[Newbiesoulman]

I have been doing once a week 10% change , do you think I need to up it to 25% a week , I haven't had any fish problems and the parameters are ok , Ed

 

[ech0o]

Eddy, is your tank planted?   If your nitrates are at 0 you must have a pretty good handle on the tank.   What you really watch out for in planted tanks is the fact that when you consistently top off evaporated water, there are heavy metals and other minerals in the water that start to build up, some of which are not used by plants or animals, and therefor they can get to dangerous levels.  It seems you have your nitrates perfectly handled, i would just be worried about total dissolved solids in the water, and i'd say a weekly 10-15% will for sure keep that level down.

 

[Newbiesoulman]

yes it is planted , I have about 20 cobumbas  but as its a big tank 150ltr ? , it aint cluttered up , with plenty of space , ok I will stick to the 10% as its staying steady on the nitrates , Thanks Eddy

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I have been changing water on 16-20 tanks for over a decade. My goal is to change 35-50% in every tank every week.
 
I am still looking for evidence that having water too fresh and/or to clean can harm fish in any way (this does not imply that pure water is what is needed).

 

[fishwarrior]

I do 50% water change every week, sometimes a little more.

 

[frapadoodle]

Mostly about 25%, although when adding stock or doing a move around I bump it up to 35-50%.

 

[ech0o]

I have been changing water on 16-20 tanks for over a decade. My goal is to change 35-50% in every tank every week.
 
I am still looking for evidence that having water too fresh and/or to clean can harm fish in any way (this does not imply that pure water is what is needed).

 
This is absolutely true, too much clean water does not exist.   HOWEVER, if you are going to do substantial water changes, be careful at the speed in which you add the water back to the tank, treat it like acclimatization and do it in a few time spaced amounts.   I have put an entire tank into shock doing an almost 50% water change and adding the water back into the tank too quickly.

 

[richpowell1989]

I always change at least a third of the water volume on all my tanks every sunday

 

[KirkyArcher]

Really depends on the on bio-load your tank (result of stock level) against filter media volumes and filter change over rate as to how much water is required to change, more fish more poo more water changing, and amount of vacuuming done weekly can all be influencing factors, do you use any filter media such as seachem purigen, or prime or Fluval clearmax or similar?
While it is tempting to assume that as water stats are remaining in the healthy regions on the charts that less water changing is required, but things to give some thought too are going to be reducing the likely hood and or duration of bacterial /algal blooms, and perhaps even disease reduction all be benefits from larger/regular water changes.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I refill all my tanks using pumps and hoses. I fill them as fast as possible as long as I am not blowing plants out of the substrate, substrate off the bottom or fish out of a tank. it has never cased any issues. I do not put tap directly into the tank as my tap pH is 1.0 or so lower than its real level due to being saturated with co2.
 
I set water up in a big can at temp and while working on the tank I run the pump so that the co2 out gasses. My temp is usually +/- 5F from the tank and no issues. I do not have to dechlor as I have well water.
 
Unless there is something radically different in therm of the parameters in the tank and those of the new water, it should not be necessary to add slowly. It is important to either add the dechlor to the new water before putting it into the tank or else to put the dechlor into the tank before the new water goes in.

 

[Ch4rlie]

I usually do about 30 to 35% water changes every week. My tank is moderately planted and has rainbowfish, shrimps, and snails so not a massive bio load but for my own peace of mind I do that amount every week.
 
I use the hose and pump method of water changes, de-chlor whole volume of tank water while refilling tank at a fairly slow pace as water is directly from tap.