Water change pointless if you don't clean media?

StreetCypher

StreetCypher

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Apr 18, 2004
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I'm really strapped for time lately (studying for finals). So, i find the only time to do water changes is before i go to sleep (and i'm really tired). So, i end up only scrubbing the glass of algae and changing water. I usually clean the media every week (messy preds).

My question is, will all the buildup of 'stuff' in the filters make the water change pointless (fill it with clean water and then it just gets dirty again from the media)?

haha new emoticons :duh:
 
Rinseing out you filter media once a week should be fine.
Be sure to rinse it out in a bucket of tank water as not to disturb your benificial bacteria colony.
 
You are thinkng correctly to an extent. The water changes will remove notrates, and the gunk in the media will produce them. I would not say water changes are pointless, but you will have more difficulty maintaining th low nitrate levels you want. If you do not have time to clean media, then to me it becomes more essential to do anything you can to maintain the tank. So if you have time for frequent water changes and nothing more do them. when Finals are over spend a little extra time setting things back to rights.
dave
 
There is an element to the time scale involved too. Your water changes won't be useless, but if your media does get dirty fast, as you say, then it will be more difficult to maintain your NO3 levels, as daveedka pointed out.

However, it takes some time for things to break down too, how long a period is your exam schedule? Two weeks, three? I really have no clue how long it would take for uneaten food to break down, but my guess is that for the few weeks that you'll be running minimal maintenance you should be fine so long as you do a real thorough cleaning afterwards.
 
I agree with happy--and if you reduce the incoming source--feed less--the fish will be fine and there won't be as much solid waste getting trapped in the filter. I would try to get at least one media rinse done in the middle of the schedule, as well, but understand that doesn't always happen.

Another option may be to spend the time rinsing the media instead of doing the water change--count on the bacteria to do their job, and run some carbon to help with other things in the water, and remove the solids that might spike nitrates. Just a thought--hard to say which is more work for you.
 
Along similar lines, much of my substrate is planted and consists of caves and rockwork. I estimate that I can only gravelvac about 25% of the substrate without uprooting plants and collapsing caves during my weekly 20% water change. With this schedule, how often do you guys think I should to a complete teardown (uproot plants, move rocks), and do a 100% gravelvac? Biyearly, yearly, quarterly, or only if nitrates creep up?
 
I'd onlydo it if there's a reason. I haven't torn down a single tank just to clean--sometimes things get re-arranged and cleaned, and of course some plants need to be split to remain healthy--but I never schedule that, just do it as needed. Specific areas in the tank prone to trapping waste, like a chunk of wood or rock that just sits on top of the substrate, are cleaned more often, but this doesn't involve tearing the tank down--just picking it up, sweeping out the waste, and putting the item back down.
 
Also I would up that water change to at least 30%. It will help things stay more stable and shouldn't take much more time.

If your filter is a HOB then rinsing the pads shouldn't take more than an extra 2 minutes. But if it is a canister I can undertsand why you don't have the time right now.

Good luck on the exams.
 
Well upping the water change to 30% or above would actually mean siphoning, preparing and replacing a 2nd 5g bucket of water. That would take twice the time. Anyone else have a suggestion? 20% weekly enough or not? I've heard of people doing changes bi-monthly and even monthly. Mine are weekly so i didn't think the small volume was a problem, but if enough people think i'm doing wrong, I will up the routine.
 
I view 20% as the minimum changes I do weekly. I pull out more if needed, but at least get the 20%.
 
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