How long can you go without changing water?

S

Southwestern

AC Members
Jul 23, 2010
145
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Southwestern USA
I have a 100g tank running two Filstar XP3's. I think those filters move about 250gph each. There are 5 medium sized fish and 4 loaches running around inside.

How long can I go without changing the water?

I ask because I will be traveling a few times and I'm trying to determine how to handle it all.

Thanks!
 
Change water day before you go, and big change after you return.
 
Well, I hate to say it,(and I may get hammered for it), but I go on the road for a month at a time a few times a year, and aside from my daughter feeding them once a day, my 92 Gal. tank gets absolutely no maintenance while I'm gone (I'm actually gone now, and I can't wait to get home to do a WC!) I just make sure to do more than regular WC's in the weeks leading up to my leaving and service the filter the day before I leave. I've been doing this for the last 15 years or so, and although the there might be a little mulm build-up when I get back, it's not too bad and generally everything is fine, especially since I started planting my tank. It actually seems to let my tank arrive at a little balance, without me sticking my hands in it all of the time. I only run one Rena xp3 on my tank, but I'm looking to upgrade to a Fluval x5 soon.

I should think that with your filtration you should be fine if you really clean the tank and service your filter well right before you leave.
 
how long will you be gone in your travels? and do you have somebody in line to check in on your tank and feed your fish on a regular basis while you are gone?

i'll be honest, i've let my tanks go 2 months a couple of times without issue. but i wouldn't recommend that to anybody else, ever.

water changes don't just take out the fish poop and lower nitrates, they also lower the TDS (total dissolved solids) and DOC (dissolved organic compounds). keeping the levels of these two things in check means happy and healthy fish, in addition to keeping the nitrate levels within acceptable standards (usually under 40 ppm).

do you know how long you will be gone for? if it's a month, then i'd do a large water change a day or two before you leave and that should be ok. if you are gone longer than a month then i would consider a tank maintenance company or a knowledgeable fishy friend to come in and do a water change for you in your absence.
 
Mgamer20o0 said:
2 weeks is fine unless you are extremely over stocked and even if its a couple times a week it shouldnt be much of a problem. if you are going to be gone for 2 weeks i would be more worried about making sure someone doesnt over feed.
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Very True. I had to practice with my daughter on a plate with the flakes and algae wafers over and over to make sure she got the amount right!
 
Mgamer20o0 said:
2 weeks is fine unless you are extremely over stocked and even if its a couple times a week it shouldnt be much of a problem. if you are going to be gone for 2 weeks i would be more worried about making sure someone doesnt over feed.
Click to expand...
I totally agree. If your tank is established and stable and healthy, you'll be fine. I would do several smaller changes every day for a few days before you go, and get a timer (if you don't already have one) for the lights. If you don't have live plants, you could even leave the lights off. Making sure they're not overfed is another key issue.
 
Good advice above, though I wouldn't recommend servicing the filters the day before leaving...
 
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