yup. with freshwater, its the same.
its the bicarbonate buffer system. its the chemistry of H20, CO2, and CaCO3 and the associated equilbriums.
Are Water Changes Actually Necessary?
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yup. with freshwater, its the same.
its the bicarbonate buffer system. its the chemistry of H20, CO2, and CaCO3 and the associated equilbriums.
Necessary. Absolutely.
They are necessary to remove DOCs (dissolved organic coumpounds such as tannins, humic acids, proteins, phenol oils, sugars and fatty acids) that are not removed through any other natural biological process or mechanical filtration in the aquarium. Some of these can be beneficial to some species, but ALL of them are not good for anything.
In some instances w/c will also renew the buffering capacity to stabalize pH. They will add Mg and Ca which is esential for many life forms in the aquarium (the mistery minerals you ask about). Although this can be accomplished by adding additional minerals as your tanks need them- if you aint gonna do a W/c, I can't see you spending twice the time effort and money necessary to test regularly to monitor these levels and dose required minerals to maintain it.
The idea that someone actually said H2O is the only thing in an aquarium and the only thing that comes out of your tap is laughable.
Nicze did not keep fish tanks to my knowlege. When it comes to pholisophy, that is a proper statement. When it comes to chemistry, biology and sciences in general, often there is only one right way.
As my signture has always stated the plural of anecdote is not data. I don't care how many people got lucky with survival stories. I voulenteered at my local animal shelter where you will find many stories of dogs and cats starved for weeks, left out in sub zero weather. Some have been shot, beaten, stabbed or even set on fire who survived. I don't know anyone who would call it proper stewardship. I am not equating not doing water changes with setting a kitten on fire- I am playing devils advocate to make the point that just because some people may have had a couple exceptional survivors does not prove the care they recieved was sufficent. Why buy a fish if "barely surviving" is the goal for your pet?
They are necessary to remove DOCs (dissolved organic coumpounds such as tannins, humic acids, proteins, phenol oils, sugars and fatty acids) that are not removed through any other natural biological process or mechanical filtration in the aquarium. Some of these can be beneficial to some species, but ALL of them are not good for anything.
In some instances w/c will also renew the buffering capacity to stabalize pH. They will add Mg and Ca which is esential for many life forms in the aquarium (the mistery minerals you ask about). Although this can be accomplished by adding additional minerals as your tanks need them- if you aint gonna do a W/c, I can't see you spending twice the time effort and money necessary to test regularly to monitor these levels and dose required minerals to maintain it.
The idea that someone actually said H2O is the only thing in an aquarium and the only thing that comes out of your tap is laughable.
Nicze did not keep fish tanks to my knowlege. When it comes to pholisophy, that is a proper statement. When it comes to chemistry, biology and sciences in general, often there is only one right way.
As my signture has always stated the plural of anecdote is not data. I don't care how many people got lucky with survival stories. I voulenteered at my local animal shelter where you will find many stories of dogs and cats starved for weeks, left out in sub zero weather. Some have been shot, beaten, stabbed or even set on fire who survived. I don't know anyone who would call it proper stewardship. I am not equating not doing water changes with setting a kitten on fire- I am playing devils advocate to make the point that just because some people may have had a couple exceptional survivors does not prove the care they recieved was sufficent. Why buy a fish if "barely surviving" is the goal for your pet?
Ok, comments from the peanut gallery incoming:
Water changes are for one and only one purpose only - DILUTION of nitrate and dissolved solids.
That's it. Tap water and especially RO/DI water does not add trace elements to any beneficial degree.
As a student of aquaculture, hydroponics, and aquaponics, I can tell you that if you have in place a means to consume nitrate and dissolved solids there is absolutely no reason to do a water change ever.
That said. Less than 1% of all aquariums kept by the average hobbyist come close to that. Planted tanks are closest with nitrate consumption, but lack a means to deal with most dissolved solids.
Water changes are needed when those consumers don't exist.
A good parallel comparison and analogy would be dealing with household sewage.
You flush your toilet to get rid of sewage. That's the pretty much what we do when we do a water change.
A sewage treatment plant processes that sewage and purifies the water it is carried by. That would be the same as if you had a means to consume nitrate and extract dissolved solids from your aquarium.
Is it possible to create a system that nothing needs to be added other than top off. NO it's not.
Tidal movement exchanges water and brings with it trace elements from all kinds of resources. We still would need to add these to the tank even if the nitrate and dissolved solids were handled.
Could it be automated? Quite possibly with enough money and know-how, but doubtful in the home of the average aquarist.
Keep doing your water changes.
I'll be working on making the 4300 maintenance free and hopefully will be able to find a combination that works to address the nitrate and dissolved solids issue on a consistent basis.
Water changes are for one and only one purpose only - DILUTION of nitrate and dissolved solids.
That's it. Tap water and especially RO/DI water does not add trace elements to any beneficial degree.
As a student of aquaculture, hydroponics, and aquaponics, I can tell you that if you have in place a means to consume nitrate and dissolved solids there is absolutely no reason to do a water change ever.
That said. Less than 1% of all aquariums kept by the average hobbyist come close to that. Planted tanks are closest with nitrate consumption, but lack a means to deal with most dissolved solids.
Water changes are needed when those consumers don't exist.
A good parallel comparison and analogy would be dealing with household sewage.
You flush your toilet to get rid of sewage. That's the pretty much what we do when we do a water change.
A sewage treatment plant processes that sewage and purifies the water it is carried by. That would be the same as if you had a means to consume nitrate and extract dissolved solids from your aquarium.
Is it possible to create a system that nothing needs to be added other than top off. NO it's not.
Tidal movement exchanges water and brings with it trace elements from all kinds of resources. We still would need to add these to the tank even if the nitrate and dissolved solids were handled.
Could it be automated? Quite possibly with enough money and know-how, but doubtful in the home of the average aquarist.
Keep doing your water changes.
I'll be working on making the 4300 maintenance free and hopefully will be able to find a combination that works to address the nitrate and dissolved solids issue on a consistent basis.
Its amazing to me that people seem only concerned about nitrates, pH and buffering capacity (as if KH were the only measure and carbonate the only naturally ocurring buffer in an aquatic system).
They are the easiest to quantify and identify, the easiest to remove or add, but they are the tip of the iceberg. Very little is understood about disolved organics, besides their irrefutable existance. Here are some basic articles:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/rhf/index.php This is an excellent article listing both pros and cons, with an extensive bibliography of over 20 scientific texts. If you want to know more about the details, these would probably be a good start. This article is specific to marine aquariums. If you are interested in fresh water only, I am sure I can find more references, although most are very basic and state simply- they aint no good and you must do water changes to remove them.
They are the easiest to quantify and identify, the easiest to remove or add, but they are the tip of the iceberg. Very little is understood about disolved organics, besides their irrefutable existance. Here are some basic articles:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/rhf/index.php This is an excellent article listing both pros and cons, with an extensive bibliography of over 20 scientific texts. If you want to know more about the details, these would probably be a good start. This article is specific to marine aquariums. If you are interested in fresh water only, I am sure I can find more references, although most are very basic and state simply- they aint no good and you must do water changes to remove them.
Turbosaurus, that's my point exactly. No one addresses dissolved solids and trace elements. Even the advocates of weekly large water changes never say add trace elements.
With all due respect nola Pete, Both of these statements are incorrect, the exception being Ro/DI does not add trace elements to any beneficial degree. When speaking of tap water, its very different. To take the chemistry and REALLY REALLY simplify it, tap water with ONE single degree of GH will give you somewhere around 7ppm of Ca and 4ppm of Mg. Perhaps I misunderstand the solids comments and you did mean DOCs- if that is the case, my appologies
I have 3 or 4 friends who automate it- by setting up auto waterchangers plumbed inline to household water and waste lines. Its not that hard. My local planted tank club (NJAGC.net) has a member who can water change his fish tank from his iPhone.:worthy:
Plenty of Romans survived drinking water out of lead pipes. That doesn't mean it was a good idea.
I like changing the water in my tanks. The fish seem to like it and it makes sense since most of my fish are stream fish. Water is constantly being replaced in their natural habitat.
I like changing the water in my tanks. The fish seem to like it and it makes sense since most of my fish are stream fish. Water is constantly being replaced in their natural habitat.
Do your friends have it automated to add trace elements and buffers?
I did indeed mean DOC, but most people are not chemists, so I generalized with dissolved solids.
You are correct with your chemical analysis, but the part of the equation that you can't possibly take into account is the variable that water everywhere is NOT the same chemical makeup. Yes, water is H20, but I mean what the water contains.
In example, a friend has well water which he didn't realize he needed to degass before using and killed about 90% of his fry and stressed other fish horribly. He had purchased fish from me and those fish were doing excellent with my extremely hard and higher pH water.
I took the water chemical makeup out of the equation. Maybe I should have said ONLY if you use RO/DI water and added trace elements so that it would be a constant consistent across the board. We know that's not the case, so it's a moot point.
I'll concede to you in that the water change does restore hardness and pH, but those could also be managed by adding trace elements inclusive of buffers assuming RO/DI water is used to maintain hardness and pH.
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