50% once a week keeps my tanks like chrystal.... speakin of which i need to get off here and get mine started
Can someone explain water changes?
- Thread starter Paintballer99
- Start date
Most of my tanks get 50% especially the ones with EI dosing (planted tanks). The colony tanks get 25% at a minimum, the tanks with more wood, get maybe 50%, cause they look like tea water very quickly.
But think of Water Changes as such, they're the cheapest water filtration on the planet, remove and dilute pollutants and for some species of fish, it is the difference towards healthy fish.
But think of Water Changes as such, they're the cheapest water filtration on the planet, remove and dilute pollutants and for some species of fish, it is the difference towards healthy fish.
Depending on the poop/ or debris on your tank bottom. Get it all out or as much as possible.
Now if you dont have a poop or debris problem to vacuum out- then a 10% Water change once a week will be fine.
I also am assuming you have a good filter gph rate. Thats important on keeping your water and fish at their optimum
Now if you dont have a poop or debris problem to vacuum out- then a 10% Water change once a week will be fine.
I also am assuming you have a good filter gph rate. Thats important on keeping your water and fish at their optimum
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I agree. If you have somewhat sensitive fish, it's better to do frequent, small water changes because they cause smaller swings in the water parameters. With my big, messy tank, the fish are all pretty big and hardy, so they get around a 60-70% change once a week cause I know they can take it and they are dirty fish. With my baby lungfish that I'm more concerned about, I do about a 15-20% change every 2-4 days or so.
Also, Paintballer, great job figuring things out first and starting off right like a lot of us probably wish we did. I don't even want to think about how many fish I killed as a kid figuring things out on my own...
Congrats on doing your research first! I had to put in some agreement with a couple of points.
1. too many variables to set up a maintenance schedule before hand. let the water tests guide you, as well as the stock load in the tank.
2. smaller changes more frequently can make maintenance less overwhelming (especially for big tanks) and are probably a bit better for the fish as they cause less movement in parameters.
1. too many variables to set up a maintenance schedule before hand. let the water tests guide you, as well as the stock load in the tank.
2. smaller changes more frequently can make maintenance less overwhelming (especially for big tanks) and are probably a bit better for the fish as they cause less movement in parameters.
First, there is no such thing as too much 
Second, remember that the test kits cannot test for everything, and even though one's water might "test" okay (ie. nitrItes, NitrAtes, gH, etc.) routine water changes weekly keep up on general health and purge the tank of many undessirables such as hormones, partriculates, various trace chemicals and so on, known collectively as TDS (Total Dissolved Solids).
I personally like to do 50+% per week with heavy gravel vacs around my plants.
Good advice posted too!
Second, remember that the test kits cannot test for everything, and even though one's water might "test" okay (ie. nitrItes, NitrAtes, gH, etc.) routine water changes weekly keep up on general health and purge the tank of many undessirables such as hormones, partriculates, various trace chemicals and so on, known collectively as TDS (Total Dissolved Solids).
I personally like to do 50+% per week with heavy gravel vacs around my plants.
Good advice posted too!
As far as i know, it is supossed to be a WC of 50% once a week, however it depends in your fish, if you have discus especialy youngster and other delicate species of cichlids you will have to change the water 25% daily. plant help the filtration of the tank, i had been using the 50% percent on my angel tank since i got it and it had worked perfectly for me, however this hobby is 25% percent science 25% luck and 50% experience u start with some guideline and then you are able to do what will work for you.
After the cycle.
With a nicely stocked tank. (something like 20" of tetras and corys, could be a good baseline to compare to, as nicely stocked)
Sunday
or
one of them other days...Once a week.
30% is a good starting point.
Don't drink the water.
-
Get some dedicated fish supplies.
5g bucket (at least 1) hardware stores have "paint" buckets that work good.
1/2 - 1g pitchers come in handy, often.
With a nicely stocked tank. (something like 20" of tetras and corys, could be a good baseline to compare to, as nicely stocked)
Sunday
or
one of them other days...Once a week.
30% is a good starting point.
Don't drink the water.
-
Get some dedicated fish supplies.
5g bucket (at least 1) hardware stores have "paint" buckets that work good.
1/2 - 1g pitchers come in handy, often.
If you have a planted tank that you dose fertalizers in some of the routines have you dose high amounts just to make sure the plants get enough. Then to make sure it doesn't get to a toxic level you remove them with a 50% water change once a week. So I do 50% water changes once a week. I have never seen my nitrates go above 5ppm.
