I need help ending a debate on water changes!

[Slappy*McFish]

50% at least once a week...sometimes twice a week.
My fish are quite 'happy' as well.

 

[NatakuTseng]

I do daily water changes in my discus tanks, and twice a week changes on all my other tanks. Doing 50% or more on each tank each time I do a change. Water changes are really essential, Nitrates build up in the tank and are ONLY removed in suffcient quantity by doing water changes, how often you need to depends on fish load, but I'd say once a week should be a minimum. Another reason is that ALL fish release growth inhibiting hormones into the water which again are only removed with water changes, if water changes aren't done this will stunt the fish. Water turns over continuously in nature, its ALWAYS being exchanged with fresh water and when something happens so its not, problems start happening just like they do in a home aquarium. This continuous change in water doesn't bother the bacteria and it won't in an aquarium either. As far as the fish getting stressed, sure they will it doesn't matter how you do the water change. This amount of stress is very minor and the fish will get used to having this happen eventually not even really caring that its going on. My discus now could care less if I am doing a water change, they just want more food outta me. I think they are critical, I've done it both ways and won't go back to doing infrequent water changes.

 

[TommyR]

25% change once a week for me, unless the water clouds up then I may do 25% a day for 4-5 days. Over feeding is hard not to do for me at the moment. I try not to of coarse. I also have to remember to vacuum the gravel deeper down as well. It's amazing how food and gook will work it's way down to the tank bottom.

Tom

 

[mwood322]

Most of mine get 25% around once every 10 days, but I have gotten lazy, it used to be 25% a week, and that kept nitrate under 10 ppm. Some of my tanks are extremely lightly stocked now though. (3 or 4, 3 inch fish in a 20 long kind of understocked) The smaller tanks, under 20, can get up to 50 percent a week, but most of those are iso tanks, so clean water is always better.

I have sucessfully moved quite a few fish from disgusting tanks, and the main goal is do it slowly. The current water might not be good for them, but brand new water will kill them, just because it is so different from the water they are used to.

When I worked at petco I used to have too many customers who didn't do water changes at all, and every new fish they bought died... that was always a fun conversation.

--Mia

 

[750t]

I aways do at least 50% a week never lost a fish due to water change. People that never do water changes are gonna lose fish. Some fish are tougher and can deal with waste better than others. But its always disaster just waiting. To the people that dont do w/c's just ask them the lifespan of their fish. A completely closed envirement can sustain its self for only so long. This should be considered COMMENSENSE!

 

[Dr_Woo]

Wow, i forgot that there are still people that problems with such things as water changes. I swear i have been doing so much researching on aquariums and fish that things like this are completely irrelevant. Anyways, i have probably not lost a fish due to poor water quality (aggression is a whole other thing) for about a year (almost since i started keeping fish). I remember when i got my first 10g. without any info......i lost over 14 fish in less than 3 days. And after i finally got things settled after about 1-2 weeks i decide to change the water. So this is what my mom decides to do. She takes all the fish out of the tank in a bucket of sink water (that was about 8 deaths in less than 30 secs.) and take everything out (gravel and everything) to wash it. Well, how were we supposed to know how to do a water change? Amazingly i had a black skirt and a sword tail live through that. After reading up a little i learned that you must either use dechlorinator or leave the water overnight. I use a gravel vacuum every time i change the water (30% every 1-1.5 weeks), and had no problems ever. Just make sure the temps. are pretty similar, if you want to avoid diseases and headaches. Since my first experience i learned alot and just wanna cry when i hear people talking about some really bad myths and telling me how to care for my fish when i know it is wrong. I have found that 30% is the best amount to change because it has the greatest range, from kinda overstocked to lightly stocked, it works great.

 

[sky.eyes.woman]

Common sense isn't so common anymore, unfortunately. I find myself trying to convince clueless customers everyday that water changes are not just a 'luxury' thing to the fish. It's a NECESSITY if you want your fish to live. Last night was the first time I wanted to :rant: at some people...a couple came in and told me they just set up a 5 gallon tank 2 days ago, and they wanted some neons for it. I told them neons will die in a new tank, why not try some of these cute little white clouds instead? The husband gritted his teeth and growled,"We...want...the...NEONS!" I risked having them complain about me and said, "Ok, but you won't have any left after a week or so." That's when his wife squeaked, "Big deal! They're only 2 dollars!" :mad2
I really hope I'm working when they return their dead neons and ask for a refund.

 

[jagarundi]

I change the water in my tank once a week every Sunday. I usually take out 40% of the water when I don't do a gravel vac and 50% when I do. The temp in my tank remains constant and the levels are all within range.

 

[doom_machine]

for almost 2 years i only change about 10% every 2-4 weeks and completely clean the whole tank every 6 months never vacuming, regardless of opinions posted it must work fine since i still have all 8 original fish, i change filters regularly and use plenty of ammonia rocks in it, dash of salt..i say just let nature do most of the work

 

[victimizati0n]

water changes DO upset the cycle.