i do 50% once or twice a week. but my tank is slightly overstocked and has plants that suck nutrients out of the water. so i do a lot of water changes to replenish the nutrients, since my tap water is very mineral and nutrient rich.
Monthly Water Chanes???
- Thread starter fishieperson321
- Start date
Anyone who follows EI (it has been great for my tanks) -- does at least 50% weekly.
Not only does that maintain good water quality, but with EI it also provides the basis for controlling the nutrient quantities.
Not only does that maintain good water quality, but with EI it also provides the basis for controlling the nutrient quantities.
EI -- Estimative Index -- Here is a link to the main article
http://www.barrreport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1
There are lots of posts both in those forums and here in the AC forums which
discuss EI. Try:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52840&highlight=Estimative
or
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70294&highlight=Estimative
To summarize
- dose nutrients (N, K, P, Micro) at a rate that would provide about what you want as an end result.
- change 50% water each week
- the max you can get is 2x what you dose (provable) -- and with uptake it will be lower than that in addition -- it presumes that somewhat higher amounts of just about all the nuitrients, along with high CO2 (30 to 40ppm) will provide such vigorous plan growth that algae is not a problem.
Plantbrain will likely fix anything I got wrong.
http://www.barrreport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1
There are lots of posts both in those forums and here in the AC forums which
discuss EI. Try:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52840&highlight=Estimative
or
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70294&highlight=Estimative
To summarize
- dose nutrients (N, K, P, Micro) at a rate that would provide about what you want as an end result.
- change 50% water each week
- the max you can get is 2x what you dose (provable) -- and with uptake it will be lower than that in addition -- it presumes that somewhat higher amounts of just about all the nuitrients, along with high CO2 (30 to 40ppm) will provide such vigorous plan growth that algae is not a problem.
Plantbrain will likely fix anything I got wrong.
Its for planted tanks: if you don't have plants then skip the dosing and just do the water changes…fishieperson321 said:
I should elaborate. How do your get ride of nitrates? your bioballs don't do that. How do you get ride of the waste if you put the water back in? Do your fish grow full size or live their full life span? I bet then don't. Water changes really are a necessary thing (the best thing even) for the best fish care.
This was what I would read in books 35 years ago. Even then some people were suggesting that changing a bit of water (15-20%) every month or so might be a good idea. Most of the thinking and experimenting in the last few years says more water (50% even) and more often (weekly or some do it even twice a week). This gets rid of unwanted wastes in the water, and also helps control plant nutrient values. It also maintains a more consistant pH, kH, gH etc.GINNY said:
Yup -- missed that one -- its specifically aimed at planted tanks.carpguy said:
However, the 50% water changes will help maintain consistant tank parameters (pH, kH etc). Doing frequent 50% water changes prevents large changes in parameters which is thought to be more important that exactly what the parameters are.
