Water Changes - Is Even More Better?

[minnesotagal866]

I generally change 20 gallons from a 55 gallon every week. Was wondering--what if a person just changed 5 gallons every day? It doesn't take much time at all to do and I wonder how the fish would react. I also wonder what would happen if I did this for a while and then went back to 1x a week--like when I'm gone for Christmas. Something to think about. . .
Jackie

 

[anduknodis]

I change about 50% of my tanks water every two days. I believe there is no such thing as too much water changing. People use the 50% a week figure as a minumum that needs to be cahnged per week. All you are essentially doing is giving your fish better water to live in, and not allowing it to fill up harmful chemicals at all. Although some people don't see much Nitrate and Nitrite within a week it still cannot hurt to change the water out. If a person were living in a room with a piece of crap in the room which, doesn't hurt you very much and you could sustain life with no long term injuries, nobody would want to live with it. Although somewhat farfetched it is the same concept with your fish. All you are doing is making a better habitat for your fish. Some oscars wag their tail when they know a water change is coming. Obviously, fish enjoy water changes as much as most people enjoy taking a shower.

 

[SnakeIce]

Well just for the sake of figureing lets assume no further build up during a week of 5 gallon changes out of a 55 gallon tank.

Starting out with 100 units of waste to make final percentages easy to see. Each time you put new change water in you dilute the remaining waste.

Day one 5 gallons changed- 9.1 units removed leaveing 90.9
Day two 5 gallons changed-still 9.1% water removed, but the % waste
removed is out of what is left, or 8.2 units removed leaveing 82.6.
Day three, 7.5 units removed leaveing 75.1
--------------- iterations done
Day 7, 5.1 units removed leaveing 51.3 units

5 gallons every day removed 48.7% of the starting waste useing total 63.6%(35 gallons) of tank volume in waterchanges.


if twice a week 15 gallon water changes done and the same starting values used
first change 72.7 waste remaining
second change 52.9 waste remaining



Or one water change of 27 gallons removes 49.0% of waste useing 49.0% of tank volume in water changed

One waterchange of 27 gallons is better than seven 5 gallon changes because it saves 8 gallons of water.

8 gallons a week saved times 52 weeks is 55 cubic feet of water service not used. That is about $2.50 saveings for the year :laugh: I do try to be frugal.