Water Changes

[slowlyburn]

I would like to hear everyones thoughts on water changes. What if its been a while since your last change? Should you syphon from the bottom, top or middle of water level? How often? Does tank size matter? Does type of fish matter? How much do you actually take out? Whatever you can think of... The more I read through the posts on this site the more confusing I think it gets.

 

[dorkfish]

What if its been a while since your last change?

It it's been less than 1-2 months with a properly stocked tank than resume your normal maintnenence schedual.


If it's been a while, as in your tank has old tank syndrom(6-12 months without a water change, you start at 10% changes, and work your way up to atleast 20% or what you prefer to do (I do 50%).

Should you syphon from the bottom, top or middle of water level?

You should siphon from the gravel with a gravel vac, to change both the water and get all that fish waste out of there.

How often?

At least weekly, more frequent changes are only benificial.

Does tank size matter?

Going to a larger tank from a smaller tank, percentages stay the same, volume of the change increases.

Does type of fish matter?

TO a point. what really matters is the ratio of potential fish mass vs. water volume or stocking levels. If the fish needs more than weekly water changes to live/thrive for some reason, than the tank is overstocked and that's why they need more changes.

How much do you actualy take out?

I take out 50% of the tank volume, 20% is the minumum.

 

[angel383]

I pretty much do the same as dorkfish.

I personally have a 20-gallon and a 5-gallon fish tank. I do my water changes weekly with a gravel vacuum. I siphon the gravel removing the fish waste (which isn't much) all throughout the tank. I used to take 8 gallons out of the 20 once a week. I'm now only taking four gallons out.

I would highly recommend a python siphon to anyone. You don't have to carry buckets, no spilling water, you can refill directly to the tank (then just add your water conditioner to the tank). The Python makes water changes much easier.

As for my five I probably take a gallon out, again once a week.

Weekly small water changes are much better for the tank than monthly large water changes. It's better to do 20 percent weekly, than 80% every four weeks. Even though the water amount is the same, the water can degrade a lot in a month, and then changing that much water can shock the fish. Some fish slowly get used to bad water conditions, some die from it. But if your fish are used to poor water quality and you drain the tank almost completely (and refill with clean chlorine/chloramine free water) your fish might not be able to handle the shock of the sudden change.

 

[Alestro Bakai]

But if your fish are used to poor water quality and you drain the tank almost completely (and refill with clean chlorine/chloramine free water) your fish might not be able to handle the shock of the sudden change.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone have any source for this info?

 

[Needeles]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone have any source for this info?

The above is just a general rule. If you read around or ask most people will give you the same answer. You need to keep the water levels as stable as possiable or change them slow enough for the to adapt to the changes but at the same time keep the water clean.

This is the same for any type of living creature. If they have learned to live a certain way then all of a sudden change it, it will be suprising to them and not all creatures can handle major changes.

 

[Roan Art]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone have any source for this info?

http://aquafacts.net/wiki/index.php/Water_Change_Math

Roan

 

[Alestro Bakai]

Hmm neither that article or anything else I've found on the web explains the notion that sudden changes in Nitrates, Nitrites or TDS cause osmotic shock. The only reference to osmotic shock and fish is in regards to salinity.

 

[Roan Art]

Hmm neither that article or anything else I've found on the web explains the notion that sudden changes in Nitrates, Nitrites or TDS cause osmotic shock. The only reference to osmotic shock and fish is in regards to salinity.

Really? That's weird considering how many times I've posted the OTS article.

http://aquafacts.net/wiki/index.php/Old_Tank_Syndrome

If you can't see the correlation, then go here:

http://aquafacts.net/showthread.php?t=623

and add to the post.

I've never had a problem finding articles on TDS and osmotic shock on the web.

Here's your homework done for you:

http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv1-msgr&p="total+dissolved+solids"+"osmotic+shock"

Roan

 

[RockabillyChick]

i have a 20g long with 10 silvertip tetras, 3 otos, and 1 red honey gourami and i do 2 40% water changes a week.

 

[slowlyburn]

Who uses an undergravel filter in there tank? Are they benificial or do they take away most bacteria that live in the gravel? Or do they just aid in the cleaning part of the tank?