CHoffman

I've been curious lately...I see that most people do 20% waterchanges once a week...Since I started I've done weekly 50% waterchanges and do a deep vacume of the whole tank..I'm not saying this is the correct way of doing things but I like a clean tank....I've never had any ill effects from it or mini cycles..but I'm curious if there is benefits to the fish by only doing 20% waterchanges..or If I may be hurting the fish by doing 50% changes...I do have nitrates in my water also so I really don't like anything to build up in the tank to cause them to be any higher. Just curious what you all thought about it.

agabr123

lol, i do 50% as well. most of the bacteria isn't in the water, it's on the filter media, the substrate, and the decorations, so i dont see anything wrong with that big of a change

CHoffman

That's how I see things as well...I figure they like the nice new water..lol..But so many people advice against doing big water changes like 50% that I was curious if there is method for the 20% WC.

Shawnie

the only times I do weekly changes is if somethings wrong or I have fry or sick fish...other wise I go about a few weeks for water changes...everyone has an opinion on what they prefer with water changes..I do know one thing, the newer we are to keeping fish , the more we are adamant on cleanliness..not that older fish keepers like a dirty tank, thats not what I mean at all..but when I first started out keeping fish, I was more diligent on weekly changes and now, I dont do anything but top off my tanks except for every few weeks they get a complete vac and change ...Im a firm believer that too clean isnt much better than totally polluted...but thats me and something works different for everyone

CHoffman

That's good to know Shawnie..I have felt awful before because I was a couple of days late on water changes..lol...Maybe I ought to slow down or lighten up on the WC..It's not like my water bill or back would mind ..I might cut down to 20% weekly and see how that goes..and just keep a eye on my perimeters..I'm also guilty of overfeeding from time to time

Shawnie

LOL the fish make you feel guilty I know that feeling!! its like
"come on ma, a lil bit more wont hurt me!!" and they literally bat their eyes haha..
I think you will be fine with 20% and someday , you will feel comfy going more than a week parimeters in tack are all a condition of this of course

KyWildFish

What I did is monitor the water changes for a few months. Being a geek scientist I charted the gradual increase of waste in the water over time and calculated about when I need to do water changes. I also test the water about 2 times a month to monitor where the waste levels are in the tanks. My community is overcrowded so it gets more attention to make sure the levels dont spike up. Its really up to the owner to make the call on when and how much water needs to be changed.

Shawnie

SOOOOOOOOO very true!! when I had my oscars in my 75 gal, I did every other day water changes...but now, I do one every 2 weeks or so...huge difference when a tank is overstocked

Butterfly

On the 75g I do a larger water change, probably closer to 50% because I have a poomeister in there. Th gibby produces so much waste but I love him. I do a small vacuum to get his piles of poo out about every other day and add back the amount I took out. I also have kuhlis and Corys in there as well as angels so in order to keep them happy and safe I do larger water changes.
The 55g Oto tank gets large water changes. but the water is added back a little at a time because I don't want the parmeters to change too fast. That tank also has thumbnail size angel fry in it.
The fry tanks get more ofter/larger volume water changes.
The rest get about 20% weekly changes.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that what ever works for whoever is in which tank is what I do. We each know our own tanks best so you just have to use your own judgement. I think some of the controversy about doing large/frequent water changes is being afraid of stressing the fish out but mine love the water changes. They always have to come see whats happening.
Carol

enthusiast

a fishtank is an enclosed environment. in wild when it rains or floods thats natures way of pushing out organic wastes, or if the water is part of a flowing river, stream, the water is constantly being flushed out. In a fishtank by doing water changes that is the only way to replenish the little ecosystem you have

i do 50% changes weekly. wether it looks like it needs it or not your fish will enjoy it

pinkfloydpuffer

I usually change the water every week, but I'll miss a few here and there. In my 80g I could go for a long time without waterchanges, since it's currently understocked since my puffs are still so young and small. I change out about 15-20 gallons weekly. My 20g gets 5-10 gallon changes weekly, and all of the smaller tanks get 50% changes weekly. In small tanks it's so easy to change out half the water, and junk builds up more quickly in smaller tanks anyways, so I just go for it. My fish seem to like waterchanges too much... especially the dwarf puffers, they just wanna see what momma's doing in their tank! And then they must talk about how fun it is to take a 'ride' in the python, because they try their best to jump in there, I have to be very vigilant when cleaning their tank. Lol.

prairielilly

I'm a big believer in regular large water changes and gravel vacs (30-50%) - not because of nitrates, but bc of everything else. There's a lot more in the water than nitrates - bacteria mostly (the kind we don't want, the kind in fish poo). I find my fish are more active (= happier IMO) when they've got nice clean water. I have read though that a sudden large change can have a detrimental effect bc the incoming water is slightly different in chemistry (especially if you don't use carbon) and can potentially 'shock' them, so I'm considering starting doing 25% twice a week instead.

haedra

I vac once a week; but I've never really paid attention to the percentage of water I'm removing. Honestly all I really look at is the siphon. When I feel satisfied that I've gotten out all the "goo," that is when I stop.