How often should you do a water change on a 10 gal and how much?

I was wondering how much water I should be taking out of my tank to do water changes, and how often to do so. I've heard some people do a water change every week, others every a week and a half. Just wanted to know what you guys do.

 

It depends on your stocking. If you have just a betta it would be less than if you have a community tank.

 

It depends on your stocking. If you have just a betta it would be less than if you have a community tank.

Right now, I am cycling the tank, but I'm planning on housing a betta and some tetras.

 

Right now, I am cycling the tank, but I'm planning on housing a betta and some tetras.

How many tetras? I would suggest a 50% water change once a week, assuming you will have about 6 tetras.

 

Right now, I am cycling the tank, but I'm planning on housing a betta and some tetras.

Ok put the tetras in first, you'll have less aggression from the betta that way.
25% a week would work. If you have a lot of live plants you can reduce that number a bit. Keep in mind that when you do water changes that you are not just cleaning the water but also replacing oxygen.
Edit; I'm assuming you have a good quality filter as well.

 

How many tetras? I would suggest a 50% water change once a week, assuming you will have about 6 tetras.

Ok, I'm not sure how many yet, but I'm thinking I would have about 5-6.

 

Ok, I'm not sure how many yet, but I'm thinking I would have about 5-6.

Also, how often do you guys vacuum your gravel?

 

Ok put the tetras in first, you'll have less aggression from the betta that way.
25% a week would work. If you have a lot of live plants you can reduce that number a bit. Keep in mind that when you do water changes that you are not just cleaning the water but also replacing oxygen.
Edit; I'm assuming you have a good quality filter as well.

Sounds good. It is a planted tank, but I think I'll still change between 25-50%.

 

Also, how often do you guys vacuum your gravel?

I do it when I do my weekly water change. You wouldn't believe how much poop and fish food is probably hiding in the gravel.

 

I do it when I do my weekly water change. You wouldn't believe how much poop and fish food is probably hiding in the gravel.

Agreed that why I switched to sand, everything stays conveniently on the top making it easy to clean.

 

Just my opinion. We change 50/75% every 5-7 days on all our tanks regardless of the inhabitants. As said just my opinion

 

Don't gravel vacuum to much on a planted tank, it will remove the nutrients for the plants. Just lightly vacuum the top, or at least thats what I do.

 

Just to add, In a 10 gallon you can take your siphon and drop it in a corner and use a turkey baster to congregate any waste towards it and it'll suck up the light stuff.

 

You have to check your nitrate accumulation rate and take out water fast enough to keep nitrates for climbing up. So basically if you don't change often enough, your nitrates will always be climbing forever.

If you do enough water changes then they reach a number that they never go past.

It depends on what is in your tank, how much you feed, your filter, etc.


I have a one 10 gallon and it only needs 50% water change every 4-6 weeks. Another needs 50% every 2 weeks.

This is no simple rule that works for every tank.

Sure, you could change water all the time, been them you will get burned out on that.

 

On small tanks (5-15 gal) I recommend 50% or more because it isnt much water anyway and it doesnt hurt to do more

 

With my 10g, I did a 50% weekly water change, along with vacuuming the gravel. I do not have plants and with summer's heat, some water will evaporate anyway. Currently my 10g is broke down because I upgraded to a 20g long!

 

I have a heavily planted and fully stocked 10 gallon. I do 2 water changes a week - 25% and 50%. I only vacuum the gravel around the feeding station. The rest of the gravel doesn't need it.