How often do you change the water in your establish tanks?

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Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


zambize
 
Posts: 401
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:14 pm

How often do you change the water in your establish tanks?

by zambize

I'm just curious. I change the water in my tanks at least once a week, but sometimes twice in my smaller tanks. I have 5 tanks ranging in size from 10 gallons to 37 gallons. I'm about to have 6 tanks ranging in size from 10 gallons to 55 gallons. :)

Z


MonkeyChunks
 
Posts: 101
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:42 am

by MonkeyChunks

I check the water content using a test kit about once a week every week. As soon as I see some change I can tell when I have to change it. From my testing I can tell my tank has no need to change more than about 30% in 2 weeks. Maybe even less. I have a 10 gallon tank with 11 neon tetra and about 7 guppies.

You may want to add some shrimps in there if you'd like know if you are not changing enough water. Shrimp are extremely sensetive to ammonia and nitrite so they should start dying if something is wrong. It could be a sign .

Also there are things you keep inside the tank that will change color to let you know if there is too much bad things in it.


a70m1c
 
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 3:39 am

by a70m1c

I have two 4 foot tanks. (are understocked to allow for terratorys)
I change about 20% of the water in each tank every weekend.
I clean the cannister filters every 2nd week.

I have digital monitor on both tanks. when i change the water nitrate levels are about 8ppm. after changing they drop to 3-5ppm.

if i leave the tank for fortnight the nitrate level will rise to about 15 ppm.

i like to keep under 10.

If nitrates ever rose to above 10ppm before weekend a would do water change but this has never happened.


Tmercier834747
 
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:33 pm

by Tmercier834747

I change the water in my 30gal roughly once a week since its open-top to prevent too many left over minerals from evaporation. While my plants are growing healthy and fast I can go 3 weeks+ in my 16gal (despite the fact that its overstocked) without nitrates going over 15ppm, which is as high as I let them go. Atomic's low nitrate is understandable since discus are some of the most difficult fw fish to keep as I understand.

Users like a1 (as I'm sure he's going to point out) change out 20%+ of their water every 3 days because his plants grow so fast and healthy they need constant replenishment of minerals and trace elements supplied by "fresh", fresh water.

When I still had a 5gal with 3 dwarf puffers in it I would change the water twice a week religiously because I had no plants in it (At least that would survive), I didn't have the room/they weren't really compatible with many bottom feeders that would fit in a 5gal, and the little guys are messy eaters. They now happily reside in my 16gal..

All my tanks are quite overfiltered and have sandy bottoms, so w/c's are a snap since I never really have to vacuum, just change out water.


zambize
 
Posts: 401
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:14 pm

by zambize

Hmmmm.....I only have one planted tank, and I'm not very educated in that area. You can change the water less frequently in planted tanks? It's a 10 gallon tank with eco-complete and moderately mature plants. It is stocked with a plecostomus (small), 3 panda corycats, some cherry shrimp, 7 female guppies, 2 african dwarf frogs, and 1 male betta. Oh, and one baby platy.

Z


Tmercier834747
 
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:33 pm

by Tmercier834747

plants absorb nitrate as they grow, along with many other things, but don't eliminate them. So allowing dead leaves or dying plants that aren't growing to remain in the aquarium allows nitrate to leach back into the water column. Not accusing you of doing so or saying this applies to you, just trying to give you an idea of how things work. :) your tank sounds pretty heavily stocked, and if I remember dwarf frogs can be pretty messy...so plants are a very good bonus to your tank. :)


natalie265
Site Admin
 
Posts: 746
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm

by natalie265

25% every saturday. I look forward to it all week!


cedricandcandy
 
Posts: 134
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2008 1:36 am

by cedricandcandy

Ditto to you natalie...we look forward to it too!

20% weekly in our 130g planted tank. 20% weekly in our 65g south american cichlid tank (its lightly stocked). 20% weekly and then 50% monthly in our 210g malawi predator tank.


zambize
 
Posts: 401
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:14 pm

by zambize

When I was typing out what all is in my 10 gallon I thought it sounded heavily stocked, too, but when I look at it, it doesn't seem heavy. My readings are always Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 10. The platy is tiny, barely 1/2 inch. (There's a long story behind him.) The panda corycats are about 1/2 inch, too. The betta, Axl, is also new and rather small as well. And the frogs are still tiny. (And yes, frogs are messy...mostly when they eat, but my fish clean up after them.)

I realize they'll grow, and I move fish around if they outgrow their space. But it sure sounds heavy! I'll take all the input I can get though. The Cherry Shrimp are temporary. I'm making them their own tank. I'm breeding them for my lfs. I'm just waiting for their tank to cycle. Lots of good input.

Z


irondan
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 3:01 pm

by irondan

i have 7 tanks running. 2x65 gallon, 1x55gallon planted, 1x35gallon, 1x41gallon, 2x22 gallon fry tanks, i change the planted tank 30% every 2 weeks, the fry tanks 40% weekly, the rest 30% weekly. all are over stocked

How often do you change the water in your establish tanks?

13 posts • Page 1 of 2

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