Water changes

7 posts

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


Reavicus
 
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:00 pm

Water changes

by Reavicus

O.k. so we all know water changes are important. We all know the minimums weekly/monthly. Can that be spread out even more over days?

I.E. let's say you change 7 gallons of water a week (lets say its a smaller tank). Would it make a diiference if you changed 7 gal a week or 1 gal a day for 7 days?

And do you have to vacuum each time you do a water change? I.E. what if I change 10% water weekly, without vaccuming. And once a month additionally change say 25% With vacuuming?

Thoughts? Thanks for the help!


Peterkarig3210
 
Posts: 1980
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am

by Peterkarig3210

I do water changes when my nitrates are too high. In my tilapia tank I sometimes am lazy and don't change the water till nitrates are 30, but on my high light planted tank I like to change the water at about 10ppm.

This high light tank needs water changes of about 50% every few weeks to a month or so.

It all depends on how fast nitrates build up. My cycle has been fully established for a long time and I know there are no nitrites or ammonia.


Peterkarig3210
 
Posts: 1980
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am

by Peterkarig3210

As for vaccuming. I don't vaccume my heavely planted tank. There is very little detrius on the exposed gravel, and to agitate the gravel (substraight) actually puts nutrients into the water column when it is better left in the gravel.

With a lightly planted tank where there are not many roots feeding off the nutrients it is a good idea to siphon the gravel. How much you siphon depends on how much you feed, how high nitrates rise, etc.

I also have thousands of Malaysian trumpit snails that sift through the top layer of gravel as well as ghost shrimp that pick any uneaten food, so I never see any detrius build up.

My 100 gallon tank has a lot of open gravel areas and huge powerheads sucking water etc through to the under gravel filter, and instead of siphoning I just use my hand and stir through the gravel to the bottom. The UGF and powerheads will suddenly pump out thick muddy water. I then turn off the power heads and canister filter and remove most of the tank's water allong with much of the crud.

Then I refill, try not to pH shock as I do by doing it a bit at a time, and when it's full I turn the pumps back on, the water clears, and I'm done.


Reavicus
 
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:00 pm

by Reavicus

So you don't do automatic water changes? You wait until nitrates begin to rise?
I kinda do it more on a schedule, whether nitrates are high or not.
I'll do additional/unscheduled changes if the nitrates run high.


GiantDogg
 
Posts: 65
Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2009 11:24 pm

by GiantDogg

I am with PK, my tank is cycled, so I do water changes to lower nitrates. I don't even check for anything but Nitrates anymore, maybe once in a while just for shits and giggles... I also do a water change if I am going out of town for work, which happens ever month or so, that way I avoid a huge level when I return.


Peterkarig3210
 
Posts: 1980
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am

by Peterkarig3210

Yea. I don't really have a time table. I top off every 3-4 days as I have a high evaporation rate and a big fan cooling the tank.


If I don't keep the nitrates low I have all kinds of algae thaT STARTS TO GROW.

Oops....caps lock. Kind of appropriate!


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

by natalie265

I do mine on a time table. I was doing about 25% every week. I've recently switched to about 35% every other week.

Water changes

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