Water Changing too often? --- opinion time

[thrakuarium]

Ok the backstory to this ..... guy comes in to pick up a few fish. In my questioning I find out he has 7 or 8 fish in a 20 gallon tank. All in the barb, tetra, platy range... don't remember the exact ones. He mentioned he had an algae problem. I asked what his water parameters were like. He said he hasnt tested since dec when someone tested his sample and said he was good to go. I told him he really needed to continue to test in order to know when to do his water changes and spot any problems that may occur. His tank was probably cycled and that was what was meant by good to go. I told him I felt that to play it safe, if he wasnt testing, which he should, then he should be doing about a 25% change weekly to control his nitrates which were probably feeding the algae growth. He said he was doing 20% once a month. Also found out that when he did water change, the water he vacuumed out hit the bucket black. (overfeeding most likely, and I told him).

In discussing this with someone else I work with after he left, we agreed on the testing part needing to be done, but differed a bit on the water changing.

In my own tank,which is cycled, I change about 5 gals of a 29 gal tank weekly to keep the nitrates in chk. More if the test results are out of acceptable parameters.

So my question is basically this... In a cycled tank, with testing being done, what is your opinion on water changing. Do you do it regularly, even if the water tests are good anyway? And what is your % and regularity?

[korith]

So my question is basically this... In a cycled tank, with testing being done, what is your opinion on water changing. Do you do it regularly, even if the water tests are good anyway? And what is your % and regularity?

Overfeeding and overstocked tanks probably contribute a lot to the water problems people have. I usually do a 30-40% water change every 2 weeks on all the tanks. The shrimp tanks I try to each weekend. All the tanks are heavily planted so it gives me a bit more leeway. On rare occasions when I've gone on vacation for 3 weeks, I've come back and done a water test and found it to be in the acceptable range, gotta love planted tanks. I don't do water tests too often, only when I think there might be a problem, or maybe at most once a month. If I notice the tap water smells or tastes differently I'll usually do a water test, sometimes with the seasons changes I've noticed a difference.

[DrNic]

I was running 30% water changes on all my tanks every 2 weeks. Recently a couple tanks have shown some algae problems so I've started doing 30% weekly. Honestly I don't really see a difference in the algae.

As for changing the water, I would probably say a 25-30% change every 3 weeks is pretty much a bare minimum. A bi-weekly, or weekly change is better, particularly if you have sensitive fish or you're breeding.

Keep in mind that water changes help remove dissolved organics, minerals and waste material from the water. These components will just continue to build up in the water if it's not changed, even in a properly cycled (and filtered) tank.

It's a little off topic, but as an example, I once saw a tank that NEVER had the water changed. Instead of changing the water the owner simply added new water to replace the evaporated water. After about 4-5 months fish started dying. New fish would last about 4-6 weeks after which he would simply replace them. At the 14 month mark, when I met this guy and saw the tank myself, the water had the consistency of light corn syrup, it was almost a gel. Very creepy and not at all good for the fish. I explained what had happened and told the guy he needed to change the water, but he thought it was too much work and ended up selling the tank. Needless to say, it's a good example of the amount of material that can sit in the water if it's not changed.

[thrakuarium]

It's a little off topic, but as an example, I once saw a tank that NEVER had the water changed. Instead of changing the water the owner simply added new water to replace the evaporated water. After about 4-5 months fish started dying. New fish would last about 4-6 weeks after which he would simply replace them. At the 14 month mark, when I met this guy and saw the tank myself, the water had the consistency of light corn syrup, it was almost a gel. Very creepy and not at all good for the fish. I explained what had happened and told the guy he needed to change the water, but he thought it was too much work and ended up selling the tank. Needless to say, it's a good example of the amount of material that can sit in the water if it's not changed.

No, actually in the realm of my question, this is perfectly on topicthumbs2: Thanks for the post and the example.

[Gemini]

I guess a couple of things come into play for me to answer this question.
1 - what's in the tank - how stocked? light, over etc.
2 - am I trying to breed?
3 - is it planted, if yes, how heavily.
4 - water parameters

Testing - I think it depends. I think once you have cycled your tank, and stocked it, you get to know how it reads and when. So for example - I know that on my 29G, moderately planted tank, I know that if I test it one week after a water change it will read 0,0,0. How do I know? Well the stocking hasn't changed and that's how its read since it was set up. I check it every now and then but do not test regularly.
Having said all that I do weekly water changes of usually 50% anyway on all my tanks except for my shrimp tank. My shrimp tank I only gravel vac monthly, and change about 25% fortnightly.
Not saying this is right or wrong but it's my 2c:22:

[Little Embers]

I do a partial water change every week without fail of approx. 10-15% and syphon the gravel.

[Wild Turkey]

Theres no problem with doing large or frequent water changes on an established tank as long as your taps parameters are close to the tanks, and you work up to the larger water changes.

Of course, some examples of where it may be a bad idea are heavily planted tanks(or tanks just with plant substrate), african tanks, etc where items in the tank are effecting ph quite a bit.

[Sharon]

Weekly water changes for me...the amount depends on the tank, but none get less than 40%.:ssmile:

[labnjab]

It depends on the tank for us. Our 2, 10 gallon planted betta tanks get 20% changes every other week. Our 75 gallon goldfish tank (lightly planted) gets 75-85% changed weekly. Our 55 gallon community gets 25% weekly. Our 29 gallon reef only gets 5 gallons changed a week.

As far as testing, I only test freshwater when I thinks somethings wrong, or if I'm going to go extra time before a water change. The reef gets tested a little more often, but usually only ph, mangessium, alk and calcium.

[rich311k]

I will take the other view. I change 50% minimum every week. I dont look at test or worry about if they need it or not. The more water changed the happier the fish. If did not have to go to work I would probably change water twice a week.

[Algenco]

I will take the other view. I change 50% minimum every week. I dont look at test or worry about if they need it or not. The more water changed the happier the fish. If did not have to go to work I would probably change water twice a week.


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[Wild Turkey]

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Make that two agrees

[Taurus]

Make it three. :22:

[coachfraley]

I do a 20% weekly on my FW lightly planted tank (but I think I am going to up it to 40%).
I do a 15% weekly change on my reef tank.

One HUGE difference in SW, is that economics plays a part in your changes. Each gallon of SW costs me around $.85 (distilled h20, plus salt mix), so it would hit my pocketbook pretty hard if I went from 15-25%. Luckily, 15% works fine for my system.

[MCHRKiller]

I think it should also be remembered that there are other nasties in the water that dont affect water parms...such as phosphate, proteins and hormones given off by the fish. The only way to remove these are via waterchanges. Thats why in fry tanks you need to do so many WCs not because of bioload as bioload isnt usually bad.

I rarely check my tanks water at home, I do it every couple of weeks with a quick dip strip just for giggles but I honestly dont need to. I do a WC every 4-5 days on my 100G and 150G of around 40%. My 55G gets a 30% WC every 8-10 days as does my 15G. The 5G is in the works but will probably get a WC of 50% every 8-10days.

[terrapin24h]

i test very rarely and do about 35% water changes every week. When i expect to be away on a trip or something, i will up the water change sched to 30% on the 4th day before i leave, and then another 30 on the 2nd day before i leave(the day before the day before i leave). Then i'll use a feeder set very conservatively, so the tetras and rainbows don't start looking at anyone as dinner. Obviously, the day i come back the tanks get tested and WCd.

--chris

[Northernguy]

It depends on what you have!
If you have discus then a daily water change may be appropriate,every day.
I don't have discus but I am thinking about a few!lol
Oscars I do twice a week Guppies and rams twice a week and always up to 50%.
You tend to go through more product but its part of maintenance as far as I'm concerned.
How often would you want the water changed if you had to live in your crap?:hmm3grin2orange:

[Fraoch]

I'm just a beginner, but I change weekly and do a test just before a change, adjusting the change to suit the test results.

If nitrates are under 20 I do a 25% WC, although if I'm pulling out a lot of debris I'll do a 50%.

If nitrates are 20 or over, 50% WC.

Wonder how that "corn syrup" water would have tested! Nitrates > 180?

[Sir Tristen]

I sometimes feel a little guilty when I go over a week, but I've been fine with 10 days or up to two weeks. My tanks are lightly stocked and moderately planted. My last nitrate reading in the 20 long was 0 after over a week. I'll probably test both tanks this weekend when I do a wc. When I get some more fish I'll probably up it to weekly 25% changes. (Also might help if I got meself a python :hmm3grin2orange: )

[Owlbehere]

I change about 50% of my water every other week. I test on the alternating weeks to make sure I don't have to do it sooner. Usually it is fine, but I want to be sure since I'm adding more fish slowly at the moment. Once I'm fully stocked I will go to once a week.