perfict or seemingly perfict

[rookie]

ok guys thanks to you all since christmas when i got my second xp3 i have an amazing 110g fresh water tank finally completed, i have my own underwater world with happy and healthy fish that i can get lost in for hours, however the water is crystal clear and i havent changed the water for almost 2 weeks which is not like me. last night i tested the water and everything is perfict. my nitrates are at 0 since i have so many plants and not too many fish. should i still change my water once a week or is it ok to let it go a little longer since i never have any nitrates. did we build a perfict little eco system that does not need much human interaction or does it just seem perfect.

[rich311k]

Glad to hear everything is going so well for you. Water changes not only take out nitrogen compounds but they also replenish trace elements and remove other waste products besides the nitrates. they will help keep your hardness and PH steady. every time experimewnts are done, fish grow faster and better when they get plenty of fresh water.

There are people who maintain a tank like yours long term with very little in the way of water changes. I do not like the idea and it usually is really only successful with low stock loads.

I change 50% a week, my tanks are lightly stocked and heavily planted. I have no clue what the nitrates are I just change water because fresh water equals happy fish.

[Northernguy]

I do agree with rich!
Just because your trates are testing well and your tank looks clear does not mean all is well.
Are you still testing ammonia and nitrites.They still accumulate without water changes.It is best to change up to 50% of the water every week no matter how well it tests.

[rookie]

great advice thank you. i did test for everything and all is well. however i will continue to due my regular 50% per week. once again thank you all for getting my to this point. it is such a feeling of accomplishment when i look at my aquarium and relize that not long ago i had no idea what i was doing. thank you all thumbs2:

[bushwhacker]

Have to agree with Rich and NG.. Its not just the big 3 that water changes help with. Theres a lot of other things in the water that we cant test for. 50% a week is my rule.

[Wild Turkey]

Have to agree with Rich and NG.. Its not just the big 3 that water changes help with. Theres a lot of other things in the water that we cant test for. 50% a week is my rule.

Make that 4 :22: