WATER CHANGES: How much/often?

[piranha45]

I change the water on my tanks every 1-2 weeks; I aim for every week, but often enough I get lazy and skip a week here and there. On quantity of water changed, I abide by the philosophy of "More is Better". I usually change about 70-90% of a tank's water each time.

My reasoning behind this is: Nitrates/other unidentified contaminants are fairly evenly dispersed throughout the water in the tank-- *this is just my personal theory, I have no hard evidence to support it, it just seems reasonable*. Therefore, the only way to get rid of this bad stuff is to remove as much water as possible.

The potential problem with this method is
1) maintaining consistent tank temperature during the water change, and
2) the assumption that the parameters of the incoming fresh water are roughly equivalent to the parameters of the old water

Fortunately in my area of residence, the water seems to be extremely consistent, so I don't personally have to worry about #2, although that isn't to say an odd serious change won't ever happen.

#1 is a regular issue for me though, as during the winter my fresh water outlet comes in at 55-60F more often than not, which is certainly bad for 75-80F tropical fish tanks. I circumvent this by chasing the fish over to one end of the tank, and adding periodic half-gallons of 120F sink water. Unfortunately, this past week I got sloppy and didn't notice that two of my catfish in my 200g were hiding under decor in the hot-water-addition zone. I completely fried a 2 yr old 5" spotted pictus, and my 5" S. eupterus is barely clinging to life as I type (I hope I don't find him dead when I get home :(


Anyway, the trade off for these risks is that toxins/contaminants in my tank are virtually nonexistent, which is just absolutely awesome in my book :) Its a great feeling to do a nitrate test after a water change and see that your nitrates are at 5 ppm.

[The TRUST]

Well…… Here is what I do.

I have a pump connected to my PYTHON. The reason I have this is because all the faucet spouts in my house cannot have the PYTHON hose connector mounted on it. It's a pain in the ass. So I have the water fill in a bucket wi the pump in it. I adjust the water temperature there with a digital thermometer monitoring the water temperature while the water is being pumped back into the tank.

Neoprodigy has another method. He has a 24/7 drip method. So the water in the tank is constantly changing.

[Griggs]

I also use the python to change water. But I think 70-90% is way to high. You change 20-40% and 40% only for really messy tanks/fish.

Your taking too much established water out. If your doing a planted tank with Co2 you could have a real problem with pH changing too

[largemouth]

I also go with large water changes. I would say I do about 70% and I try to do them once a week, but we all get lazy at times. I just use the python and feel the water coming out of the tap with my hand until I think it is pretty close to the temp of the water in the tank. I then just keep an eye on the thermometers on the tank to make sure the water doesn't make a big jump. I've never had problems with this. I believe most of the beneficial bacteria in the tank are in the gravel and filter sponges, you won't lose them by taking out a lot of water. You may lose some, vacuuming the gravel, but not enough to make that big of a difference IMO. You gotta think, 20% of a 150 gallon tank is only 30 gallons...you may as well just skip the water change if that's all you're changing.

[piranha45]

I agree, I don't even know what value 'established' water has, other than that its chock-full of nitrates and other harmful contaminants. I've certainly never had ammonia spike problems.

[redtailfool]

Like largemouth, i also use the "hand" method until i get the right temperature. Whats funny is that after doing this for 10 years + , my target temp of 80 is always right on.. i do have off nights but the most ive ever gone of was 2 degrees.

Whats funny with fishkeeping is that everyone has a particular way of doing things and i never get tired of hearing them.

[largemouth]

I know, it's funny. Some of the things already mentioned in this thread are great ideas that I had never even thought of. Like pumping the water through the python out of a bucket. The place I am living right now (moving this weekend) has a faucet that is the biggest pain to attach the python to, but I had never even thought of doing it another way. I always just fight the faucet until it gives up. :rolleyes:

[JacksPets06]

At work we are supposed to reccomend doing about a 30% water change cleaning out the gravel really good with a gravel vac about once a month. I however dont do them that often, especially on my saltwater because I have so much liverock in my tank. I dont believe that taking out so much water will take out all the bad bacteria, because it also takes out the good bacteria that is established... But other then that, I think about 30-40% is good enough.

[piranha45]

the 'good' established bacteria resides in the filter media, not the water

[rayman45]

i do 25% on my snake head tank otherwise he buggs out 75

90% on my alligator tank messy 55G

15-20% on frt tank 30

20% on catfish(tig jur) 20L

30% once a month on 150 oscar


i use the hand method also
has not failed me yet

[The TRUST]

I know, it's funny. Some of the things already mentioned in this thread are great ideas that I had never even thought of. Like pumping the water through the python out of a bucket. The place I am living right now (moving this weekend) has a faucet that is the biggest pain to attach the python to, but I had never even thought of doing it another way. I always just fight the faucet until it gives up. :rolleyes:

I gave up fighting the faucet. After countless trips to Home Depot and Lowes to find an adapter and many hair pulling attemps to make a DIY adapter. I gave up. Hence the bucket Idea. LOL!
IMO it might actually do better than faucet direct. The fall of the water from the faucet spout to the bucket creates water turbulence and added aeration before being pumped back into my tank.

[Jesse]

Ha! We AIMed about this very topic last night. I do 40-60% water changes every 2 weeks on my tanks. For my larger tanks (360, 180, 100), I do gravel vacuuming into 5 gallon buckets and siphon the remainder out the window with either a 1 1/4" ID siphon or 3/4" ID siphon, depending on how impatient I am. For my smaller tanks, I just siphon with the gravel vacuum into buckets and dump them on my lawn. I refill using a Python and a ballpark estimate ("hand in water") of temperature. It takes a LONG time to refill 50% of the 360 gallon, so I pass that time by scrubbing algae in my other tanks and sipping on beer.

[Griggs]

Ya it is true that most of the bacteria you care about is in your gravel and filter media. But it just depends on your water chemestry. Like I said if you use Co2, the Co2 lowers the pH, and when you do a huge water change like 70% it will flux up to where your tap water is, this also applies to methods of hardening and softening your water.

I just think that 70% is maybe too shocking for some fish, I prefer a less intense change, although for some big, dirty and hardy fish, thats probably just what the doctor ordered.

I actually think I have a pretty unique method of water changes on my 10g planted tank that I'll share.

I use a python to suck the water out and down my sink. Then since its a planted tank, and my tap water is hard and has a high pH I use a 50/50 RO and tap water mix, this gets my water chemistry to right where I want it.

I pre mix that water and keep it in a 5g bucket in my room. Then since it gets pretty cold in Minnesota in the winter I put a submersible heater in the bucket and put the lid on the bucket then it keeps the temp right where I want it. Then if I need to do a water change or a top off, I can't just pour the bucket into the top of the tank. I just scoop a cup from the bucket on top offs.

[PeacockBass]

I also use the python to change water. But I think 70-90% is way to high. You change 20-40% and 40% only for really messy tanks/fish.

Your taking too much established water out. If your doing a planted tank with Co2 you could have a real problem with pH changing too


70-90 is not too high, infact its perfect. IF and ONLY IF the water you are putting in contains roughly the same GH, PH and Temp as the water you took out. other wise it will shock the fish mildly.

Incorrect about the planted tank. If you are using a Co2 Injection system it will replace the Co2 you took out. Co2 Is not a important/detrimental factor like Ph or GH. the plants can go quite a while without a shot of Carbon dioxide.

when you do a large water change besure to get the PH, GH, and Temp roughly the same.

[PeacockBass]

At work we are supposed to reccomend doing about a 30% water change cleaning out the gravel really good with a gravel vac about once a month. I however dont do them that often, especially on my saltwater because I have so much liverock in my tank. I dont believe that taking out so much water will take out all the bad bacteria, because it also takes out the good bacteria that is established... But other then that, I think about 30-40% is good enough.

30% once a month is NOT enough and furthermore not helping your system at all. Nitrates are being produced daily, so is the lowering of the PH as the acid byproducts build up and neutralize your KH. You should be doing water changes weakly. you should be completely turning over your tank volume with NEW water every 2 weeks. unless, of course, its a self sustaining system like a professionally done Reef tank.

Bad bacteria? what are you talking about. that has nothing to do with water changes. Water changes are not intended to "sanitize" the system from these so called "bad" bacteria. the True intent of a water change is to cleanse the system from Ammonia, Nitrite, and the high build up of Nitrate. Aswell as replenish the dropping PH and KH.

also, You are not effecting your biological "bed" by taking out the water.. they are not present in the water, infact they are stuck to the surface areas inside your tank. Nitrifying bacteria are not "floating amock".

[PeacockBass]

Ya it is true that most of the bacteria you care about is in your gravel and filter media. But it just depends on your water chemestry. Like I said if you use Co2, the Co2 lowers the pH, and when you do a huge water change like 70% it will flux up to where your tap water is, this also applies to methods of hardening and softening your water.

I just think that 70% is maybe too shocking for some fish, I prefer a less intense change, although for some big, dirty and hardy fish, thats probably just what the doctor ordered.

I actually think I have a pretty unique method of water changes on my 10g planted tank that I'll share.

I use a python to suck the water out and down my sink. Then since its a planted tank, and my tap water is hard and has a high pH I use a 50/50 RO and tap water mix, this gets my water chemistry to right where I want it.

I pre mix that water and keep it in a 5g bucket in my room. Then since it gets pretty cold in Minnesota in the winter I put a submersible heater in the bucket and put the lid on the bucket then it keeps the temp right where I want it. Then if I need to do a water change or a top off, I can't just pour the bucket into the top of the tank. I just scoop a cup from the bucket on top offs.


You should be adding things to your tank to help combat the dropping PH. If you dont do water changes or add buffering agents to your tank the Co2 will drop the PH into very acidic levels which will kill your fish. Most advanced Planted tank keepers will keep crushed coral in their filters. this helps baddle the Co2. they also have a regulating system that will shut the Co2 OFF if the PH drops below a certain level, When the Co2 is off the crushed coral will start to bring the PH back up which then the regulater starts injecting Co2 again.

They keep their Tank at a certain PH and when they do a water change they only add in the same ph as their tank. This is what you should be doing. Not adding in Different parameters into your tank. You should try and get your tank at a certain level and maintain it.

If your Planted tank has a PH of 6.5 and this is where you WANT it, you should not be adding new water in with the PH of 7.0. You should be mixing the water with a PH lowering agent in a bucket to get it to 6.5, and then add it in.

[PeacockBass]

I just think that 70% is maybe too shocking for some fish, I prefer a less intense change, although for some big, dirty and hardy fish, thats probably just what the doctor ordered.
.


1 more thing.

water changes will not effect the fish unless the Parameters are different. Most pro Discus breeders perform 100% water changes a day with no ill effects to the fish. Not to mention discus are one of the most sensitive freshwater fish, when it comes to water quality.

If the parameters are the same or very close, it will not effect the fish.

[rayman45]

30% once a month is NOT enough and furthermore not helping your system at all. Nitrates are being produced daily, so is the lowering of the PH as the acid byproducts build up and neutralize your KH. You should be doing water changes weakly. you should be completely turning over your tank volume with NEW water every 2 weeks. unless, of course, its a self sustaining system like a professionally done Reef tank.

Bad bacteria? what are you talking about. that has nothing to do with water changes. Water changes are not intended to "sanitize" the system from these so called "bad" bacteria. the True intent of a water change is to cleanse the system from Ammonia, Nitrite, and the high build up of Nitrate. Aswell as replenish the dropping PH and KH.

also, You are not effecting your biological "bed" by taking out the water.. they are not present in the water, infact they are stuck to the surface areas inside your tank. Nitrifying bacteria are not "floating amock".



well what fish does he have
my dad has oscars in a 150
and he does around 30 once a month

[PeacockBass]

well what fish does he have
my dad has oscars in a 150
and he does around 30 once a month


It doesnt matter what species of fish he has. The species of fish wont have anything to do with the toxicity of the Nitrate, ect ect.

what is your point?

[rayman45]

im saying oscars are one of the most dirty fish there is
they are growing fine with 30% a month


now on the other hand if you had rays 30% a month would kill them before you have a chance to change the water


my dad has 4 oscars(sold of 2) 1 gt and 1 blue channel cat in a 150
he has 2 404's on it and 2 powerheads

[rayman45]

i dont do 30% on my tanks


but for some1 with hardy fish like oscars can get away with it





on my frist tank(90G)
i had
1 sliver aro
6 oscars
1 rtc
2 tsn
1 lima
2 jd
2 con's
and little pictus cats

i dident know what a waterchange was
i dident do a w/c for 2 months and the fish were fine


im not saying its good
but you can get away with it

[PeacockBass]

im saying oscars are one of the most dirty fish there is
they are growing fine with 30% a month


now on the other hand if you had rays 30% a month would kill them before you have a chance to change the water


my dad has 4 oscars(sold of 2) 1 gt and 1 blue channel cat in a 150
he has 2 404's on it and 2 powerheads

Check the Nitritates. also, take a few pics of their heads for us. Nitrates are not "quick killers". Think of Nitrates as smoking. the long term effects will kill. not the short term.

I feel asthough you should already know the effects of nitrates so i wont discuss that.

please, take some pics of the system and close head shots of the fish for us.

[PeacockBass]

i dont do 30% on my tanks


but for some1 with hardy fish like oscars can get away with it





on my frist tank(90G)
i had
1 sliver aro
6 oscars
1 rtc
2 tsn
1 lima
2 jd
2 con's
and little pictus cats

i dident know what a waterchange was
i dident do a w/c for 2 months and the fish were fine


im not saying its good
but you can get away with it

you can also get away with feeding a baby 10mgs of bleach every day. just because an animal LIVES through an enviorment (short term i mind you) does not automatically mean the animal is "perfect" and "thriving".

Gold fish are used throughout the hobby to "cycle" a tank. they live though a changing PH and extreme levels of Ammonia. does this mean they are "thriving"? Sure, they Live in the ammonia, but that does not automatically mean they are "ok"..

Your logic is flawed.

[rayman45]

they have been it the tank for over year and a half now
and they are pairing off

i agree with to 100%
but 30 a month is bare min.

i tell my dad to do it more often but he dont listen

[PeacockBass]

here is another example using your Logic-

Lets take a look at the jews in the holocaust. Most of them were fed Just enough to stay alive and do daily activities... Now, using YOUR logic, this is fine because they are alive and living!!


incorrect.

[piranha45]

you can also get away with feeding a baby 10mgs of bleach every day. just because an animal LIVES through an enviorment (short term i mind you) does not automatically mean the animal is "perfect" and "thriving".

Gold fish are used throughout the hobby to "cycle" a tank. they live though a changing PH and extreme levels of Ammonia. does this mean they are "thriving"? Sure, they Live in the ammonia, but that does not automatically mean they are "ok"..

Your logic is flawed.
VERY well-said, sir!

[rayman45]

i bow to mister pecockbass

[JacksPets06]

Thanks peranha... wasnt to sure of that =D

[Griggs]

Well see, my pH straight out of my tap is around 8, which my plants dont agree with, so part of the job of my Co2 is it lower the pH a bit. I also do the 50/50 mixes to get the pH closer to 7. Even with both my pH is like 7.4 You said IF and ONLY IF the water your mixing with has similar pH, well mine doesnt, so its circumstantial.

[JacksPets06]

It doesnt matter what species of fish he has. The species of fish wont have anything to do with the toxicity of the Nitrate, ect ect.

what is your point?


I have had a range of different fish in a 90 gallon (guppies, mollies, tetras, etc...) and I have had nitrates through the roof for more then 2 weeks at a time, and they are all still living... It really does depend on the fish for how they are effected by nitrates...

[neoprodigy]

Neoprodigy has another method. He has a 24/7 drip method. So the water in the tank is constantly changing.



i still monitor the water quality daily... :D

[peaches]

Hey everybody! I am completely new to Monster fishkeepers! I love all the tank buster fish!

I was reading the other posts, and noticed the water change percentage Wheelie posted on all his tanks and I noticed he listed his Aligator tank--my question: Wheelie do you really have an Aligator? If you do, where in the world did you get an Aligator?

Thanks guys! I am so new here and know nothing about nothing really... ;)

[redtailfool]

Peaches , welcome aboard ! He does have gators.. baby ones. Please check the Picture Gallery to see the pics.

[piranha45]

in the States, gators and caimans are obtainable at alot of LFSes. I'm sure there's plenty of online sales sites that sell them, too. They really aren't that rare, nor that expensive... which is unfortunate, because most people dont seem to take care of them properly.

[rayman45]

i got one online and one in lfs

one was 250
the other was 130

welcome abord mfk

[peaches]

Okay, thank you everybody!!!! Thanks for the welcome!

WOW a REAL aligator? I can't believe it.....I just don't see how you keep one in a tank, it seems like the gator would get rough and bashing around as it grew larger and stronger. I know I sound like a geek probably to everyone :o

*By the way I do 3 times a week water changes on my two 55 gallon, 29, and 30 gallon tanks...Of about 20-30%. I highly believe in water changes and very frequent ones too, it's more natural, fish in the wild never have to live in polluted water unless the water is artificially polluted by man such as oil spills and other contaminants.

Does anybody keep Oscars? ;)

[PeacockBass]

I have had a range of different fish in a 90 gallon (guppies, mollies, tetras, etc...) and I have had nitrates through the roof for more then 2 weeks at a time, and they are all still living... It really does depend on the fish for how they are effected by nitrates...


Incorrect. the toxicity of the nitrate WILL NOT be affected by the species of fish.

How ever, how the species of fish that handle the excessive nitrate is. some fish can handle a higher then normal level of No3 while some such as discus cannot. although this is generally for short periods of time. In the long run almost all species of fish will develop long term effects from the high nitrate.

With this being said, it should not be used as an excuse to be lazy and not change your water. By arguing with me here, we can clearly see what type of fishkeeper you really are, and i pray for the sake of your fish that im wrong.

also, i believe i have already proven your logic is flawed in an earlier post.

"I had high levels of nitrates in my tank for 2 weeks!! and the fish were still living!!!! this means they are fine!!!"

WRONG.

[piranha45]

no joke jack. you can smoke or sniff glue or live on an exclusive diet of chocolate bars, and you'll look perfectly fine after two weeks, but does that mean its healthy for you?

Stick your tetras in a tank that has consistent 200ppm nitrates for a year, and then come back and tell us how their lifespan and general health compares to tetras kept in 20 ppm tanks.

You need to think out your fishkeeping methods better; people could start taking your advice seriously, and ruin their fish in the long run.

[rayman45]

i showed this thread to my dad and he does once a week now :)

[piranha45]

*sniff, sniff* we made a difference! :D

really though, glad to hear he's reformed

[redtailfool]

You really see a big difference when nitrates are low and water changes are regularly done. The most important difference to me is growth. They just grow so much faster when the water is changed regularly . Then everything else follows... coloration ,vigor etc..

I can even make a bet that any fish from Neos tank will grow much faster than mine. Nevermind if i do waterchanges every 3-4 days and i feed the most nutrious food available. Why? because Neoprodigy has a continous water drip system and his water params are as close to perfect all the time.

[Kenta]

40-70% on my 180g every 7-10 days.
Along with a rinsing of all media and prefilters.
scrubbing of algae, vaccing of sand.

Thats it.

[baddfish]

I do 40% water changes every 3-4 weeks. I dont lose fish to poor water quality. I lose them because ive allowed them to kick the **** out of each other! :eek:

[PeacockBass]

I do 40% water changes every 3-4 weeks. I dont lose fish to poor water quality. I lose them because ive allowed them to kick the **** out of each other! :eek:


you obviously have no idea what you are doing.

[Triggeraa]

Frequencey of water changes also have a lot to do with the bioload you tanks are carying. Water changes should not be used to remove amonia as your filters should be taking care of that. You must make shure your filtration is up to task.

[Anythingfish]

I have a very crowded 180 gallon community aquarium which requires a 50% water change every 7-10 days otherwise the Nitrates (NO3) gets well above 100 PPM. I feed 2 chicken pork hotdogs per day or the equivalent in shrimp or beef heart, together with 1/2 cup of Silver Cup brand trout pellets, both floating and sinking type. In the past I have been able to go a month without a water change but at that time I was keeping only 2 Oscars and a Jaguar. I test the water nearly every day and use the Nitrate level as an indication of how often to change the fish tank water.

For filling my aquariums quickly I have added two water faucet valves to my washing machine hot and cold water supply. They feed a 2 foot “Y” connection connected to a good quality garden hose with a plastic Home Depot PVC ball valve. I can mix the water to any desired temperature and get about 150 gallons before the hot water tank has run out. An average water change takes about 6-7 minutes.

How much new water can you add at one time? One day I came home to discover all my fish, about a dozen assorted types and sizes, flopping on the bottom of the aquarium in less than 1” of water. The power had gone off and my anti-siphon hole in the pump return pipe had become plugged. The sump overflowed and the tank was nearly dry. I turned on the fill water hose and adjusted the temperature to what seemed ok. I dumped in some Seachem Prime and let the 180 gallon aquarium fill up. All the fish made it but my 10” Tinfoil Barbs were a bit woozy for a while.

If you can keep you fish tank water PH at about the same level as the incoming city or well water supply, it has been my experience that you can do virtually any size water change you want without harm to your fish. I have a large bag of crushed coral in my tank sump to buffer the PH and add trace minerals. Without the coral to hold the PH at about 7.0, I must add 1 or 2 tablespoons of baking soda per day to prevent a PH crash. I have a very large fish load and most reasonable aquarists would not have to go to this extreme.

This is a photo of my 180 gallon community aquarium during a 50% water change.

http://www.anythingfish.com/teds_posted_fish_photos/O-Filter1848.jpg


This is a link to my Anythingfish web site: Jumbo tropical aquarium fish: 34” Pacu, 36” Tiger Shovelnose Catfish, 34” Redtail Catfish, Arowana, 34” Marbled Sailfin, 2400 gallon outdoor aquarium with construction photos, filters and filtration design.

http://anythingfish.com/images/Ted/PhotoGallery/TedsMasterIndex.htm

Visit our AnythingFish website: Stingrays, African Lungfish, Koi pond and pet Seagull.
http://www.anythingfish.com

[froggyman]

if the fish are healthly 60 percent a week if they have fin rot then 70percent ever other day

[PeacockBass]

if you are having problems with fin rot then you are doing something very wrong... water changes should not have anything to do with finrot.

i suggest getting some test kits and testing your water.

[Jay R.]

so much discussion on water changes. water changes are to remove the nitrates after the bactiria in the tanks scrubs the ammonia and nitrites and turn them into nitrates. as they say,
"the solution to pollution is dullition!"

therfore, water changes should be done in relation to your nitrate levels. now, it is possible to create a biofilter for nitrates, they will be turned into nitrogen gas. they aren't as easy to maintain as the ammonia and nitrite bacteria filters. and they require low oxigen levels, and NO DITRIUS or you will have a nitrate producing factory! so you need more substrate or lighter bioload, and a place with low oxigen levels. with a modrate bioload and and extra deep substrate, I went 6 months between water changes, when i tested the water before i changes, i had no ammonia, nitrites or nitrate leves at all. my PH was at 7.2. no im not saying that water changes aren't needed, im saying that a blanket statement for ANYTHING in fishkeeping is silly. monitory your water quality and act appropietly and that should keep all tanks healthy!

(by the way, i have since swapped all tanks around and I'm doing my water changes every 1-2 weeks as the tanks cycle back in!)

[Jay R.]

subscribe (not used to this one yet and can't find a subscribe button!)

[froggyman]

if you are having problems with fin rot then you are doing something very wrong... water changes should not have anything to do with finrot.

i suggest getting some test kits and testing your water.

no i HAD problems with finrot but did the more frequnt when the had finrot(usally after they are first bought.

[guppy]

I have made a habit of 25% changes per week but once had a 150 that didn't get a water change for almost five years. It was to perfect to mess with and supplied enough plants and paired angels to trade for most of the food for my other tanks

[PeacockBass]

and NO DITRIUS or you will have a nitrate producing factory! )

what do you mean?

[CentralMayhem]

**** i got to the end of the 1st page and seen there were 6 so i said screw it. more is better. a klot of serious people change all water every day. i do 75% weekly(most the time) and the bacteria isnt in the water people. bad stuff is in water get rid of it and your fish will thrive, leave it in and it builds up. and this is monster fishkeepers, you have to change water with monsters. how many monsters you keep in you reef tanks. hence fewer water changes.

[pufferking]

on my big tank 25% everyother day and pretty much the same for the other tanks

[Jay R.]

what do you mean?

not sure Exactly what the question is, so don't take offense to the answer, don't think you an idiot, just want to cover the two things i think you might mean

1.) ditrius - this is used to describe all waste from fish to fish foods. (honestly i have not seen it as a vocab word, so im not positive, but thats always how it's used..... :shakehead

2.) when all of the above, fish food and fish wates get caught in a place where they cannot be removed. bacteria will feast on it and overproduce nitrates to the point where dailiy water changes are needed for the fish to survive.

:D

[PeacockBass]

not sure Exactly what the question is, so don't take offense to the answer, don't think you an idiot, just want to cover the two things i think you might mean

1.) ditrius - this is used to describe all waste from fish to fish foods. (honestly i have not seen it as a vocab word, so im not positive, but thats always how it's used..... :shakehead

2.) when all of the above, fish food and fish wates get caught in a place where they cannot be removed. bacteria will feast on it and overproduce nitrates to the point where dailiy water changes are needed for the fish to survive.

:D


1) detritus is usually refered to as "useless matter" which has no biological properties and cannot be broken down by bacteria.


2) this depends souly on the volume of water and the bioload present.

[fishing4exotics]

Detritus is fish S H I T! Bacteria does breakdown the poop. The kind of bacteria that breaks down detritus will compete for surface area and o2 with bacteria that breakdown Ammonia into Nitrite and also those bacteria that breaks down nitrite into nitrate. It is best to take out the ditritus with the water so your filter can work more effectively.

[PeacockBass]

Detritus is fish S H I T! Bacteria does breakdown the poop. The kind of bacteria that breaks down detritus will compete for surface area and o2 with bacteria that breakdown Ammonia into Nitrite and also those bacteria that breaks down nitrite into nitrate. It is best to take out the ditritus with the water so your filter can work more effectively.


incorrect. Heterotrophic bacteria do not compete with Nitrifying bacteria for surface area.

also, the correct definition for Detritus is - Disintegrated or eroded matter.

[guppy]

Yup, detritus can be both organic or inorganic and even poetic, as in "the detritus of broken dreams", but for aquarium keepers it usually refers to orgonic by-products like food waste, feces and plant debris, ie "some snails are detritus eaters" So much for your word for today. Your word for tommorrow class, is "gleet" and you will be expected to use it in a sentence.

[PeacockBass]

Yup, detritus can be both organic or inorganic and even poetic, as in "the detritus of broken dreams", but for aquarium keepers it usually refers to orgonic by-products like food waste, feces and plant debris, ie "some snails are detritus eaters" So much for your word for today. Your word for tommorrow class, is "gleet" and you will be expected to use it in a sentence.


I disagree.

[redtailfool]

Yup, detritus can be both organic or inorganic and even poetic, as in "the detritus of broken dreams", but for aquarium keepers it usually refers to orgonic by-products like food waste, feces and plant debris, ie "some snails are detritus eaters" So much for your word for today. Your word for tommorrow class, is "gleet" and you will be expected to use it in a sentence.


This definition is by far the most accurate... the aquarium meaning anyways. I tend to disagree with the detritus of broken dreams part.

[PeacockBass]

This definition is by far the most accurate... the aquarium meaning anyways. I tend to disagree with the detritus of broken dreams part.


Oh? Please, tell me why you think this is more accurate? Tell me your source.

You have no source.

The real meaning for detritus is used with Geology. Definition = "Loose fragments or grains that have been worn away from rock. "

[truman]

I usually do 30-50% each change, it isn't easy to keep it clear though... is this too little? :screwy:

[piranha45]

I usually do 30-50% each change, it isn't easy to keep it clear though... is this too little? :screwy:
go for 90%

[freeform]

if you have a good filteration running... all you need is a weekly water change of 20%.

this is good enough. too much can cause pH shock to the fishes.

[piranha45]

keyword: can. If you're lazy about it.

[PeacockBass]

if you have a good filteration running... all you need is a weekly water change of 20%.

this is good enough. too much can cause pH shock to the fishes.

incorrect. Even a 20% change can cause a PH shock, it all depends on the PH of the tank and the new water..

GOOD filtration has NOTHING to do with water changes. Good filtration wont prevent you from having to take out NO3 and replenish KH. Good filtration wont keep the PH steady...

Also, the % of the change IS based on the bioload.

[freeform]

incorrect. Even a 20% change can cause a PH shock, it all depends on the PH of the tank and the new water..

GOOD filtration has NOTHING to do with water changes. Good filtration wont prevent you from having to take out NO3 and replenish KH. Good filtration wont keep the PH steady...

Also, the % of the change IS based on the bioload.

true. to take out NO3 you need to do water change. coral chips help to buffer pH. and like you mentioned, juz ensure that the new water pH is close to the pH in your tank.

[PeacockBass]

true. to take out NO3 you need to do water change. coral chips help to buffer pH. and like you mentioned, juz ensure that the new water pH is close to the pH in your tank.



:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[buddah101]

I too use a python, however I only do 30~40% waterchanges once a week on all my tanks. I don't know what I'd do without my PYTHON...I would probably have two "pythons" from liftung those darned heavy buckets! lol

[piranha45]

I too use a python, however I only do 30~40% waterchanges once a week on all my tanks. I don't know what I'd do without my PYTHON...I would probably have two "pythons" from liftung those darned heavy buckets! lol
aint that the truth, hehe

[DiXoN]

at the moment due to the amount of fish in my 180g my water changes are 15g a couple of times a week (to remove the crap) and 30-40% every 2-3 weeks but i have only 3 small fish in it when i was fully stocked i was doing 15g every day except when i was doing 40-50% 1 day a week.
all the other tanks get changed 20% every week it takes 2-3 hours and is done by 2 people me included.
dixon

[twinturbo]

i do it (30-40%) everyweek, but the tanks are on a 2 week rotation. its getting old fast though

[yourwinter]

I have always taken only 30-40 percent out at a time. I do water changes once a week. However, close friends of mine have different methods and all three of ours seem to work. One does water changes once a week changing close to 85 percent. The other friend hasn't done a water change in over a year and his fish look healthier that mine. Try a variety of methods and find what works best for your fish. If your current method is working, stick with it!

[guppy]

I have always taken only 30-40 percent out at a time. I do water changes once a week. However, close friends of mine have different methods and all three of ours seem to work. One does water changes once a week changing close to 85 percent. The other friend hasn't done a water change in over a year and his fish look healthier that mine. Try a variety of methods and find what works best for your fish. If your current method is working, stick with it!
Yaah baby!

[dan888]

I've been changing my tank water for a weekly 30%.

[Isis_Nebthet]

50% a week in the tanks and the carp pond. I probably don't need to do so much but it doesn't hurt. 50% every other day on the drum with the knives and jack dempsey until I get more water patched in for them (which is getting frustrating I found out my fiberglass resin is toast and by the time I got back home from getting more it was too late do do anything).

Adrea

[ZermStorm]

all this info is so helpful. I love these forums.

[DeLgAdO]

i showed this thread to my dad and he does once a week now :)

i need to show this to my dad as well

is their anyway i can find this thread again? :)

[DeLgAdO]

incorrect. Heterotrophic bacteria do not compete with Nitrifying bacteria for surface area.

also, the correct definition for Detritus is - Disintegrated or eroded matter.

peacock i have 100% respect for you

i bow down to thei :headbang2

[rumblesushi]

delgado wants to do naughty things to peacock's bottom.

[fishboy]

i do a 70-80% waterchange on my 125g once a week and i havent had a problem with my water parimeters at all and my water stays clear

[DeLgAdO]

delgado wants to do naughty things to peacock's bottom.

LOL!!

**** you!!! :thumbsup:

[peanut]

50% every week

[Steve_89]

Approx 30% a week.

[piscavore pisces]

30-50% weekly. i usualy vac the gravel everytime. maybe i should just vac the gravel every other week though

[gibbles]

20 % every second week for me.

[bak69]

30-50% every second week. i usualy vac the gravel everytime :)

[David Hui]

85% almost everyday.

[Hakon]

10-15 % every day. OK? ;)

[nick]

50-60 percent 3times a week

[richm20]

I use my wifes cooking therm. to test for temp. works well, but if she finds out......look out.
I do a 20% change 0f my 90 gal, once every 10 days. And diatom after each change!

[seung_k]

After speaking to a Discus breeder, he recommended a weekly 50% water change. Fortunately for me, Hawaii tap water remains fairly consistent in both temp and PH. My fish seem to do quite well with this regiment....

[Booger]

With most big predatory fish, change as much as your time and finances allow. Obviously, there is a stress factor, but if sensitive fish like discus can adapt to daily water changes, our predators will be fine.

Even clean, well filtered aquarium water is INCREDIBLY filthy compared to natural bodies of water. This is true for nearly all aquariums including super high dollar low nutrient reef tanks. Think about stocking densities. The solution to pollution is dilution, and our relatively tiny tanks are very concentrated.

I've been doing 50%/day, but would like to cut back a little in part because of my water and gas (water heater) bills.

[tunachris]

I change 30 Gal in a 125 once per week. I have Africans, and the water out of my tap is about 7.8+ PH. I do it with 5 gal. buckets, and add 1/2 teaspoon of Am-quel+ and Stress-coat to each bucket. My nitrates never go above 10PPM. I do a partial gravel vac. each time I change water, and rinse all my foam filters each time. Parameters stay fairly constant, new water is added at about 78 F.

Chris

[shekes]

Roger changes 90% once a month on 13 tanks.

He makes me laugh.

Love,

Jessica

[TONY60]

I use 55 gal plastic drums. They originally had soda pop syrup in them. I have three of them. I rinse them out really well first. Then I connect them with big clear plastic tubes. I like to age the water several days. I have heat and air for them. I can easily change water peramiters to match the tanks. I can safely drain the water down to just above the fish. Then I sart to add water while still pulling water from the other end of the tank. This can easily be a 100% water change. The fish love it. My only problem is the smaller fish try to swim up my incoming water hose. I like to do it weekly.