what is your water change schedule
- Thread starter popss
- Start date
For me its all about nitrates, if a tank is cycled we perform WC as to reduce the ppm of nitrates and also add minerals and such back to the water column.
That being said if your tank is cycled (no ammonia/nitrites) imo you should do a wc when your nitrates hit 30-40ppm. Some people will exceed levels of 80-100ppm with no ill effects but its a fact high nitrate levels will kill or stunt a once healthy fish.
If you don't already have a test kit buy a liquid API fw master test kit, test and when nitrates hit 40ppm do a 50% wc, then test again in a few days and when they hit 40ppm do it again. Eventually its like clock work and you know when your nitrates are approximately at their peak levels.
Pothos is a easy and cheap way to cut the need for wc in half. Visit the link below for more info!
×Go S Vettel #1 Infiniti Redbull! 4x WDC!!! Congrats on another flawless title and 7 wins in a row going on 8, see you in Texas boys!×
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Cheap way to decrease nitrates and keep your fish healthy: http://monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504763
I am under the opinion that 20 ppm is the bench mark for water changes. if you do a 50% water change at 40 then you have reduced to 20 ppm, this is the number when water change needs to happen. nitrate becomes a toxicity to your fish at levels over 20 ppm. As I understand it.
20ppm is low to medium. 40-60ppm is medium to high and 80ppm & + is high.
I prefer 30ppm and used to change @ 50ppm before pothos. Once on a 9 day vacation my n03 peaked @ 90-100ppm and my fish were fine, long term maybe that wouldn't be good but most old school FK's will tell you 20ppm is nothing....
If you prefer 20ppm then test and figure out when it hits 20 and do a wc.
Figuring out Wc schedules is all about testing to learn the desired ceiling of n03. Test test test & test! Only accurate way to know.
×Go S Vettel #1 Infiniti Redbull! 4x WDC!!! Congrats on another flawless title and 7 wins in a row going on 8, see you in Texas boys!×
__________________________________________________________________
Cheap way to decrease nitrates and keep your fish healthy: http://monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504763
What is the source for these figures about what is low / medium / high ranges and what is acceptable? Mine is an average of 10 PPM out of the tap according to the annual report from the utility. I don't test water after 45 years in the hobby. I just change the stuff.
I don't have 45 years in just 17 but I just do my water changes also......I do 1-2 water changes a week of 60-75% and I change my filter socks every week, hob filter cartridges every week, and my canisters every 2 weeks.
30% every 2 days, all my tanks. I don't think I've had nitrate over 20 for quite a while
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anywhere from 50-75% weekly on most the tanks and the pool every 2 weeks ( nitrates stay around 20+ppm by 2nd week) I also aim for 20ppm or less on my tanks, and keep live plants in all of them.
