How can I convince someone that weekly 50% wc isn't dangerous?

[lando]

Its a 150gal overstocked w/ viejas at the moment. I will be thinning the herd in the next 6 months to a year & hopefully get down to 2x 50% weekly. Right now it keeps my nitrates around 5-7.

I'm starting a 75gallon discus tank in the next month or so & that will be 55gallons changed daily haha. I like perfect water & enjoy doing water changes.

If you get your water change process streamlined, its not a big deal at all. I can do the 50% change on the 150 with a tank wipedown & cleaning both filters in about 45 minutes.

Dude I don't want to be rude but what the heck are you thinking.

If you are having to change that much water you are doing something wrong. I would suggest a combination of a bigger tank better filtration and less fish.... You say you like to do water changes but over time the amount your spending on water you might aswell buy better filters. Go check out eBay they have great deals!


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[Jc1119]

I've done small weekly changes and large ones and growth, color and health have all been noticeably better with larger changes. Even better on a drip system ..... Personal experience here.

There may be lots of various " organic" items that show up in nature but elevated levels of nitrates are not something most species I keep are exposed to. Each keeper will have different sets of circumstances they deal with, but I'm an advocate of large changes.








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[David R]

You say you like to do water changes but over time the amount your spending on water you might aswell buy better filters.

Better filters won't do anything to reduce the amount of nitrate produced and subsequently the need to change water.

I do agree that schedule seems somewhat ridiculous for a home aquarium, a bigger tank and some pothos would be good, although I'd be interested in seeing you test the nitrates between water changes. You must have a crazy feeding regime if they are reaching levels that justify a 50% wc in a couple of days.

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[lando]

Better filters won't do anything to reduce the amount of nitrate produced and subsequently the need to change water.

I do agree that schedule seems somewhat ridiculous for a home aquarium, a bigger tank and some pothos would be good, although I'd be interested in seeing you test the nitrates between water changes. You must have a crazy feeding regime if they are reaching levels that justify a 50% wc in a couple of days.

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So a good canister filter/ sump with the proper media doesn't reduce your ammonia and nitrates......


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[strollo22]

So a good canister filter/ sump with the proper media doesn't reduce your ammonia and nitrates......


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Anmonia yes, nitrItes yes, nitrates no.


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[E.C.]

So a good canister filter/ sump with the proper media doesn't reduce your ammonia and nitrates......

ammonia will be converted to nitrite then to nitrates, that's what BB's are for, biological filtration.
WC comes in to lessen nitrates build up or plants. If you're down to plants anyone can vouch for pothos.

 

[David R]

So a good canister filter/ sump with the proper media doesn't reduce your ammonia and nitrates......

If the person in question is changing water to reduce nitrites and ammonia then yes more filtration will obviously help. Generally speaking though, people do water changes to reduce nitrates, which are produced by the biological filter breaking down ammonia into nitrite then nitrate. If this is already happening then adding more filtration won't do anything to reduce the amount of water needing to be changed.

 

[Jc1119]

If the person in question is changing water to reduce nitrites and ammonia then yes more filtration will obviously help. Generally speaking though, people do water changes to reduce nitrates, which are produced by the biological filter breaking down ammonia into nitrite then nitrate. If this is already happening then adding more filtration won't do anything to reduce the amount of water needing to be changed.

Alot of folks fail to realize this. Put a hundred filters on a tank and your nitrates will still be the same if the fish load and feeding regiment are the same.

Case on point...... Mbuna. I kept my 135 stocked to the point of reducing aggression, but my weekly changes needed to be around 60-70% to keep nitrates in check. 5 canisters on the tank kept things clear, but you can't see nitrates. In practice, this stocking solved one problem, but created another.

I look at filtration this way. It is a bridge between water changes. Nothing more. How many and or often are dictated by bio load and water volume, not filtration.


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[kamikaziechameleon]

I prefilter my water to remove chlorine and do 50-75 percent exchanges on a 800 plus gallon setup. No deaths, lots of spawns. Its glorious.

The dangers of large water changes are, Chlorine, PH swings, Temp spike/drop. If you have a system that can manage and control those elements you are set to go!

 

[lando]

I said a combination of a larger tank. Smaller stock, and better filtration. Would help this issue. I understand how important water changes are. All I'm saying is you shouldnthave to do 50-75% water changes every other day!


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