Is there such a thing as too many water changes?

[BassetsForBrown]

I'm not talking about multiple times per day or anything crazy like that, but would doing a daily, or every other day schedule be beneficial? I ask because I recently build a DIY version of "the python" water change hose, and it's foolishly easy for me to do changes now.

Thanks

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[convict360]

Just depends on the water chemistry. If its really easy to change water for you, you'd be able to stock a heavier bio-load without having to worry about it.

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[duanes]

I have a system that makes water changes a breeze, so I change about 30% per day in summer, every other day in winter. My nitrates stay at between 2-5ppm.
Every time a toilet flushes in my house, it uses fish tank water, and any watering of the garden is fish water.
But that's nothing, I know some breeders that change 90% per day to promote rapid growth of fry.

 

[ehh]

I have a system that makes water changes a breeze, so I change about 30% per day in summer, every other day in winter. My nitrates stay at between 2-5ppm.
Every time a toilet flushes in my house, it uses fish tank water, and any watering of the garden is fish water.
But that's nothing, I know some breeders that change 90% per day to promote rapid growth of fry.

I must do this to my house too.




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[ryansmith83]

As long as the parameters do not swing wildly around as the water ages, it's fine. If your new water is the same pH/hardness and relatively close temperature to the tank water you can change it as much as you want. Discus breeders in Asia don't even use biological filtration because the tanks get 100%+ water changes daily. When I'm raising cichlid fry they get nearly 100% changes daily; I drain the tanks until the fish are lying on their sides in the bottom. The fastest way to grow new world cichlids is to change lots of water.

If your water parameters are noticeably different, it's best to change smaller percentages of water or age the water overnight (store and aerate it in another tank/brute trash can/storage container to off-gas any dissolved gases and stabilize your pH) before using it for the water change. This is how a lot of discus keepers do it.

 

[mudbuttjones]

With in reason - no

But there is a point in which you are just wasting water. most people including my self are too lazy to take it that far.

I figure as long as my water is the same temp and properly treated there is no harm done. Fish like clean water



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[Quo Vadis]

I'm interested in knowing how you system works duanes - I'd love for my old fish water not to go to waste!

I have a system that makes water changes a breeze, so I change about 30% per day in summer, every other day in winter. My nitrates stay at between 2-5ppm.
Every time a toilet flushes in my house, it uses fish tank water, and any watering of the garden is fish water.
But that's nothing, I know some breeders that change 90% per day to promote rapid growth of fry.

 

[Quo Vadis]

Did you use a plan for you DIY python? I just use a hose, which makes water changes easy, but vacuuming is still difficult.

I'm not talking about multiple times per day or anything crazy like that, but would doing a daily, or every other day schedule be beneficial? I ask because I recently build a DIY version of "the python" water change hose, and it's foolishly easy for me to do changes now.

Thanks

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[mudbuttjones]

I built a diy python. Basically my store bought water changer systematically broke piece by piece until I had replaced the unit 100% with diy solutions. Its all hardware store parts. Some brass but imo the short contact time doesnt matter, just like your house's copper plumbing.


35 foot hose on my bathroom sink. The discharge goes into the bathtub. It could easily go outside through a window or into a holding tank in the basement. But I rent. No such luck.



All in all it cost much more than my aqueoun unit. But it wont break. The hose wont collapse. It wont leak. Itll last years.


Ahem. Cough. Cough.

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[MarineMike]

I built a diy python. Basically my store bought water changer systematically broke piece by piece until I had replaced the unit 100% with diy solutions. Its all hardware store parts. Some brass but imo the short contact time doesnt matter, just like your house's copper plumbing.

View attachment 1038362
35 foot hose on my bathroom sink. The discharge goes into the bathtub. It could easily go outside through a window or into a holding tank in the basement. But I rent. No such luck.

View attachment 1038365
View attachment 1038366
All in all it cost much more than my aqueoun unit. But it wont break. The hose wont collapse. It wont leak. Itll last years.

View attachment 1038367
Ahem. Cough. Cough.

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interesting, how well does it create/ increase suction when you turn the water on at the sink. I tried making one from pvc but it wouldn't start the siphon and once started siphoned water fine but lacked enough suction to lift the crap from the gravel.