310 gallon water changes?

[ethnics]

i couldn't tell you what it test's at. you guys can bash me all you want for that, but i've never owned a test kit in over 13 years. i just do my regular water changes as i feel necessary. the water is prestine krisp n clear. the fish are all growing like weeds. i dont think i feed enough to cause crazy spikes and its 400gal of chemistry so it should take a bit to throw it off the chart. all i've done is keep the temp at 82, and add water as it evaps. ill do a wc maybe this weekend since it would be the first.

 

[rallysman]

I'll be the first to bash you

 

[ethnics]

I'll be the first to bash you

lol i only expect it the most from you dude. but its cool. thats why i never mention that i dont use one. maybe i should start but i've never had any weird random deaths. i jus keep up with wc on all my smaller tanks weekly but since it was bigger i figured it could go a lil longer and after 2 months it still looks like it did on day 1 and none of the fish seem to be acting any different.

 

[rallysman]

Water that looks clean may not be clean at all. It may work for a long time but it's easier for it to crash when it's loaded with DOCs and nitrates. If you haul off and do a huge water change now you're going to seriously alter the parameters of your tank and stress your fish no matter what. I like small, constant, and consistent water changes.

I've seen godlfish live in bowls, but that doesnt make it "good'

 

[Bderick67]

i dont kno what im doing right, or wrong for the matter. but i haven't done a wc on my 400gal since i set it up. been almost 2 months with no water changes. pretty heavily stocked and decent filtration. i just dont over feed i guess. i only feed twice a week.

your kidding... right?

 

[CHOMPERS]

Ok well alot of you want to know what i will be housing in it.

there will be:

bottom dwellers:
2 P. Senegalus
1 P. Ornatipinnis
1 P. Palmas
and if i ever find one a P. Endli Congicus
...

My bichirs want to come over and play.

 

[CHOMPERS]

I'm going to second the drip system thought. I havent done a water change on my 265 in over 6 months

Drip systems actually use less water, and they're easier on the fish. Rather than lowering levels, letting them raise, lowering them, letting them raise, ect. you can maintain them at a low level which uses less water IME.

I have had the same experience with my tanks that are dripped.

 

[ethnics]

no bderick, im not kidding. its not impossible to go long periods without wc. some fish become amune to it i guess. my first first setup 13 years ago, i went prolly the whole first year without a wc, jus topping it off with tap water as it evapped. over time i realized that wouldn't cut it, but it did work and many people that dont kno whats going on do the same thing.

i get ur drift rally. ill tape it down to bi-weekly here shortly. ill start off with tomorrow by doing maybe a 100gal wc.. that shouldn't be to much to cause stress.

 

[wright4lfe]

i do want to add that even though i don't water changes every other week, i do vacuum the gravel once a week. it doesn't remove much water, but it does remove the wasted food/poop on the bottom of the tank.

i also clean out my sump sock every couple weeks as well.

 

[qumqats]

I like the idea of a drip system. But how do you add chemicals like a declor or plant fert to the aquarium when you have a drip system running? You can't have water being added witout decloring it!