approach to water changes

[PMK]

I DO 40% WATER CHANGE EVERY SUNDAY MORNING. NO EXCEPTIONS, BEST ANALOGY THAT COMES TO MIND IS GO SIT IN A TUB OF WATER, AFTER NORMAL BODILY FUNCTIONS OCCUR HOW LONG DO YOU WANT TO STAY IN THAT TUB? HOW LONG WILL IT BE HEALTHY FOR YOU TO STAY THERE?

 

[Ianab]

by the sound of it alot of people fill directly off their tap, i fill 5 gallon buckets and run an air stone in then over night before a water change. what do you guys do?

I fill mine directly from the tap, or the garden hose if it's summer and the water is reasonably warm. But thats only because I trust the local water supply. It's clean mountain stream water that isn't heavily chlorinated and has no chloramine added.

If you aren't 100% sure on your tap water use something like Prime to treat it as you top up the tank. Primes main ingredient is sodium thiosulphate which is harmless to fish in small doses, but magically reacts with chlorine, ammonia etc and renders them non-toxic as well. So a capfull of prime each water change is good insurance.

I agree that water tests for Nitrate tell you when you HAVE to do water changes. Doesn't mean that you cant do more and keep the water even cleaner.

Think of it like polluted city air for us. The health dept sets this limit of whats 'safe' to breathe. But having air thats cleaner than that limit makes us happier

Cheers

Ian

 

[flamenco-t]

I prefer to have minimal amounts of fluctuations in all parameters, so I like frequent small changes, like 1gph.

I don't think anyone get it ? haha LOL..

You must be an unemployed to do 1 gallon of WC every hour, 24 hours per day hahah

You're funny dude..

stan

 

[RBE17]

I don't think anyone get it ? haha LOL..

You must be an unemployed to do 1 gallon of WC every hour, 24 hours per day hahah

You're funny dude..

stan

I think he's talking about having a constant drip system for water changes.

 

[rallysman]

I think he's talking about having a constant drip system for water changes.

 

[Mr Cracker2u]

Small partial water changes on a very regular basis is great for your fish. The proof is evident every time you look at them. I'm sure a constant drip would work even better.
240gln automated 5% x2 daily
30gln 10% every other day manual

My next system will be 100+gln constant drip

All water goes to plants, lawn, grape vines & herb garden.
This makes me feel it is not wasted, and sorta even green......LOL

 

[Pufferpunk]

LOL, I guess the 75% weekly WC on all my FW & 90% weekly for my discus for the past 30 years isn't working? My tanks are about as close as fresh as tapwater can be!

 

[devlyyn]

I don't think anybody is saying it isn't working. Your fish are probably a lot happier and healthier than many. I was just suggesting that, above a certain point, the benefits of changing water don't really exceed the costs (water, time).

I would love to set up a drip system though. Either that or just have my tank plumbed so I can just turn a couple valves to empty/fill it. That would be ideal.