Enough Waterchanges?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I follow a similar routine to the OP, changing about 15-20% per week on average . . . my nitrates are always low, but I attribute that to my heavily planted tanks . . .

I don't use bio-wheels, bio-balls or other bacterial media. these things are great for what they do - - eliminate ammonia/nitrite - - but they are basically nitrate factories

what seems to work better (for me) is that the plants in the tank absorb most of the ammonia the fish produce, so less nitrate is produced in the first place
 
I'm a big fan of the 25% water changes. But to be honest as long as you do them every week without fail you are probably ok.
 
Sab_Fan;3515496; said:
I don't use bio-wheels, bio-balls or other bacterial media. these things are great for what they do - - eliminate ammonia/nitrite - - but they are basically nitrate factories
Click to expand...

This is pretty much the same as saying a heater is bad because it's a heat factory. The entire point of biological filtration is to convert ammonia and nitrite into nitrate.
 
FSM;3515597; said:
This is pretty much the same as saying a heater is bad because it's a heat factory. The entire point of biological filtration is to convert ammonia and nitrite into nitrate.
Click to expand...


I had written a different response; let me see if I can refine it a bit . . .

I get what you're saying, but my point is that it is not necessary to use bio-media - - whose end-product is nitrates - - if you can interrupt the process by eliminating the ammonia at the beginning of the process, which is what I find plants will do; i.e., the plants reduce the ammonia at the start, so not as much nitrate is ever produced

by the same token, because I live in Florida, I don't need to use a heater . . . if I were to use a heater, it would produce more heat than necessary; likewise, bio-media would produce more nitrates than necessary

anyway, that's what works for me . . .
 
why not err on the cautious side & up your w/c. 10% weekly to maybe 20-30gal is not much more time & work. the more you take out the more waste & other organic & solids is removed. helps your filtration system & fish love fresher water conditions!!
 
Sab_Fan;3515754; said:
I had written a different response; let me see if I can refine it a bit . . .

I get what you're saying, but my point is that it is not necessary to use bio-media - - whose end-product is nitrates - - if you can interrupt the process by eliminating the ammonia at the beginning of the process, which is what I find plants will do; i.e., the plants reduce the ammonia at the start, so not as much nitrate is ever produced

by the same token, because I live in Florida, I don't need to use a heater . . . if I were to use a heater, it would produce more heat than necessary; likewise, bio-media would produce more nitrates than necessary

anyway, that's what works for me . . .
Click to expand...

You're right, plants like ammonia, and therefore less nitrate is produced. But regardless of whether you use biomedia, there will still be lots of bacteria turning ammonia and nitrite into nitrate. Since the plants also use nitrate though, it isn't really much of an issue.

Your heater wouldn't over heat the water unless it was broken.
 
FSM;3517522; said:
Your heater wouldn't over heat the water unless it was broken.
Click to expand...

so true . . . this actually happened, which is why I removed all of my heaters a couple years ago :grinno:

cheers!
 
i dont' think plants remove the need for water changes. They do help as they act sort of bioligical media, but you still need to remove dissolved organics and total dissolved solids.
 
FSM;3517522; said:
You're right, plants like ammonia, and therefore less nitrate is produced. But regardless of whether you use biomedia, there will still be lots of bacteria turning ammonia and nitrite into nitrate. Since the plants also use nitrate though, it isn't really much of an issue.

Your heater wouldn't over heat the water unless it was broken.
Click to expand...

Plants prefer ammonia and will thrive in an aquarium that also has the proper balance of the other required nutrients including CO2.

I'm inclined to beleive that it is better to short circuit the nitrate cycle with plants to reduce nitrates but it does add more complexity to your water chemistry if you use ferts. Using plants may slightly reduce the imperitive to do water changes but not eliminate it.

As a rule we use nitrate levels as the bellwether for water changes not necessarily because we are so much concerned about NO2 but we also want to reduce the other ions and complex organic compounds including growth limiting hormones that will acumulate over time.

Using both healthy actively growing plants and a good water change routine is the best strategy. Just my two cents worth...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom