I'm becoming addicted to water changes?

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Effective ordinary filter SHOULD be a nitrate generating machine...if not, you are doing it wrong.

One can debate about HOW to get rid of the nitrates...
 
To each there own. As long as my fish are happy Idc. But I'm not going to be doing 2 or 3 water changes a week. They were happy when I did one 50% every 2 weeks they will be happier ( I guess) now that I'm doing it once every week-10 days.


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ecoli73 said:
Effective ordinary filter SHOULD be a nitrate generating machine...if not, you are doing it wrong.

One can debate about HOW to get rid of the nitrates...
Click to expand...

It's not just Nitrates you are gtting rid of... But like RD said.. to each his own. Some of us aren't happy with "good enough" hence the WC addiction.... I for one can't wait until I can build a auto-drip for my systems, not just to get rid of the need for manual water changes with a hose.... but to improve my overall water quality... My fish are breeding w/out intention... growing unchecked... colorful, and physically lean and helathy looking. The more water changes I seem to do the better they seem to get.. I'm not a science person like RD... I'm a hobbyist ... I go with what I see infront of me, not what the numbers and tests tell me.

btw RD never saw that thread.. but those fish are killer... no doubt why imo.
 
If you don't already have a good and reliable test kit get one, when your nitrates reach 40-60ppm imo its a good time to change some water. I like to keep them no higher then 20-30ppm and pothos help eminencely! If your doing ridiculous amounts of wc and your nitrates are only 10-20ppm you are wasting time and money.

Which again is why everyone should test their water!

By far the most widely used and reliable test kit -->api fw master test kit, awesome IME! http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000255NCI

_________________________________________________________________________
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?504763-Cheap-plants-less-nitrate!-POTHOS

*Go S. Vettel #1 RBR! 3 BACK TO BACK WDC AND CONSTRUCTERS! :cheers:
 
ni love clean water and glass but my main tank is big and well planted so a wc is looooong. I wouldnt bother if I didnt need to.
 
RD. said:
So because that schedule & volume works for you, it must work for everyone that keeps fish in a closed system? I don't kow whether to laugh or cry when I read comments like that. :screwy:


Once again, it is vitually impossible for one hobbyist to judge another when discussing water change amounts, or schedules, unless one is privy to each others exact set up, including overall bio load, filtration & filter maintenance schedule, tap water chemistry, species (and growth stage) of fish being kept, etc. .


The tank in the following link is owned by a friend of mine.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?198174-550-Gal-Comm-Mega-Stocked

That tank is filtered by a 130 gallon sump. With a couple of properly placed powerheads, he never has to vacuum the gravel (good thing too as the tank is 40" tall), the water always looks crystal clear (except right after a feeding) and his nitrates are kept in check (max 10 ppm) by large daily water changes (100 gallons per day) via an auto water change system. The bio media in the sump is almost never cleaned, the filter system breaks everything down over time.


Just an example of how a well filtered tank with a massive bio-load can run very effectively by utilizing large water changes.

Even with a 130 gallon sump, with enough media to choke a horse, without those daily water changes his nitrates would skyrocket through the roof in less than a week, and his water would look like monkey piss.
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I'll laugh for you.

Not sure where I said that my plan for chaning water is okay for everyone. Just said it worked.

Agreed everyones tanks are differents so they will need a different wc regime. For me though if my parameters are skyrocketing in a few days I have a problem. I like fishkeeping. Doing WC's every few days isn't fun. I'd be getting rid of fish before that ever happens. If I had a drip though then who cares if it hits 500pm in 3 days if it can be handled. I don't though so 50% every week is about all I'm doing.
 
F1 VET said:
If you don't already have a good and reliable test kit get one, when your nitrates reach 40-60ppm imo its a good time to change some water. I like to keep them no higher then 20-30ppm and pothos help eminencely! If your doing ridiculous amounts of wc and your nitrates are only 10-20ppm you are wasting time and money.

Which again is why everyone should test their water!

By far the most widely used and reliable test kit -->api fw master test kit, awesome IME! http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000255NCI

_________________________________________________________________________
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?504763-Cheap-plants-less-nitrate!-POTHOS

*Go S. Vettel #1 RBR! 3 BACK TO BACK WDC AND CONSTRUCTERS! :cheers:
Click to expand...

Agreed. If your nitrates aren't out of control in a few days there is no need for a WC IMO at least.

I could do 75% a day, but what is that going to do. Waste time and money unless....my nitrates are over 40ppm in 1 day.
 
I still use buckets for some of my tanks.. and I'm a girl... :ROFL:
 
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