Actually in the wild, esp in lakes, the water isn't that clean(in a high school limnology class project, I monitored the water quality of a north florida lake by testing it)....Nitrate is certainly not zero and there were traces of NH3 and NO2 as well along with other interesting things. Most people's goal is after cycling, control nitrate to a decent level and also control PH to an acceptable level.
I'm becoming addicted to water changes?
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Actually in the wild, esp in lakes, the water isn't that clean(in a high school limnology class project, I monitored the water quality of a north florida lake by testing it)....Nitrate is certainly not zero and there were traces of NH3 and NO2 as well along with other interesting things. Most people's goal is after cycling, control nitrate to a decent level and also control PH to an acceptable level.
This is what I do: I am an early riser of the household...twice a week
1) I put the hose attached to my eheim backflush port to the yard and turn on the port. I turn off the power heads
2) wash up, start to cook breakfast
3) 10-15 minutes later I turn off the port...add prime
4) I put my garden hose spray head to soak, turn on and leave it on
5) finish cooking breakfast, get my kid up
6) when the water splash sound diminish, I get back to the tank and watch it fill to my desired level, and turn off the hose and close my back yard door. Turn everything on
30 minutes, with only about 5 minutes of actual time involved in changing water.
I try doing 10% daily if I can or 15% every other day. The thing is there are a lot other things in the water we don't test for like hormones n such. My fish love water changes they swim in the water being poured in. Plus my red shoal are sloppy eaters
I do 40% evry day on all 5 tanks 360 220 100 75 45gals.. fish love fresh water!
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Sent from my SCH-R950 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
I do about 30-40% wc every week, and gravel vac about every 2 weeks. I'd like to do a little more since I have a cichlid grow out tank right now and I dont run carbon, so it would keep the water more clear. Parameters are good and fish aren't showing signs of stress though. I just don't see the need of doing 3 or more water changes a week.
I live by the old Army Corps of Engineers dictum of ....."The Solution to Pollution is Dilution"
Keep in mind that water changes provide much more than simply lowering the tanks nitrate levels, they also remove phosphates, pheromones and other chemicals that can build up between water changes, as well as introduce numerous minerals and trace elements that become depleted over time.
I think that some people forget some of water chemistry basics, when focusing on nitrates, and nitrate removers such as pothos. It's not quite that simplistic.
It is virtually 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.
Keep in mind that water changes provide much more than simply lowering the tanks nitrate levels, they also remove phosphates, pheromones and other chemicals that can build up between water changes, as well as introduce numerous minerals and trace elements that become depleted over time.
I think that some people forget some of water chemistry basics, when focusing on nitrates, and nitrate removers such as pothos. It's not quite that simplistic.
It is virtually 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.
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