Excellent!! I agree 1000%!! You can then explain to 'Pops' that your objective is to maintain a nitrate level of less than say 20ppm. The only way to do that is thru W/C's. The difference is you'll be able to justify your water use a bit better. "T"Is My Dad Right?
- Thread starter Tropicalfishking
- Start date
Excellent!! I agree 1000%!! You can then explain to 'Pops' that your objective is to maintain a nitrate level of less than say 20ppm. The only way to do that is thru W/C's. The difference is you'll be able to justify your water use a bit better. "T"aquariums are closed systems. Closed systems need refreshing. Water changes = refreshing.
after you do the testing for a couple weeks you can guess the nitrate accumulation rate, then make your schedule accordingly i would still recommend testing monthly tho
Yes and yes. Other things aside, if you are doing 50% water changes and if you have an accumulation of 20ppm of Nitrates per week you will end up with a standard setting of 40ppm. If you do 25% per week you will end up with 80ppm and 30% gives you 60ppm.
So as I see it, the percentages of water change needed are a direct result of the type and amount of food offered per water change.
after you do the testing for a couple weeks you can guess the nitrate accumulation rate, then make your schedule accordingly i would still recommend testing monthly tho
Yes and yes. Other things aside, if you are doing 50% water changes and if you have an accumulation of 20ppm of Nitrates per week you will end up with a standard setting of 40ppm. If you do 25% per week you will end up with 80ppm and 30% gives you 60ppm.
So as I see it, the percentages of water change needed are a direct result of the type and amount of food offered per water change.
Well yes that's part of it but there are other factors. The size, number & type of fish & the amount of water involved also play a part in formulating a viable W/C schedule The percentage of water & how often removed is somtimes in a state of flux because of the number of variables involved that can affect the nitrate reading. That's why periodic testing is more efficient in tweaking your W/C schedule. "T"well something to consider techically he could be right, since anaerobic biological filtration does exist, and that does reduce nitrates.jcardona1;3573325; said:you need to do some research buddy! bio filtration does NOTHING to reduce nitrates, only ammonia and nitrites. only way to get rid of nitrates is through regular water changes
however ppp keep in mind the regular biofiltration devices you by at most stores is aerobic, it reduces nitrites and ammonia not nitrates. i would say 99.9% of aquariums only have aerobic filtration.
in the 0.1% with anaerobic filtration(mostly saltwater tanks), perhaps 0.08% have unintended anaerobic filtration(its happens in sand bed or live rock with out them actively promoting it, probably still need wc's), and then the remaining 0.02% actively planed to have it setting up the tank(some of them still probably need wc's any way).
so yes it is indeed possible to have a biofiltration system that reduces nitrates, do you have one probably not. i suppose you could look into a coil denitrator or anerobic media(i think seachem sells some, i wouldnt expect miracles with it).
I just went out and got a Nitrate test kit. I did a test and it read 0ppm. My last water change was last Saturday. I will test it again on Saturday.
I'm starting to think that we are both right. I'm right, because it costs close to nothing to do my watcher changes, My dad is right because I don't need to do them quite as often. But Friday will give the reall data. I also got the joy of buying 4 new black neon tetras.
I'm starting to think that we are both right. I'm right, because it costs close to nothing to do my watcher changes, My dad is right because I don't need to do them quite as often. But Friday will give the reall data. I also got the joy of buying 4 new black neon tetras.
well good to here its working out.Tropicalfishking;3575647; said:
i once had a discussion with someone who was convinced her water change was bankrupting her or something, she had 75gallon one tank, and only did a small amount every couple weeks. the man thing that irked me was her fish were very sick, with nitrates probably through the roof. and she couldnt justify doing a couple of extra changes to save here fishes lives. its like 50 cent i mean come on
sostoudt;3575587; said:
Oops. My bad for talking from my thought.
I am on a quest to convert my 180g to a once a year maintenance, probably with no water change, just auto makeup with RO water.
Something like a reversed flow UGF with a canister, UV/ozone on a timer, and a denitrator. Will have additional ORP probe to monitor the water apart from normal tests.
Aren't we all living in a closed world? I think if I have all the required bacteria in the 'filters', the water will remain, well, water.
Of course, it will be more expensive than gravel vac and water change........
Dang I've been changing 200gallons a DAY while my new setup cycles...
I agree with the rest though. Figure out the actual cost and get yourself a test kit. Many aquarists have success not changing any water until Nitrates reach 100ppm. I'm not recommending this, but it does work for some.
I agree with the rest though. Figure out the actual cost and get yourself a test kit. Many aquarists have success not changing any water until Nitrates reach 100ppm. I'm not recommending this, but it does work for some.
Try cutting back your h20 percentage change. Instead of doing 33% every week try doing 20%. Then let your dad judge for himself on the h20 bill. Where I live my h20 bill is outrageous. There are two adults in the house and it is over $100/month. It was $100/month before I set up my current aquariums. I don't see a change. I was furious and I learned that my city buys h20 from the neighboring city and then doubles their charges. My sewage is more than my h20 and their stupid extra charges are ridiculous. However years ago when I lived with my parents my father thought my h20 use on the aquariums was making the bill go up too. I pay it myself now and I see no discernible change. You could always flush the toilet every other time you pee. That would save enough h20 for your h20 changes.
