Large Water Changes Bad?

[PeteLockwood]

Just did my usual ~80% water change on the 125 gal my WC Hystrix are in. pH rises from ~6.2 to ~7.2, temp is the same. Whole change is done in less than 1/2 an hour and they're ready to eat before the filters are even turned back on.

Just sayin'.

 

[vamptrev]

is the new water direct from the tap? u use any type of prime?

 

[Just Toby]

I find this very interesting...where you are based is the water out the tap warm or do you warm it?

I have always thought that we should not do more than 50% but I wonder if this is just habit passed on through the years or if it is more scientific than this.

If your fish are well with no signs of stress then it must be fine....Lets put it this way, if everyone in the hobby did large water changes regularly then a whole heap of fish would live another day!

 

[Just Toby]

Oh, just one question...what is the main reason for changing so much, is it PH or other issue?

I do not mean this as negative, just interested.

 

[BlackShark11k]

How often do you do the WCs... if the intervals are big I think that might explain it..

 

[PeteLockwood]

I use Chloram-X powder (Jehmco), fill a 45 gal Rubbermaid with the dechlorinator then use a sump pump to fill the tank as soon as the 45 is full. Water is mixed to correct temperature using the mixer tap the hose is attached to (cold water supply is 42f in winter here).

Partly I change so much because my pH drops so fast but mostly it's for the simple fact that - IMO - fish stuck in an aquarium always do better in clean water.

Changes are at least weekly, sometimes more frequent.

 

[West1]

Large H2O changes are for excellent water conditions and due to how much Rays urine in the water.

I don't have any rays but I do 50% weekly changes on my 300, 50 and 70gl tanks right from Tap (w/matching temp n prime). Don't recal any losses from water changes.
My fragile fish right now are CL's, Discus and a Bagarius Suchus. Discus get 75% weekly changes.

That's my 2 cents on WC's

 

[FishNCash]

Large H2O changes are for excellent water conditions and due to how much Rays urine in the water.

I don't have any rays but I do 50% weekly changes on my 300, 50 and 70gl tanks right from Tap (w/matching temp n prime). Don't recal any losses from water changes.
My fragile fish right now are CL's, Discus and a Bagarius Suchus. Discus get 75% weekly changes.

That's my 2 cents on WC's

Ya, I second whatever he said. Large water changes will also stimulate growth. The danger of large water changes is large temperature change which most smaller fish and delicate species don't go well. I'm very careful of the temperature when I do over 50% water changes. Another thing is be sure to fill slowly and not put your faucet at max setting. I've lost delicate fish by filling too fast.

E, that's a lot water you're taking out weekly. do you spend more than $30 a month on your water bill?

 

[Just Toby]

I do 40% per week on my Africans but that is due to how fast the Nitrate rises with such busy fish, packed in with a lot of food. I do not do any more than that as my tank is plumbed straight off the mains and the water is quite cold...UK is cold anyway but I think my water is colder than most. (I try to keep the Nitrate down to below 25ppm and my tap water has only a trace of Nitrate on a Salifert test)

The PH and hardness are high here so I do not expect large PH swings due to the buffering of the hard water.

My Africans seem to love the water changes and I put it down to the fact that it is highly oxygenated and fresh.

I have often thought that fish would grow more due to dilution of any hormone that is released to stunt growth...I believe this was proven with red belly pirahnas that they release hormones to stunt those around them and if any one fish grows larger the pack will eat it...I have seen this happen too.

 

[Bderick67]

I myself would be concerned with the large pH swings that you are subjecting your rays to.