Water changes for big tanks with cichla

[ado124]

I'm am seriously considering purchasing a new tank and a question popped into my head,

"How often do you guys with LARGE (400g+) do WC and how much?"

With my growouts (90-120g), I'm currently doing 25-35% once or twice a week. This would be KILLER on a big tank (400g+). Is this necessary if water parameters (nitrate, nitrite, ammonia) stay low and you're done "growing out" your cichla?

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[Nexxus]

i have a 240 and i do about 50 gallons a week.. i could probably say with proper filtration a 400g+ tank would be good maybe 150-200 gallons a month depending on the bio load

 

[reefman]

my buddy has a 800 with rays and does twice a week

 

[ado124]

my buddy has a 800 with rays and does twice a week

How many gallons per WC? I can live with a 50g WC twice a week for an 800g!

I was hoping a 120g bi-weekly WC would be alright for a 450g. Hrmm...might just have to take shorter/less showers. The fish can't smell me anyways

 

[Yanbbrox]

How many gallons per WC? I can live with a 50g WC twice a week for an 800g!

I was hoping a 120g bi-weekly WC would be alright for a 450g. Hrmm...might just have to take shorter/less showers. The fish can't smell me anyways

.... with good filtration

 

[ado124]

2 x FX5's with biomax and a 75g sump with as many scrubbies as I can pack in there.

 

[Chaitika]

It will depend on bio-load. You may want to gauge water changes according to nitrate build-up and how sensitive the fish you want to keep are to nitrates. But essentially, the larger the bio-load, the more you will need to change out water.

 

[bOOsteN aUdI]

i recommend setting up a 24 hour drip system so that the amount of water that you have to manually change weekly isn't so much... the bigger your tank and cleaner your water the bigger and faster your cichla grow so your bio load is going to be up there.

 

[rallysman]

i recommend setting up a 24 hour drip system so that the amount of water that you have to manually change weekly isn't so much... the bigger your tank and cleaner your water the bigger and faster your cichla grow so your bio load is going to be up there.

Drip systems are the way to go. I have a 110, 125, and 300 filtered by 1 filter and share the same water from my drip system. I checked after 1.5 years of no water changes and the nitrates were 10ppm. I actually reduced the drip rate a bit after that.

 

[ado124]

Wow, I've got to find some more info on this "drip system". Is it actually conserving water or just reduces the magnitude of each WC?