Water changes questions...

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G

genEus

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 24, 2008
130
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rochester ny
So I used to do weekly 50% water changes for a couple months since I got my tank, following example of MFK members.

Yesterday I was talking to an LFS owner who's been keeping and selling fresh and saltwater fish for decades, and I got two Bolivian Rams from him.

I asked him what the pH was in that tank, he tested it and it was 6.2. Even he was surprised it was that low, the tap in our area is around 7.5, but he said it was because he hadn't done a water change in that tank in a while. The fish was very calm and looked healthy, as all his fish do, but then I said that because of my weekly water changes I could never get my pH that low. (I didn't even mention 50%!)

He said that for the fish that I keep, and especially since I have live plants, it was a waste of my time to do weekly water changes and that I should do at the most, bi-weekly changes of 15%, but he would even go to monthly changes of 10-15%. He said the zebra loaches and gouramis can live in a dirty puddle in their native waters, so it won't make a heck of a lot of difference to them and that I am wasting my free time.

My father, who used to be a serious freshwater fish keeper in his youth agrees with this guy's assessment.

Opinions? Are they just being old school?
 
well it all depends on your water conditions. just because the fish can live in dirty does not mean they should. That fish store owner is oldschool. i am not saying he is wrong but if i were to let my planted piranha tank go for a month my ntrites would be off the charts but if i left my nano reef go for a month the nitrites would only reach 20 max but i still do 20-25% waterchanges every week. I like my room clean so i just assume my fish do to lol.
 
It comes down to keeping nitrates in check. Also letting your water changes go and allowing your ph to drop so far then coming back and changing water with a higher ph could kill your fish due to the sudden ph change. "Well" I should say have you checked to make sure that the ph does not change in you tank after a day when doing you WC. Different from tap to tank.

As said just cause a fish could live in a dirty puddle does that mean you should let them. Think like this. Did your dad make you use the same bath water everyday for a week or more to keep clean only to change 15% for the next week? No.

We keep fish. We should do the most we can for them and that meas fresh water. Now you say you "use" to do 50% a week. Did you stop? Keep doing your water changes and your fish will be healthier and live longer then then what your Dad's or the store owners fish have or do. And I very very rarely listen to what a shop owner has to say. They do give some good info from time to time but for the most they are still preaching old school ways that after research has shown to be wrong.

And when my 220g was set up I was doing 3 WC's a week of 50% to 90% each change
 
I think you should continue your 50% weekly w/c schedule. I bet you'll see some changes for the worse if you go from 50% weekly to 15% monthly. Maybe not immediatley because you have plants but plants are sensitive too and they will deteriorate as the water quality gets worse.
 
Tommydeal;2381659; said:
I think you should continue your 50% weekly w/c schedule. I bet you'll see some changes for the worse if you go from 50% weekly to 15% monthly. Maybe not immediatley because you have plants but plants are sensitive too and they will deteriorate as the water quality gets worse.
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Yeah, I am not planning on going from 50%/w to 15%/m, that's crazy. I will probably go to 25%/w, and see how that goes. And, the only reason I say that is because that will mean having to change out only one 5 gallon bucket instead of two! :-p
 
Keep up the waterchanges you have been doing, plants will cause your nitrates to go up more slowly than normal, but there are other issues at hand other than the nitrates. PH shock was mentioned earlier, and the buildup of hormones in the water is something else that regular waterchanges take care of that nothing else will.

Quit using buckets as well, get a python and your life will be much easier.

That LFS guy is old-school, stay new-school and keep up the waterchanges.
 
It all depends on the nitrates and waste build up. If waste is out of site and you have low nitrates, I would do monthly changes. That is if everyone in the tank is healthy and lively.
 
yota said it best.. all depends on what yer parameters are...

be careful with the rams.. they can be super sensitive about ph when they are stressed..
 
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