# Water Changes



## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

This is NOT the answer you were looking for, but I will try to give both my opinion and the answer you want...

My Opinion/Fact:
Water changes are GOOD. Frequent water changes are used by breeders for a reason. They eliminate pollutants and keep the water as "fresh" as possible. Plants and Fish both benefit from regular water changes. I do HUGE 80% changes at minimum every week, usually ever 5 days. My fish love me for it. 

Answer:
You can't test for EVERYTHING that we remove with water changes. Your plants should remove Nitrates(and you should have no ammonia/nitrites after cycling). Things to watch out for would be a drop in pH or KH/GH due to decomposing organics. A build up of TDS would be something to watch for as well. 

I fully believe in some level of water changes. Whether that be 50% weekly, 50% monthly or somewhere in between, I think they offer too many benefits to completely ignore. IS it the hassle of doing them that makes you not want to?

If so, look into optimizing your water changing... Get a python water changer or like I use, a U shaped PVC adapter hooked to a garden hose. If you'd like more details let me know.


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## londonloco (Aug 25, 2005)

I also do WC's every week...20% to 50% depending on what's in the tank (fry, eggs, etc). I dose PPS so I don't have to WC weekly, but always do. I don't get the adversity to WC's....or the thought it could be bad or harmful to plants OR fish.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

If your goal is few to no water changes, stick with low light, very low bioload, and stuff the tank with plants.

Personally, I do about 30% once every one to 2 months on my 90gal, and only do monthly water changes on my small tanks (10 and 29gal).


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

over_stocked said:


> This is NOT the answer you were looking for, but I will try to give both my opinion and the answer you want...
> 
> My Opinion/Fact:
> Water changes are GOOD. Frequent water changes are used by breeders for a reason. They eliminate pollutants and keep the water as "fresh" as possible. Plants and Fish both benefit from regular water changes. I do HUGE 80% changes at minimum every week, usually ever 5 days. My fish love me for it.
> ...


+1 - Just to many benefits to fresh water......


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## farmhand (Jun 25, 2009)

JWA said:


> 60 gal Low tech set up. Eventually I would like to have the whole thing balanced enough to to minimal water changes on an unscheduled basis. What things should one test for to indicate a change is needed?
> Thanks


You guys talk like water changes are a religious thing. There are many reasons why one would chose not to change water that often. I work three stories above available water in a office where carrying water might be viewed as not being serious about my work. 

I think it's a good question.


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## londonloco (Aug 25, 2005)

LOL def not religious, just healthy for the fish/fry. At least in my house it is.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

farmhand said:


> I think it's a good question.


I do, too, and I also have a hobbyist friend in another country where the water restrictions are super-strict who is working on developing a contained scrubber-system for his big tank since he simply can't afford water changes like he's used to doing.

It's possible, just it is harder to accomplish on smaller scales.

Nothing wrong with having a goal to set up a tank to minimize the need for water changes. Just have to be willing to make compromises in terms of balancing everything out.


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## stewardwildcat (Feb 24, 2010)

While I cannot discredit overstocked, 1 single 80% water change a week would make me think about shocking the fish, but that said a 20% water change per day would keep the water fresh and less shocking. The water here is very variable in its quality out of the tap. If you get tests for the common nutrients in your tank you should be able to guesstimate how long you can go without water changes. You need to test your water to see when it must be cycled some, or you can blindly cycle and keep up on it and hope nothing is out of whack.


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## JWA (Feb 17, 2010)

lauraleellbp said:


> I do, too, and I also have a hobbyist friend in another country where the water restrictions are super-strict who is working on developing a contained scrubber-system for his big tank since he simply can't afford water changes like he's used to doing.
> 
> It's possible, just it is harder to accomplish on smaller scales.
> 
> Nothing wrong with having a goal to set up a tank to minimize the need for water changes. Just have to be willing to make compromises in terms of balancing everything out.


Thank you Laura.
I think the balancing act itself is a good goal. I'm willing to do some changes when they are necessary but making a religion out of changing exactly 21.345 gallons at exactly 12:33 PM every second Saturday is ludicrous. So Laura, if you were me what test/observations would you keep you eyes on to determine when a water change should happen.


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## stewardwildcat (Feb 24, 2010)

Nitrates first and foremost.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Yup, nitrates, TDS (gH and kH- you don't want those shifting too far from your source water), and with experience you can look at your tank and tell when it needs one- my fish get a little duller in color and lethargic long before nitrate levels climb readably.


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## DBL TAP (Apr 27, 2008)

The topic of water changes can spark a major debate. All I can say is start slow, keep your bio-load low and pay attention to your tank. Do what works for you and your tank. 

Remember this is supposed to be an enjoyable hobby and not a job.

Good luck


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## JWA (Feb 17, 2010)

lauraleellbp said:


> Yup, nitrates, TDS (gH and kH- you don't want those shifting too far from your source water), and with experience you can look at your tank and tell when it needs one- my fish get a little duller in color and lethargic long before nitrate levels climb readably.


TDS ? Somebody should post a sticky explaining all these initials to us newbies


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

TDS = Total Dissolved Solids- and most people just use kH and gH test kits rather than going out to get a TDS meter.

There IS a sticky someplace with all these...


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## naturelady (Dec 14, 2009)

This question is actually for anyone, but I am guessing Laura would be best able to answer- with the goal of doing about 30% wc per month on a 29 gal, stocked with neon tetras and habrosus cories (small, ~ 1 inch)... how MANY of these can I put in my tank to keep it around this level? Right now I am definitely understocked, just want to know how many more fish I can buy.  The cories are lonely (only 4 of them now...)


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## stewardwildcat (Feb 24, 2010)

lauraleellbp said:


> TDS = Total Dissolved Solids- and most people just use kH and gH test kits rather than going out to get a TDS meter.
> 
> There IS a sticky someplace with all these...


You can also look at your water district's annual reports for TDS. Sure it may vary throughout the year but it will give you a good idea of where your number would be even if you didn't test for it explicitly.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

> This question is actually for anyone, but I am guessing Laura would be best able to answer- with the goal of doing about 30% wc per month on a 29 gal, stocked with neon tetras and habrosus cories (small, ~ 1 inch)... how MANY of these can I put in my tank to keep it around this level? Right now I am definitely understocked, just want to know how many more fish I can buy.  The cories are lonely (only 4 of them now...)


My 29gal is stocked with 15x Ruby tetras, 15x Cardinal tetras, 12x C. pygmaeus, 15(ish) Tiger shrimp, and bunches of snails. I've been doing about 20-30% water changes once a month and this last month still tested only 0-5ppm nitrates so I skipped it... I'll see what the nitrates are next month. (I also keep Purigen in my filter, which I'm sure factors in.)

I'd say you could easily keep 20x neon tetras and 20x dwarf cories if you'd like- such small fish are really light on bioload.


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## naturelady (Dec 14, 2009)

oooh... yay! Thanks!

my bank account cannot support such large numbers of fish, but is good to know that i have that much room to play


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

To be honest, I think water changes if done correctly are the _*very*_ best thing you can do for your tank. I sorta live by the 'if there's a problem, do a water change' theory. If my fish are looking a little wierd, I do a WC. In some situations, it isn't the best thing to do, but it has worked for me.
Jake


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## feelfab (Dec 30, 2009)

10-20% WC weekly for me, and so far so good for the last few years.


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## anastasisariel (Oct 4, 2009)

I've been doing 50% water changes once a week since last October but I think I only started that because I intended on purchasing dry ferts and dosing the EI method... lol. Why am I doing this to myself!? Seriously, I do "overdose" on ferts so its still probably a good idea even though I don't technically do the EI. As heavily planted as my tank is, I seriously doubt if I skipped a couple weeks there would be an excess of Nitrates. I can say that I've had 6x the success with some sensitive species than I've ever had before but water changes arent' the only thing I'm doing differently this time around.


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