water changes

[pYrOmAnIaC]

is there any way to avoid water changes or just go without 1 for a long time while still keeping your tank clean and healthy?

 

[Anemoneman]

Yes. How long do you want to go?

 

[Atari]

Yes. How long do you want to go?

12 months please

 

[fishfreek]

The start of such a thing would be to do the following.

Skim the water very agressivly.
Stock the tank lightly with fish.
Feed spairingly.
Test for the essencal trace elements and dose accordingly to maintan approprate levels.

There are people out there who go 6 months to a year or more with out water changes all the time. They have successful tanks. But many of them will also tell you after they do perform a water change their tank often perks up more than normal.

 

[Anemoneman]

But many of them will also tell you after they do perform a water change their tank often perks up more than normal.

True. And the water change is typically a large one.

 

[Atari]

It's really not a big deal though, especially once you get your routine finely tuned and could perform a 25% water change blindfolded and on one leg whilst reciting the Russian alphabet backwards

 

[quarryshark]

It's really not a big deal though, especially once you get your routine finely tuned and could perform a 25% water change blindfolded and on one leg whilst reciting the Russian alphabet backwards

I thought I was the only one who does that!!

 

[Bearfan]

and so on...

 

[Guest]

I don't do water changes in my 125 FOWLR. I have 3 skimmers, and ever since I added my 55 sump/fuge and allowed it to mature my skimmers won't foam. I have about 9 mangroves, and grape, porilfera, and feather calupera in the fuge. Theres also a 8" sand bed. This is the only reason I don't do water changes. This natural filtration pulls all the nitrates right from the water. It never hurts to test just to make sure.

 

[turboTSI]

what is the normal lenght of time for a FOWLR tank to have waterchanges done? once a month or so?

Dave

 

[Guest]

One a week, or once every two weeks. Or whenever your nitrates are getting high. There really is no rule to follow, many people just create their own schedule.