Is My Water Good Enough?

[CCXGT]

I'm getting anxious about these Nitrates now.. I'll try to get them tested soon

 

[fishyfriends3]

I'm getting anxious about these Nitrates now.. I'll try to get them tested soon

Is it what fish keeping is all about really, you need to try and keep nitrates as low as possible with partial water changes. To start with you need to know what level your nitrates are at with a test kit.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[mrvincent]

All in one shot. I did this for 10 rummynose tetra and were fines.

 

[Caliban07]

Half the water every 2 weeks?!

Seems a tad excessive..

I've been piloting 50% twice a week on 2 47 gallon tanks. That's pretty excessive.

 

[CCXGT]

I'm not exactly an expert but I think changing 50% can't be good for the tank... Or your wallet...

 

[fishyfriends3]

I do 25% a week, it all depends on the water. Without a test kit your flying blind. You need to change enough to stop the nitrates passing 20 ppm. My tank is very heavily planted its pretty much like a jungle underwater and all those plants really help the fight against nitrates. If I had a tank with few or no plants I'd increase my water changes and frequency to suit.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Fishdude3233]

I do 50% weekly on my lightly planted, and 25% weekly on all my heavy planted tanks, and 3 10% on my fry tanks weekly sometimes more, I raise kribs, and other hardy cichlids so...

 

[phishiephishie]

I do 60% water changes every week on my planted 40 breeder. Id argue that large water changes are far more beneficial than small 20% water changes

 

[Fishdude3233]

True for adult fish, but fry are more sensitive. My most sensitive fry tanks drain and refill 24/7

 

[phishiephishie]

Yeah with fry you have to feed them heavily so larger water changes are necessary. But large water changes are definitely good for most tanks

 

[threnjen]

I'm not exactly an expert but I think changing 50% can't be good for the tank... Or your wallet...

Well the first thing is untrue. Changing 50% IS good for the tank.

As for the wallet, that entirely depends where you live and how much water costs, but my water bill has gone up $8 per month since I started changing 50% a week on a 90g and a 10g. So I would call it "negligible" for me at least. Other's mileage may vary.

 

[CCXGT]

+ the chems..

 

[threnjen]

Prime is super duper cheap at 2 drops per gallon, so that is fairly negligible as well.

 

[CCXGT]

I use this stuff..



Costs about £9 a bottle and you need 10ml per 40l.

I love this 2 drops a gallon magic!

 

[mrvincent]

I'm not exactly an expert but I think changing 50% can't be good for the tank... Or your wallet...

I do 50% WC weekly, I'm dosing ferts with the Estimative Index Dosing method. Require 50%WC weekly.

 

[mrvincent]

I use this stuff..

View attachment 227253

Costs about £9 a bottle and you need 10ml per 40l.

I love this 2 drops a gallon magic!

I use this stuff too, but the 2 liters version. I don't respect instructions, I just add few drops per gallons... I use exactly 2 pump pushes (10ml) for treating 10-15g new water. Chlorine smell dissapear instantly.

In instruction they tell you 5 ml/gallon because of the "Stress coat" function... But it's not required when doing water change IMO.

 

[CCXGT]

Hmm.. I'll lessen the doses it did feel like too much tbh ?

 

[ChunkOvPayne]

I use this and it has never failed, it was £2.20 for 100ml and it's 1ml to every ten litres

 

[CCXGT]

****...
1ml - 10l sounds just a tad more efficient than 10ml - 40l...

Where abouts did you get it from?
Can't recall seeing it anywhere I've been.

 

[ChunkOvPayne]

I bought that from little health aquatics, I have seen it in other stores and I'm sure you will find it online