Why is it bad to do a 100% change ?

[Joeybsmooth]

I know people say that you should not change all of your water, but I as wondering why. My Ammonia is really high and I have always tried a number of a smaller changes .

My snail just died.

 

[rich311k]

It is not bad in one sense but the fish probably would not appreciate it. Back to back 75% will do close to the same job and you do not have to catch and move your live stock.

 

[Naturesbarbiegirl]

Well how many gallons if your tank? I would do a 25% change out today and then on friday do another 25% change out and then on monday do another 25%change out. So that way your not having to stress out your fish.

 

[librarygirl]

It is not bad in one sense but the fish probably would not appreciate it. Back to back 75% will do close to the same job and you do not have to catch and move your live stock.

I agree, you don't have to do all 100% of the water at once, that way you don't have to move the fish. Do a 75% water change and then do another one, which changes out the same amount of water, and your fish will appreciate the clean water

 

[BillD]

I wouldn't hesitate changing as much water as I can get out of the tank without removing the fish. I have done this more than a few times, without incident.

 

[Joeybsmooth]

I have a 45 gal. I am thinking of changing the rocks as well.

 

[alLexX]

Well how many gallons if your tank? I would do a 25% change out today and then on friday do another 25% change out and then on monday do another 25%change out. So that way your not having to stress out your fish.

if his ammonia is high enough to harm,he should do as many 75% changes as necessarry to get it down

 

[glassbird]

When you say "changing the rocks" do you mean change the gravel? If your tank is new, and you are going thru the nitrogen cycle (which I am suspecting is the situation based on your high ammonia), then changing the gravel right now is the worst thing you can do. Your beneficial bacteria is developing in the gravel (and the filter, too), and you need that to get thru the cycle.

Once you are done with the cycle, you could gradually remove old gravel, and replace with new gravel if you did not like the color or something, but you need to do it slowly (and not right now).

 

[aquascape]

Thank you glassbird! Never do more than a 50% and even then it's should almost never happen. Don't change any water if your cycling

 

[aquascape]

Wait untill it's done then 29% every two weeks, untill then get some bio boost

 

[alLexX]

Thank you glassbird! Never do more than a 50% and even then it's should almost never happen. Don't change any water if your cycling

doing more than 50% is 100 percent fine,and if your fish in cycling or your nitrites/nitrites/ammonia are real high then you should change water

 

[Joeybsmooth]

When you say "changing the rocks" do you mean change the gravel? If your tank is new, and you are going thru the nitrogen cycle (which I am suspecting is the situation based on your high ammonia), then changing the gravel right now is the worst thing you can do. Your beneficial bacteria is developing in the gravel (and the filter, too), and you need that to get thru the cycle.

Once you are done with the cycle, you could gradually remove old gravel, and replace with new gravel if you did not like the color or something, but you need to do it slowly (and not right now).

I do not have gravel per say. I med. size stones . Think about the size of a turtle's head. Does that still on to the good chemicals .

 

[maddybrat]

My dad controls m sisters tank and before I got on here and learned this he always took everything out and put in new water... Everything in her tank is still alive' but now we only do PWC

 

[roundar]

if his ammonia is high enough to harm,he should do as many 75% changes as necessarry to get it down

Or he could just dose it with prime.

Thank you glassbird! Never do more than a 50% and even then it's should almost never happen. Don't change any water if your cycling

Would love to see some science to defend that.

 

[alLexX]

Or he could just dose it with prime.

IMO,water changes are better. what if th e biofiltar cant take out enough ammonia? and when the prime wears off,the ammo kills the fish?

 

[roundar]

IMO,water changes are better. what if th e biofiltar cant take out enough ammonia? and when the prime wears off,the ammo kills the fish?

Water changes are great for sure, just not great back to back to back. But it's going to take 24+ hours for the prime to wear off. The filter doesn't have to handle ammonium, it isn't toxic and we're changing 75% of the water.

 

[maddybrat]

Today I did a 75% PWC because I skipped last week.. That's okay right?

 

[alLexX]

Water changes are great for sure, just not great back to back to back. But it's going to take 24+ hours for the prime to wear off. The filter doesn't have to handle ammonium, it isn't toxic and we're changing 75% of the water.

back to back to back water changes are helpful,tiring,but helpful

 

[roundar]

back to back to back water changes are fine,tiring,but fine

Biofilm, but that aside, lots of things are 'fine' that doesn't make them logical.

 

[alLexX]

Biofilm, but that aside, lots of things are 'fine' that doesn't make them logical.

biofilm is not caused by water changes. and i will edit my post to read helpful rather than fine. and water changes are very logical