water changes...bigger or smaller???

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supermarvin76

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Feb 7, 2005
Messages
211
Location
New Orleans
I have been doing about 7-8% water change once a week. I have got to woundering if I should be doing this, or be doing bigger water changes, but not as often??
What is better?? Why??
 
i would say if you monitor your water parameters, that would give you the best answer as to when its right for YOU to change your water. its better to change less more often then a lot less often, because most smaller tanks 50 gallons or less have a greater change of enviroment.....


doug
 
just an example..i have a 55 gallon tank...i notice that my water quality starts to decrease after 4 weeks...so i opt to change 15 gallons every 3 weeks, and this keeps my water quality at optium range...my friend has a over stocked 60 gallon tank and he has to change 10% every week to keep parameters right


doug
 
[/quote]And what parameter changes note a 'decrease in water quality'? Extra nitrate?[/quote]

yes my nitrates after 4 weeks raise up about 30ppm...i am looking into a refuge to solve that



doug
 
i am looking into a refuge to solve that

I just did this. My trates were at a steady 10 or so for a long time and then just after I put my PT in QT my trates sky rocketed to 25. I'm guessing this had something to do with frequent use of selcon and garlic additives (I dosed all tank foods and then split them up for feeding). I did 2 back to back (2 days apart) water changes of 20% to get them back in line and added the fuge and now my trates are sitting at 5. They didn't budge from my last water change (I was hoping the fuge would drop them all the way to zero, but no dice). I haven't tried skipping the water change yet to see if they'd climb in time or not. I am just happy to see them holding at 5.

To get to the point of the question :D I change 20% every 2 weeks on my 120.
 
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