Water change timing on planted tanks?

[Delapool]

I know we've been through this somewhat but I'm wondering what people with planted tanks do to decide on water change timing, volume and if straight into tank or a holding bin first to degas?

 

[Caliban07]

I know we've been through this somewhat but I'm wondering what people with planted tanks do to decide on water change timing, volume and if straight into tank or a holding bin first to degas?

I've been all over the place with water changes in the past but having recently started EI I do 40-50% weekly. I fill a sink bowl up with hot and cold water to get the correct temp and add more than enough conditioner in as its filling then it goes straight in to the tank. I do about 6 bowls at 10litres each adding conditioner to each. It's time consuming but needs must.


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[Barliman]

I do 1/3rd weekly and add Prime (dechlorinator) as the bucket is filling. If the weather is warm, I let it sit overnight to de-gas.

 

[Guppylove85]

I do bi weekly about 40% i add prime and excell in my first bucket then just fill buckets and pour until tank is full.

So no i don't let it sit.
I also don't have anything but hardy fish and low light plants

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[Ziggy953]

I am a weekly PWC guy. I change out about 55-60% of my water on all tanks weekly. I use a combination of Tap and RO/DI water.

 

[Delapool]

I was up to almost a 50% water change but than I noticed I was getting more plants breaking off from being bent over with the water level drop.

So I've reduced it back to about a third but there's no science behind that. Nitrates and phosphate ferts get added each week so if anything I'm maintaining ferts levels in the tank rather than doing water changes to reduce.

Which frankly still bothers me that I do a water change to refresh the water and than promptly add more ferts and carbonates to the tank. It just seems wrong somewhere.

I'm wondering if (assuming it could be done), measurement of organic waste would be a good test??

 

[Ziggy953]

I don't stress about the drop in nutrient levels when I do water changes. It's like a dialysis of the tank. As I said I use RO/DI and tap so what I do is I have RODI running into my tank during the water change so I have a flow of fresh clean water going in as I'm pulling water out.

Sounds silly but that is how I have been doing it for years, FW and SW and I have had good results with my tanks.

 

[Delapool]

I do wonder on dosing micros - I've been thinking of dropping that just to see if really needed.

After a water change I extra dose potassium and a little carbonate (summer water here is low kh) before back to normal dosing. The potassium I find is one I need to keep up dosing on for stem plants.

I know a water change freshens the water and can be a good disease treatment all by itself. But I do wonder - could I do less water changes, should I do more?? Perhaps because it is all by bucket here. This stuff gets thought about on the third trip out to the garden

 

[fishenthusiast]

I do weekly 30-35% water changes, and I dose ferts right after--PPS-Pro. I usually let my water sit for a couple hours, and I add Stress Coat once all the water is in the bucket. I've always done it this way and have had no issues.


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[jimsz]

I do a 40-60% change every week (in two stages, 20 gal at a time). I use a holding tank to warm the water up since there is no hot water near the tank.

 

[pittbully13]

I do weekly 40-50%. I EI dose biweekly and have my lights on approx 6 hrs with many photo breaks. Co2 on most of the photo time.

I use buckets of tap with st international dechlorinator. I just feel guess on matching water temps.

No drop checker or bubble counter. I know rebel without a cause.


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