Water changes with plants

[Posivated]

AqAdvisor suggests a 50% water change for my tank, but I was wondering if I should do more or maybe less because I have plants? The only fert I use is API Leaf Zone. Also I was curious about something else too, my tank is a 20g long tank, with 40 lbs. of eco complete 2 pieces of driftwood, and a large rock. If I'm to do a 50% water change I wouldn't be doing a 10 gallon change because I really only have probably 16 gallons of water in the tank, is this right or is the percentage people give just based on size and not volume of actual water in the tank?

 

[Convict2161]

AqAdvisor suggests a 50% water change for my tank, but I was wondering if I should do more or maybe less because I have plants? The only fert I use is API Leaf Zone. Also I was curious about something else too, my tank is a 20g long tank, with 40 lbs. of eco complete 2 pieces of driftwood, and a large rock. If I'm to do a 50% water change I wouldn't be doing a 10 gallon change because I really only have probably 16 gallons of water in the tank, is this right or is the percentage people give just based on size and not volume of actual water in the tank?

IMHO don't over think it. I have 3 bags of Eco complete, 5 rocks and driftwood. I dose GLA fert pack and Iron. I do a weekly 50% water change.

 

[Posivated]

Well right now I do 3, 3 gallon water changes a week. Sunday,Tuesday, Thursday or Friday. Nice tank btw

 

[Convict2161]

Well right now I do 3, 3 gallon water changes a week. Sunday,Tuesday, Thursday or Friday. Nice tank btw

Thanks! You only need to do weekly water changes. UNLESS parameters call for it.

EDIT: I'm still new to plants. That's my first planted tank ever!!

 

[Posivated]

Yea, I like doing 3 a week mostly because I only have a 3 gallon bucket , but I like having 3 chances of cleaning up plant debris or getting out any excess food I may have missed after feeding time.

 

[Zimmanski]

Yea, I like doing 3 a week mostly because I only have a 3 gallon bucket , but I like having 3 chances of cleaning up plant debris or getting out any excess food I may have missed after feeding time.

You could do a single 6 gallon water change weekly if your parameters allow for it, and you'd be fine. Doing a single 6 gallon change removes more than two 3 gallon changes. Say you have a tank with 10ppm of something bad, if you do a single 50% WC then that drops to 5ppm in one shot. That same tank with 10ppm bad, doing a 25% water change drops it to 7.5ppm, if you filled it back up and did another 25% water change that only drops it to 5.8ppm. Doesn't sound like much difference but it is, and a single WC is always easier

 

[Posivated]

Yea, guess I need to buy a bigger bucket

 

[Zimmanski]

Yea, guess I need to buy a bigger bucket

Or use the same bucket twice before filling up the tank haha

Or 5g buckets are $4 at Home Depot

 

[BBradbury]

Water Changes

AqAdvisor suggests a 50% water change for my tank, but I was wondering if I should do more or maybe less because I have plants? The only fert I use is API Leaf Zone. Also I was curious about something else too, my tank is a 20g long tank, with 40 lbs. of eco complete 2 pieces of driftwood, and a large rock. If I'm to do a 50% water change I wouldn't be doing a 10 gallon change because I really only have probably 16 gallons of water in the tank, is this right or is the percentage people give just based on size and not volume of actual water in the tank?

Hello Pos...

I'm a water change fanatic. I change half the water in my tanks every week. I don't do the math on water changes. I keep different kinds of tanks and some are only half full. So, estimate the volume of water and change out half of it every week and your fish will be healthy, because you'll always have a tank with a stable water chemistry.

B

 

[Posivated]

Thanks for the input everybody.