allysonwonderland
Aquarium Advice Regular
Question without backstory: Would 5% daily water changes be adequate in giving them fresh water when nitrates aren't an issue? What if I did a big change every two weeks or so in addition to that?
I have to admit, I've been lazy with my water changes. I always mean to do them once a week but it usually ends up being pushed back. Every 10-14 days is my average, though sometimes they do happen every week. Once during a very busy month I went 3 whole weeks without one and nitrates got up to 30ppm, so still, not absolutely terrible. But my pH is dropping lower than I'd like it, and I worry about not putting in fresh water often enough. My tank is 56 gallons and planted.
The reason I dread them so much is just how long it takes. I can only lift about 3 gallons at a time and so it takes 5 buckets to the bathroom and then 5 buckets back, 10 total, to just get to 25%, I often do more than that, and it makes me tired. (And now I sound whiny!)
If I did one bucket a day, I don't have to unplug everything because the heater is below that level...eliminating the hassle of having to time it right to fill up the back of the filters and then plug them in, too. This is about 5%. Is this the same as doing one big one every week? I understand that the new water I put in yesterday now has nitrates in it, so 5% 7 times is not the same as 35% one time. But is it equal to say, 20% one time? Does that make sense?
I have to admit, I've been lazy with my water changes. I always mean to do them once a week but it usually ends up being pushed back. Every 10-14 days is my average, though sometimes they do happen every week. Once during a very busy month I went 3 whole weeks without one and nitrates got up to 30ppm, so still, not absolutely terrible. But my pH is dropping lower than I'd like it, and I worry about not putting in fresh water often enough. My tank is 56 gallons and planted.
The reason I dread them so much is just how long it takes. I can only lift about 3 gallons at a time and so it takes 5 buckets to the bathroom and then 5 buckets back, 10 total, to just get to 25%, I often do more than that, and it makes me tired. (And now I sound whiny!)
If I did one bucket a day, I don't have to unplug everything because the heater is below that level...eliminating the hassle of having to time it right to fill up the back of the filters and then plug them in, too. This is about 5%. Is this the same as doing one big one every week? I understand that the new water I put in yesterday now has nitrates in it, so 5% 7 times is not the same as 35% one time. But is it equal to say, 20% one time? Does that make sense?