Why change the water every so often?

[MrDaytona]

I maintain my tank and make sure the PH levels & temperature is just right but as with most tanks the gravel needs cleaning every 6 weeks or so.

Advice by most is to change a portion of the water on a regular basis also.

I have in the past combined both of these tasks into one. I have used a siphon action with a plastic tube and tubing to stir the gravel and thus remove the dirt from it. This worked quite well for the cleaning but it also depleted about 1/3 or 125 gallons of water from my tank.

Using the logic that I should be able to clean the gravel and not lose any water I have now continued to use the siphoning action BUT instead of having the water drain outside I now have it go to my wet-dry filter.

This method has helped me avoid losing fish due to changes in PH and/or temperature while eliminating the need to keep a 55 gallon drum of water on standby to replace the "lost" water.

One important note: I do have to keep my wet-dry pump running while I am doing this so the water is recirculated and not overflowing the filter's capacity. The cleaning of the wet-dry filter every 6 months is relatively simple.

I post this message hoping that it will help others that may have the same problems.

 

[LittlePuff]

Changing water is the only way to lower nitrates. How long has your tank been running? What are your water parameters? 8O

Kim

 

[TankGirl]

There are dissolved organic compounds that need to be removed, not just debris. I strongly believe that there is no substitute for fresh water regularly, and that is why I try not to mainpulate my water parameters - makes water changes more complicated. In my heavily planted CO2 injected tank the pH is lower than the tap, but there are not stressful swings in pH when I do water changes. Same for my hard, alkaline buffered African tank. Everyone gets frequent WC's.

Not knocking your method, MrDaytona, if your fish are thriving and happy and your system works for you, then it's all good!

 

[Madame_X]

I change 30% of the water in my two planted tanks, 50% in my 12 gallon tank and 30% in my 55 gallon cichlid tank weekly. I find that particularly in the planted tanks, the water changes are necessary to deplete minerals that the plants need to grow (I notice massive growth in my stem plants the first two days after a water change).

I've never noticed any stress from PH swings after a water change in either planted tank, and both have CO2. I don't think that 30% is enough to alter the existing water parameters enough to cause any problems.

My husband tends to the 55 gallon tank, as he was the one who really wanted cichlids. He was changing 30% every OTHER week until I tested the nitrates and showed him that they were at 60PPM. He now does it every week and they never go above 20.

To each their own, of course, but I too believe that the level of nitrates in an unplanted tank would eventually get high enough to be toxic to the fish. If nothing else, I would think it would shorten their lifespan.

 

[Medusa Head]

Changing water is the only way to lower nitrates.

This is untrue. Anaerobic Nitrate Filters that utilize anaerobic bacteria can lower them. Algae Scrubbers can also lower them.

In addition to lowering nitrates, partial water changes every week are very good for the overall health of the tank. I would continue to do weekly partial water changes even when maintaining very low nitrates via other means.

 

[Pufferpunk]

I do weekly 50% water changes on all my tanks. My pH remains the same, because of this. The pH shock comes when you wait to do water changes. Then the pH drops & several small water changes are necessary to bring it back to normal. This method may be ok for the fish that have acclimated to the conditions they are in, but I suggest you don't try adding any new fish in there.

 

[glasstapper]

mr d's tank is over 300 gal correct? a mature tank of that size, i couldnt imagine having parameter probs ever lol id hate to medicate that tank owie

 

[Pufferpunk]

My 125g tank gets 50% weekly water changes just like my 10g.

 

[MrDaytona]

Thanks for all the responses.

Yes - I have a 400 gallon FW tank and so far the method I am using seems to work. My tank has an undergravel filter and an overflow tower that supplies the wet-dry filter.
It is a community tank that has been up and running for about one year. I have ciclids and an assortment of other fish that all seem to get along.

The only time I lost fish was when I used to change the water (albeit : 55 gallons each time). The reason was I found it cumbersome to store more then 55 gallons of water for each change. I realize that many others may find that it is no problem to change 50% of the water on a monthly basis and I can agree that it may suit their needs, BUT that would mean 200 gallons of water for me.

I do change the 30 lbs of activated charcoal every two months because this is most efficiently done when I remove the excess debri from the bottom of my wet-dry filter.

So far so good for me and I just thought I would share. Thanks again all...

 

[chasgood]

My tank does just fine with 10 to 15 percent weekly pwc. No carbon. Nitrates stay below 20ppm and are normally 10ppm.

 

[AtodaJ]

Mr Daytona

The substantial amount of activated carbon is really making the difference as it helps remove the dissolved organics and "cleans" the water. How much does it cost you to get 30lbs of that stuff?

Do you have plants in this tank? If you have a lot of plants then perhaps that is how the Nitrates are being removed.

Question for ya... I assume you lose water due to evaporation like everyone else. When that happens are you using R/O water to "top off" the tank or just using regualr water? I assume you are using R/O water but just checking.