I am kind of new to this and I was just wondering when do you give your tank its first water change. I have probably had my tank for a little over a month now. I have 10 fish in a 35 gallon tank. I bought the Bio Spiro stuff to and was wondering when to clean and how much do I take out? Thanks in advance for the advice.
Cleaning the tank
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Frank_the_Tank
Aquarium Advice Activist
what are the water parameters? Usually a small pwc weekly or biweekly is enough to keep the water parameters good depending on your types of fish, the bioload, and filtration in the tank.
poppab02
Aquarium Advice FINatic
It does depend on tank parameters but I would say changing 7-10 gallons of water out of your tank by using a gravel vac every two weeks would be about right.
What type of fish do you have?
My community tank which is understocked really only needs a water change every month but my african tank absolutely couldn't go more than two weeks, and when I had it overstocked when I added my channel cat I had to do it every week. It depends on a variety of factors.
What type of fish do you have?
My community tank which is understocked really only needs a water change every month but my african tank absolutely couldn't go more than two weeks, and when I had it overstocked when I added my channel cat I had to do it every week. It depends on a variety of factors.
I am just worried that it hasn't even completely cycled yet. I have a nice filter that is more than enough for my tank and it is a community tank that has 3 angels, 5 barbs, 3 cory cats, and a pleco. The levels of my tank were just tested recently and I just got them just right to have the more fragile fish like the angels. I don't want to mess up anything by cleaning too soon.
poppab02
Aquarium Advice FINatic
If it wasn't cycled your levels would be off, if you're levels are correct then it's cycled. Also if it's not cycled then you want daily small water changes like 3 gallons or so to keep removing the harmful materials from the water
poppab02
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Cleaning is good for your tank, not bad. It will never hurt your levels unless you are digging in the gravel too much and vacuuming up beneficial bacteria
One of my friends told me that you should just wait until you have like algae that you see. I think that might be too long. And my next question is adding new water...will that mess with the levels. I know I should add the dechlorinator to the new water added but is there anything else i should know???
poppab02
Aquarium Advice FINatic
add dechlor with new water and that's it, you should be adding water to top off your tank even if you aren't doing water changes
Water changes do not hurt your bacteria, by not doing water change you will hurt your fish and can cause your levels to completely haywire as ammonia and nitrate will build up
Don't wait on the water change, or to add water--your friend is incorrect
Trust Me, the water change will do absolutely no harm, it will help your tank
Water changes do not hurt your bacteria, by not doing water change you will hurt your fish and can cause your levels to completely haywire as ammonia and nitrate will build up
Don't wait on the water change, or to add water--your friend is incorrect
Trust Me, the water change will do absolutely no harm, it will help your tank
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
You need to add dechlorinator to all the water added to the tank, whether it's a water change or just topping off in between.
poppab02
Aquarium Advice FINatic
As An t-iasg said---add dechlor whenever you add water whether its a water change or just a top off
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