How ofthen should i do a water change

[barterking85]

i was wondering how often i should clean my gravel and do a water change and how much water should i change or should i only do a pwc when my peramiters are off

 

[mfdrookie516]

I do 50% every week. It's most likely not necessary, but it definitely isn't a bad thing. Realistically, if you're looking for the "you have to do this amount" you're not going to get it. Your tank will determine how often and how much. Your nitrates will be a good indication. Granted, you need to have 0ppm ammonia and nitrite, but nitrates you'll want to keep below 40ppm.

 

[barterking85]

thats the indicator i was looking for but if my water results are good then how often?

 

[mfdrookie516]

I like to do water changes at least once a week. Even if your numbers are good, I would recommend a minimum of 25% weekly. Some people do fine doing them every other week, but this is one situation where IMHO more is better.

 

[Trout11B]

I agree with mfd. Stocking would also be something to factor in; whether your overstocked or have really messy fish I would think that means more water changes. I do pwc's on my five gallon every few days just as a preventative and something to do. My 55 now that's it cycled gets done weekly or close to it. I
recently was away for over a week and was worried about parameters in my tanks, I came back to higher than normal nitrates, but both my tanks were fine except for algae.
I mention all this to explain that cycled tanks are able to run fine without pwc's all the time. Weekly or bi-weekly should be fine for most fish.
Ive also heard that too many can stress out your fish, but after awhile they get used to it. Idk if that's true, but less hardy species would probably need more pwc's just to make sure parameters are close.

 

[barterking85]

thanks guys that helps alot

 

[henryprice]

25% per week.

 

[siva]

I do a 30% pwc and gravel vac once a week. This keeps my nitrates from exceeding 20ppm. My blue crayfish is pretty messy and I usually do a larger one for him. You'll know by testing the water how often you need to. There have been times when I've had a tank temporarily overstocked that required some extra water changes. It's been my experience that if you have a tank that's been kept up on and is not overstocked, 30% a week is perfect to keep nitrates from going over 20 which really is ideal.

 

[doogle]

smaller more frequent is less stressfull on fish but not you...i dont think you should ever take 50% of the water out ever, not all at once(stresses fish). my opinion only . 25% a week is 100% every month, should keep levels optimal doing less than that, if fed and stocked correctly

 

[severum mama]

No one would EVER grow out discus to their max adult size on 25% weekly.

I'm with MFD, I do 50% once a week. For fish I'm growing out, I'll do 50% multiple times a week. I maintain 70 tanks. My fish aren't any more stressed from a 50% water change than a 25%. I'm already in the tank with a siphon, regardless. Fish love clean water and mine are so much more active and colorful right after a big change.

 

[NODAK1979]

Since I have discus and GBR's, I do 50% every 2-3 days. I once let it go to 4 days because I didn't feel well, but I was really nervous about it. Even though I'm not a religious person, I'm religious about maintaining a schedule.

 

[meegosh]

i dont think you should ever take 50% of the water out ever, not all at once(stresses fish). my opinion only .

For planted tanks using the EI method of dosing you have to do 50% water changes. I personally do 50% water changes every week in my tanks. I agree with severum... what is the difference between 25% and 50% when the siphon is already in there? It's not like you are chasing them around the tank with it relentlessly.

 

[NODAK1979]

For planted tanks using the EI method of dosing you have to do 50% water changes. I personally do 50% water changes every week in my tanks. I agree with severum... what is the difference between 25% and 50% when the siphon is already in there? It's not like you are chasing them around the tank with it relentlessly.

My fish don't give a crap about the siphon being in there anywhere. It actually frustrates me when I want to swirl the siphon around the sand to pick up debris and the fish want to be close to the hose. It's like they have no fear of it, especially the discus. I guess I should be happy they apparently trust me as their keeper but it's a bit of a pain.

 

[OhNeil1969]

My fish don't give a crap about the siphon being in there anywhere. It actually frustrates me when I want to swirl the siphon around the sand to pick up debris and the fish want to be close to the hose. It's like they have no fear of it, especially the discus. I guess I should be happy they apparently trust me as their keeper but it's a bit of a pain.

I have to agree with Nodak. Sometimes I wish my fish were more afraid of the vac than they are. I recently lost a peppered cory to the vac when he swam right into it before I could get it to the bottom of the tank.

Normally I perform bi-weekly 30-50% water changes. Right now I have a problem with my source water (currently reads 1.0 ppm of ammonia from the tap) so I'm trying to adjust that schedule.

I am still not sure as to what kind of stress the vac places on the fish. I originally thought that the presence of the vac could be seen as a possible predator in the tank or something that could induce fear in the fish. But I've come to believe that poor water quality will do a lot more harm than the occasional flight of fear.

 

[NODAK1979]

I have to agree with Nodak. Sometimes I wish my fish were more afraid of the vac than they are. I recently lost a peppered cory to the vac when he swam right into it before I could get it to the bottom of the tank.

Normally I perform bi-weekly 30-50% water changes. Right now I have a problem with my source water (currently reads 1.0 ppm of ammonia from the tap) so I'm trying to adjust that schedule.

I am still not sure as to what kind of stress the vac places on the fish. I originally thought that the presence of the vac could be seen as a possible predator in the tank or something that could induce fear in the fish. But I've come to believe that poor water quality will do a lot more harm than the occasional flight of fear.

I don't think the vac causes much stress honestly, once they get used to it. Maybe the first time would, but I think they get used to it...especially the more often you do it.

I'll tell you what FREAKS my fish out. Moving decorations. I picked up our pirate ship the other day to take it out, and my discus zipped across the tank faster than I've EVER seen them move before. They were in hiding for like 20 minutes after that!

 

[meegosh]

I don't know about you guys but I also turn my lights off before I do water changes or maintenance. I think that helps ease their stress a bit also.

I know what you mean about the fish seeming to like the vacuum! My angel will pluck hairs from my arm when it is in the tank. Whether I am trimming, scaping, vacuuming, she always has to pick at my arm.

 

[OhNeil1969]

I don't know about you guys but I also turn my lights off before I do water changes or maintenance. I think that helps ease their stress a bit also.

I know what you mean about the fish seeming to like the vacuum! My angel will pluck hairs from my arm when it is in the tank. Whether I am trimming, scaping, vacuuming, she always has to pick at my arm.

My angels don't harass me when I perform water changes, but I have 1 dalmation molly that pecks at my arm like it's found the greatest meal ever. It will not leave me alone no matter what I do . I have to admit, I kind of like it, almost like being licked by my dog.

I feel like I need to keep my lights on so I DON'T suck up any fish while using the vac. The same goes if I'm doing anything to my plants.

 

[NODAK1979]

I don't know about you guys but I also turn my lights off before I do water changes or maintenance. I think that helps ease their stress a bit also.

I know what you mean about the fish seeming to like the vacuum! My angel will pluck hairs from my arm when it is in the tank. Whether I am trimming, scaping, vacuuming, she always has to pick at my arm.

If I did that, I'd probably end up sucking up a cory cat or something. Plus, I need the lights to look for debris to get. I also like to make sure I don't smack the siphon into a fish, and if the lights were off I'd probably end up doing that.

 

[meegosh]

Well I don't do it in complete darkness. I turn the room lights on so I can see what I am doing.

 

[barterking85]

ok another question in water changes i have a battery powered and manual vacuum but neither seem to suck the debris out of the tank the manual will move some gravel but the battery powered dosent even move an old fish flake i got a marina powered vac anyone else have one of these i must be using it wrong makes water changes easy but dosent move anything else