What Does Continuously Clean, Clear Water Mean at This Point?

[ArtesiaWells]

Yes a water change would be done BUT without testing when will you stop doing so many water changes?

I understand what you're saying; however, let me clarify a bit -- the primary reason I have been doing daily small water changes this week is because one of my goldfish, a Black/Gold Moor, had developed signs of a "pimple-like" formation towards the forward fins near the underside of her body which concerned me as I suspected this was the beginning of some kind of, again, bacterial infection within the water; the lump, within just 24 hours, had become so inflamed, red and huge, I didn't know what to do but I knew I didn't want to start dropping some mystery medicines into the tank and instead chose to do daily small water changes to keep the water super-clean so she could "heal." Whatever the case may be, regardless of my logic, something seems to have worked, because the Moor is doing better with no signs of the "pimple" and no apparent health issues...

That being said -- once I got her looking better, I was going to stop the daily small changes and go back to the 50% weekly routine...

Not every cycle is identical so not to have a bloom isn't unheard of.

Good to know; thanks...

 

[ArtesiaWells]

I should say not to have CLOUDY water isn't unheard of.

Well, cloudy/bloom....kinda what I meant anyway...

 

[Convict2161]

I think going back to your weekly 50% water changes is a GREAT idea. Test your water, I know you said you have bad luck but try again maybe we can help. It would benefit you if you base numbers to go from.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

I think going back to your weekly 50% water changes is a GREAT idea. Test your water, I know you said you have bad luck but try again maybe we can help. It would benefit you if you base numbers to go from.

Do you understand, now, though why I have been doing the small daily exchanges?

I will run a battery of tests as soon as I can and post 'em up...

Primarily, I was concerned with why my water has been so clear even in the midst of a fish-in cycle; I know you stated, early in the thread, that this isn't something that should be questioned, I was just curious and a bit, as I said, concerned...

 

[jlk]

My suggestion here is to simply test your tank and post pictures of your results for everyone to analyze.

A 55g only a month into a fish-in cycle is likely not fully cycled. Small daily 10g (or less) water changes are not the same thing as doing a one or two big wcs a week or multiple big wcs a week on an uncycled tank. At the end of a week, those small wcs a few times a week will leave you with the same or worse conditions then you had at the beginning of the week. Five 10g wcs over the course of a week is not the same thing as changing 50% at one time.

 

[Convict2161]

Do you understand, now, though why I have been doing the small daily exchanges?

I will run a battery of tests as soon as I can and post 'em up...

Primarily, I was concerned with why my water has been so clear even in the midst of a fish-in cycle; I know you stated, early in the thread, that this isn't something that should be questioned, I was just curious and a bit, as I said, concerned...

Yes your reason for so many water changes is understood.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

My suggestion here is to simply test your tank and post pictures of your results for everyone to analyze.

I've done that before...

A 55g only a month into a fish-in cycle is likely not fully cycled. Small daily 10g (or less) water changes are not the same thing as doing a one or two big wcs a week or multiple big wcs a week on an uncycled tank. At the end of a week, those small wcs a few times a week will leave you with the same or worse conditions then you had at the beginning of the week. Five 10g wcs over the course of a week is not the same thing as changing 50% at one time.

The reason I was doing small, daily water changes on the (60 gallon) tank is because of that pimple/wound symptom I had started a thread about on the Moor, which seems to have gone away by itself -- I was attempting to keep the water as pristine and clean as possible so she could "heal" as I didn't want to get into dropping medication into the water again, thus I did small daily changes which I will probably stop after tomorrow as the pimple formation seems to have disappeared...

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Yes your reason for so many water changes is understood.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

So, essentially, are you -- JLK and Convict -- saying that ideally the weekly 50% water change routine is simply better for the health of my goldfish and their water?

 

[Convict2161]

What I'm saying since we're still at this lol is this...

Know your tank
Know your parameters so test your water
Get a base line
That will determine the frequency of water changes and volume of water change

Without knowing your parameters your going in blind IMHO. Like I said before, it's a comfort to know I can skip a week if an emergency or something popped up and I'll know my tank will be ok, you as it stands now will not no how long you can go, what your readings are etc etc etc. I test tap occasionally also just to be safe.

Weekly water changes maybe all you need. Then you won't have to do so many.

I guess that's pretty much it on my end... I kinda feel like we're beating a dead horse here

 

[jlk]

I feel on a fully stocked, likely not fully cycled tank (we can not say for sure without seeing pictures) that 50% wcs once a week are probably not sufficient. On a cycled goldfish tank, I don't think it's sufficient but that's another topic for discussion.

Hukit posted this calculator not too long ago and it's an accurate reference point for determining how much water is actually bring changed in a tank on a weekly or monthly basis. It may be an eye opener for some of you.

http://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/EffectiveWaterChange.php

 

[Convict2161]

I feel on a fully stocked, likely not fully cycled tank (we can not say for sure without seeing pictures) that 50% wcs once a week are probably not sufficient. On a cycled goldfish tank, I don't think it's sufficient but that's another topic for discussion.

Hukit posted this calculator not too long ago and it's an accurate reference point for determining how much water is actually bring changed in a tank on a weekly or monthly basis. It may be an eye opener for some of you.

Effective Water Change Calculator

Yea saw that. Pretty neat. But according to that I change 99.9% water a month leaving only 0.08 original water left. Neat non the less.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

I feel on a fully stocked, likely not fully cycled tank (we can not say for sure without seeing pictures) that 50% wcs once a week are probably not sufficient. On a cycled goldfish tank, I don't think it's sufficient but that's another topic for discussion.

Hukit posted this calculator not too long ago and it's an accurate reference point for determining how much water is actually bring changed in a tank on a weekly or monthly basis. It may be an eye opener for some of you.

Effective Water Change Calculator

Pictures of the TANK?

If so, this is what it pretty much looks like right now (unless you meant pictures of the TEST RESULTS):

 

[ArtesiaWells]

As you can see, not "overtly overstocked" in the least...

 

[jlk]

Pictures of your test results.

 

[Convict2161]

Do you have a freshwater test kit? If so test and post results while we're all here to help.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Do you have a freshwater test kit? If so test and post results while we're all here to help.

I must have stated this several times throughout this thread; if not, my apologies...I do in fact have the API Master Freshwater Kit, and I have posted results on this forum in the past in order to have parameters analyzed...

I will do a test ASAP and post the results...

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Pictures of your test results.

Okay; I'll have to take readings first...please stand by...

 

[Convict2161]

Ok.... Standing by

 

[Convict2161]

Still waiting...