water changes

[talloulou]

I was curious how often you all do water changes. I have been doing a 20% weekly water changes in my 55 gal and my fish seem to be thriving and my water tests out well, though my nitrates seem much lower, between 5.0 and 10. With my old tank (a 10 gal) I use to do 30% water changes only once a month and the fish did well that way too, but my nitrates always tested between 20 and 40. Both tanks always test 0 amonia and 0 nitrites. I have read many books that say the more water changes the better and I have also read stuff that says 20 % once a week is over doing it. Just curious about what everyone else is doing.

 

[Meredith]

20% once a week is not over doing. That used to be my schedule. I recently acquired some fish that seem to be more sensitive to water quality than any others I have had before. My water changes are now a bit smaller, but several times a week. I think so long as you are not replacing 100% of your water at every change, you can do water changes as often as you like. Your fish will thank you for it

 

[mentallylost]

I don't test my water nearly as often as I should. But I do a 25% water change in my tanks everother week. The 80 gallon one week. The 125 gallon the next week. I have a pair of Daffodils in my 80 that cannot obstain from making "whoopie". They have about 50 or so fry in there now. So they must think that their water is ok. And I have a few pair of fish in the 125 that have spawned a few times. Nothing has hatched yet in that that tank yet though. I think that it is a predator problem in that though. But my thoughts are if they are doing the deed, then they must like the water too.

 

[Heiko]

ye 20% once a week is my shedual too!

Keep it going. LOL

 

[TomK2]

40% twice a week. Deep Gravel vac half the tank each month.

 

[dnaelting]

I do a 15% weekly change in the 70 gallon tank, and a 30% weekly in the 10 Gallon tank (mainly because it is so small and easy to do).

The water tests show it works great at controlling nitrates. Fish seem happy. Life is good.

 

[Mazdaman]

25% a week with 1/4 of the tank getting a gravel vac. Never had any issues with water quality.

 

[WooHoo]

20% weekly in a 58 gallon FW. I clean the gravel at the same time. Makes for some real happy campers!

 

[slowboattochina]

About 25 % weekly and gravel vac 1/2 tank every month. Nitrates stay at about 15 to 20.

 

[oscarbreeder]

I do 30% water changes in all my tanks every week and all is good..

 

[Guest]

I vacuum the gravel weekely and its usually 10-30% water change depending on how yucky the gravel is.

 

[chasgood]

I used to do 10 to 15 percent water changes every week. Now I do 20 to 25 percent changes every other week. vacuum half the gravel each time. Nitrate stays at 10 or below.
I dont have any real messy fish. This seems to work just fine for me. Why do more than you have to.
Some manufactures say 20% per month is fine. I wouldnt do it unless you have a real light fish load and you test often. Not many of us understock a tank.

 

[gheitman]

I do a 10% water change once a week on most of my tanks except those with fry in them where I do 10% twice a week. My quarantine tank I change even more frequently. All of my tanks, except for my quarantine tank, are planted and most are lightly stocked. Seachem released a recommended dosing chart in which they suggest 5% water change every week.

 

[BillD]

I don't have a set schedule, but, I favour big water changes. Depending on the tank, I may do 50% to 75% every week, and right now I have one tank I do 50% every couple of days, because i am feeding heavily and the tank has only been running 3 weeks. I have never had a problem with doing too many changes, but problems from not doing enough. If I was raising a tank of angel fry it would probably be 60% to 75% daily. Works for me.