10% daily vs 30% weekly water change

[NoMoreGoldFish]

Which one is better for the fish? I'd imagine smaller water changes would cause less ph fluctuation thus shocking the fish less. But since I'm using the python method, I'm afraid I might be dosing the tank with too much prime as it accumulates over time. I thought about using less prime (enough just to dose the amount of water I'm changing), but am afraid that because it's diluted with 90% of the water in the aquarium, the chlorine would kill off my beneficial bacteria.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Either or, 10% daily is fine, 30% weekly is also fine too. Not sure about the Python method but not sure about the constantly changing pH.

As for dosing Prime, I use one capful for every gallon of water, and since my bucket is two gallons, I use two capfuls. Don't know how accurate that is, but it's worked for me so far.

 

[mfdrookie516]

^ Not sure what bottle you're using, but every bottle of prime I've had used 1 cap full for every 50 gallons of water.

 

[LyndaB]

I only dose for the amount of water I'm changing. Others do for the full tank amount, no matter how much water they're changing. Seems to be evenly divided, from what I've seen.

I can't imagine doing daily water changes unless there was a problem with my tank.

 

[adadkins1]

I think doing 30% weekly is much more feesible than 10% daily. I don't think there should be much worry about a pH swing during a weekly PWC.

 

[carey]

I also dose prime based on the total tank volume and not the water change amount.

I would think daily water changes would be a HUGE hassle unless you have some out of whack parameters. I do about 15% on all my tanks, sw and fw and it seems to work for me.

 

[eco23]

As for dosing Prime, I use one capful for every gallon of water, and since my bucket is two gallons, I use two capfuls.

Dude, that's extreme. A capful is for 50 gallons, so even if you're only replacing 2 gallons, that's enough Prime for 100 gallons! If you changed 20 gallons that'd be the amount of Prime for 1,000 gallons of water! I've never seen fish die from a Prime overdose...but that's a bit crazy my friend.

For using buckets I basically add 1 drop per gallon. For my Python, I drain the water, add Prime to the tank based off the total volume of the aquarium (not just what I'm replacing) and refill.

I do two 25% pwc's weekly, but a 25% weekly is normally what's required. The goal is just to keep your no3 below 20 and keep things clean. I wouldn't worry about pH fluctuations unless you're using some type of chemical in the tank to alter pH, GH or kH.

 

[NoMoreGoldFish]

My tank is right outside my bathroom and I only have a 30g tank, so it basically only takes three or four minutes.

Prime binds to the metals in the water right? But what happens to the particles after that? If I dosed my water with prime for the full or even half the tank daily when I'm only doing a 10% water change, I'd imagine my water would turn blue prettysoon. LOL.

 

[barterking85]

^ Not sure what bottle you're using, but every bottle of prime I've had used 1 cap full for every 50 gallons of water.

I would have to agree that's a lot of prime but I like larger water changes because I vacuum very well and it usually uses 30% and that's weekly sometimes twice a week

 

[bruinsbro1997]

^ Not sure what bottle you're using, but every bottle of prime I've had used 1 cap full for every 50 gallons of water.

Dude, that's extreme. A capful is for 50 gallons, so even if you're only replacing 2 gallons, that's enough Prime for 100 gallons! If you changed 20 gallons that'd be the amount of Prime for 1,000 gallons of water! I've never seen fish die from a Prime overdose...but that's a bit crazy my friend.

I would have to agree that's a lot of prime but I like larger water changes because I vacuum very well and it usually uses 30% and that's weekly sometimes twice a week

Sorry guys, yes I'm using SeaChem Prime, I tend to overdose. Ever since almost all my fish died from me not accidentally adding water conditioner, I have been super careful!

Maybe I should stop using it. I've actually been doing two capfuls for every gallon of water...and I replace around four to five bucketfuls a week! I have definitely overdosed, maybe I should cut back.

 

[jetajockey]

wow, yeah definitely cut back. 2 drops per gallon is what I do, or a capful per 40-50g tank.

@the OP, I do 50% wc's on my tanks twice a week. There is a lot of mythology surrounding ph shock, I wouldn't worry about it unless you are running some extreme difference between tank and tap levels.

 

[barterking85]

Even for your wallets sake you must go through some prime lol also I have never heard of prime overdose either but there are a lot of unknown fish deaths out there