Changing My Schedule?

[Satsumas]

I currently do a 15% PWC & gravel vac midweek and a 30% PWC & vac at weekends.
I was wandering if it would make any difference if i did a 50% PWC & vac once a week? I think it's best that I stick to what i currently do as i have a large biolad and 2 gravel vacs are probably better. Just thought i'd ask

 

[docrak]

Do what works best. I try to monitor my water parameters and change the water accordingly. A 50% water change every week works for me. I also have planted tanks with low bio-load. I tried going longer on one of my planted tanks and ended up being a bad idea. I believe more frequent water changes are better for your fish. I would almost recommend changed more water each time you do a water change but it would help to know what size tank you have, what kind of fish you have, how much you feed, and how much nitrate you read just before a water change. Any other information would help also.

 

[Zagz]

I think you would be fine with 50% a week. Just test the water and if that doesn't work for keeping the parameters down you could always switch back. But IMO you will be fine. What filtration are you running?

 

[Satsumas]

I have a 20gal (see sig) i'm running an XP2 on it i tested the water yesterday and my Nitrate was at 10ppm, i feed them everday with either flakes or dried bloodworms, algae wafers for the bottom dwellers with a treat of either frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, cucumber etc once a week.

I think 2 PWC a week will work best but saying that... with a 50% once a week i can do a really thorough gravel vac where as with the 30 and 15% i only have a short amount of time. Also with the 50% it makes it a whole lot easier to trim plants and do all the things that involve an arm in the tank.

 

[coldmachineUK]

If your vac is sucking up water too quickly then just put a kink in the pipe and it should slow the rate of flow down enough so that even a 15%-30% pwc is plenty enough time to clear the substrate.
I tend to do one side of the tank in one pwc, and the other side in a 2nd pwc later on in the week. I keep to small pwcs of around 15-25% max each time, because my sensitive loaches will flash if i change out too much water. Consistent is sometimes better than 'perfect'

 

[Satsumas]

I did try the 'kimk' once or twice but gave up after soaking the floor, don't ask
I'm off to do a water change now sp i'll give it another go.

 

[coldmachineUK]

Uh-oh, don't blame me if it happens again! I should have written a disclaimer

 

[Satsumas]

It was pretty good this time, i just pinched the end of the hose and i was able to vaccum up more dirt. It is however somewhat more difficult with a very interested kitten on the hood!

 

[coldmachineUK]

lol! Kittens and water definitely don't mix, it'll probably learn the hard way! Our two cats don't bother with the fish at all (actually I think the noise of the filters frightens them). Glad it went ok! Whatever involves the least stress is the best sort of routine IMO!

 

[Satsumas]

My kitten dips her paws in any water possible! She is very, very much into water and always has been since we got her in June.
When i was doing the PWC she was on the hood dipping her paws in the tank, i thought she'd get a danio at one point! I had to move her then

When my 20gal long had the Ryukin in it my kitten would always walk along the glass ledge and reach down to dip her paw in. I want to put her in the bath one day to show her what it's like before she falls in one of our tanks!

When there's no direct access to water she'll sit and watch my 3 yoyo's for about half an hour, then perhaps move on to my brothers rainbow shark.