How often to do Water changes

[Fishlover3578]

I have a 29 gal and a 20 gal would doing WC of 4 gal for 29 gal and of 3 gal for the 20 gal a day be better than 50% every 1-2 weeks ? Just don't like changing alot of water at one time and was thinking it may be easier on me
Both are like fully stocked

 

[BBradbury]

Water Change Routine

I have a 29 gal and a 20 gal would doing WC of 4 gal for 29 gal and of 3 gal for the 20 gal a day be better than 50% every 1-2 weeks ? Just don't like changing alot of water at one time and was thinking it may be easier on me
Both are like fully stocked

Hello Fish...

If you want healthy fish and plants, then change half the tank water every 7 to 10 days depending on how often you feed. If you follow this routine religiously, you'll avoid 99.9 percent of the things that can go wrong in the water keeping hobby. The more water you change and the more often you change it, the better.

B

 

[rmiller]

Due to health reasons a very close friend of mine used to do about 15% of his water daily. He did thorough vacuums each times to ensure any food that hadn't been eaten the night before were cleared out. He kept a wide variety of species, including several rare, wild caught ones. My life doesn't allow that kind of time it takes to do daily water changes, so weekly 50% is what works for me.

 

[PerfectDepth]

I have a 29 gal and a 20 gal would doing WC of 4 gal for 29 gal and of 3 gal for the 20 gal a day be better than 50% every 1-2 weeks ? Just don't like changing alot of water at one time and was thinking it may be easier on me
Both are like fully stocked

4 gal per day for the 29 gal would equal roughly 65% per week
3 gal per day for the 20 gal would equal roughly 68% per week

So, yes it would be more than 50% per week if that's what you're asking.

 

[molliwopp]

After cycling a tank, i like to do extra water changes until settled and then every 2nd day. Im doing 50% daily on one of my tanks at the moment but will gradually ween it to very other. Whether i need to do it this often, no but i want/like to.

 

[molliwopp]

4 gal per day for the 29 gal would equal roughly 65% per week
3 gal per day for the 20 gal would equal roughly 68% per week

So, yes it would be more than 50% per week if that's what you're asking.

10% daily would be 10% of the overall tank volume. Also as an example: Consider your fish producing 2ppm of nitrate daily.

To make this simple lets say you have a 100gallon tank with another easy to work with number of 100ppm of nitrate.

10% of 100g is 10. Now you have 90(+2 for daily production of nitrate for your fish)
10% of 92 is 9.2 now you have 82.8+2
10% of 84.8 is 8.48 now you have 76.32+2
10% of 78.32 is 7.83 now you have 70.49+2
10% of 72.49 is 7.25 now you have 65.25+2
10% of 67.25 is 6.725 now you have 60.5+2
10 of 62.5 is 6.25 now you have 56.25ppm

7days at 10% would only be giving the impression of 70%

50% of 100g is 50g =50ppm. Which would cut your nitrate in half.

Long winded and theres probably an easier way to work it out mathmaticly but the idea is the same.

 

[GodFan]

I have a 29 gal and a 20 gal would doing WC of 4 gal for 29 gal and of 3 gal for the 20 gal a day be better than 50% every 1-2 weeks ? Just don't like changing alot of water at one time and was thinking it may be easier on me
Both are like fully stocked

I wouldnt recomend it for the simple fact it coukd stress your fish. Honestly what I do is usenlive plants to keep the water clean. Then I do a 15ish% water change whenever I get to it. Everyone is happy.

 

[james77]

I do 2 a week unless I'm medicating for a fungus or sick fish then I'll do one daily to help promote the healing process.

 

[Thumper828]

I have researched this same question. There seems to be so many different opinions. Some say once a week, some say ever other week, others say once a month to minimize fish stress. I think if your nitrates get above 20ppm do a 50% change with a good substrate vac.

 

[molliwopp]

I wouldnt recomend it for the simple fact it coukd stress your fish. Honestly what I do is usenlive plants to keep the water clean. Then I do a 15ish% water change whenever I get to it. Everyone is happy.

I wouldnt recommend it either, not every week. Large water are good if youre doing anymore than tri weekly, as the tank would stay at the parameters of the tap water and wouldnt shock your fish.

 

[Fishlover3578]

What about small daily WC of like 4 gal a day thats not much for 29 gal is it or should I do two gal a day and then do 10 gal once a week and then a 50% once a month? I can't afford all the stuff for plants the lights maintainer and all that for plants

 

[molliwopp]

That would be a good but tiring why not do 30% or up it to 8 gallons every other day instead.

 

[severum mama]

50% weekly for me.

 

[GodFan]

What about small daily WC of like 4 gal a day thats not much for 29 gal is it or should I do two gal a day and then do 10 gal once a week and then a 50% once a month? I can't afford all the stuff for plants the lights maintainer and all that for plants

I garantee you you can get setup for less than 10 bucks. Just about any light will grow certain plants. Your light now will grow some planst with no additives. Tell us what your lights are and we can tell you what plants will work.

 

[Fishlover3578]

20 gal has plant light with 15w with java moss . I can't leave lights on longer than 4 hours cuz I rent and I do have a window in my room that I can open curtains

The 29 gal has led light on it don't know much bout it cuz was given to me its about 1/3 length of the tank

 

[GodFan]

20 gal has plant light with 15w with java moss . I can't leave lights on longer than 4 hours cuz I rent and I do have a window in my room that I can open curtains

The 29 gal has led light on it don't know much bout it cuz was given to me its about 1/3 length of the tank

You should be able to grow water wisteria, water sprite, anubias, and java moss with no added nutrients. The first two are EXCEPTIONAL water cleaners.
Honestly if you add some plants and check your nitrates weekly you can lower the number of water changes. Depending on your stocking level (you may have posted this already cant remember) you could lower it significantly! I always say one 15-20% a month is good IF everything checks out alright. Alot of people will disagree but alot of people do it as well. Some people will go longer than a month but I cant in good conscience recomend that. I do it sometimes but it can go very wrong.

 

[Fishlover3578]

Currently I do 50% WC once every week or two weeks except now I'm upping it after deaths fro Petsmart fish... (Bad stock im sure of it cuz i test water with api liquid testkit )And changed filters but put old filter media in new filters and I had treated for ich ... Plus need to get flame dwarf gourami to grow back barbels they are shorted than they were wen I got him but honey sunset I've had longer looks perfect .

Tanks have been up since July/August
Also I didn't really know much and started with fish in cycle