Andrew McFadden
Aquarium Advice Addict
Is there a length of time that is to long? Just curious
Is there a length of time that is to long? Just curious
Malawi Freak said:This really depends on bioload and tank size. I never let my tanks go 2 weeks.
Andrew McFadden said:But can it go longer?
Malawi Freak said:It can but isnt recommended for health of the fish. I know someone with an African tank and he changes the water maybe 4 times a year. These are also 3-4 years old and have grown accustomed to it. I like weekly cause the tank just looks so much cleaner and active.
I was just curious cause I can go 4 weeks and my water still test great. And it makes me nervous so I change it around 35 gallons. Should I let it go longer?
.... There ARE things going on with your system that you aren't testing for I'm sure, nor do you have to. What I was told by my mentor (a certified Ichthyologist) some 40+ years ago, was that by changing the smaller amount of water on a constant basis, you are adding back things like electrolytes and minerals that the fish naturally absorb as well as "Freshening up" the water in the tank. It does more for the tank than charcoal ( and subsequently carbon) does regrding water quality. The object is to create as stable an environment as possible and reduce, as much as possible, radical changes within the system at any time. Larger volumes of changed water have to change the water's chemistry more drastically than smaller changes even if that change is a slight temperature change or a change in, for example, PH. Plus, you are probably adding chemicals to the water to dechlorinate or dechlorimine the water and who knows what changes that is doing to the system. Not necessarily bad things but just a more drastic change. Nitrates are not the only indicator of a souring tank. Also, you must keep in mind that reagents in test kits go bad from age.
The system I have followed has allowed me to not have to test my water anymore when the bioload is stable and the fish don't react poorly to a water change. (This comes from years of studying the behaviors of my fish.) They don't feel the change as much because the volume of change is small. As I mentioned in my other post, I've followed this routine for over 40 years quite successfully.
Now, what I am proposing will be challenged by many on this site (I'm sure) as their experiences will be different. Each fish type reacts differently to changes. The system I follow takes away a lot of unseen variables which is why I still follow it. I adapt it's frequency, depending on the types of fish I am keeping, (ie the bigger or dirtier the fish, the more frequently I change the water and filtering materials) as needed.
The basic survivability of any ecosystem (FYI: your fish tank is an ecosystem) is consistency. By doing that smaller water change weekly, religiously, you create a more consistant environment thereby reducing any potentially harmfull effects of the water change (ie temp difference or possible PH fluctuation, etc.)
Sorry for the lengthy post but I just can't stop when I am on a roll teaching this stuff
Hope this helped
Ok well very long hahahaha very good answers
I'm going to re and re read this and get my thoughts together because I'm going to have some more questions about this.
So stay with me for a day or two lol
Cichlid Kid said:I have an aggressive pwc schedule with my rift lake tanks also. I think alot of us do because of various reasons such as overstocking and the fact that plants are really hard to establish in these tanks.
I do pwc's of at least 50% a minimum of once a week.