Water Changes?

[Danyel]

Well I have read different things about changing the water, and after reading around here I am a little confused. Some places I have read say so 20% a week, others say 15% twice a week and 25% once a month. But from reading around here it seems like it depends on the size of your tank, as to how much you do...

What is the general consensus here about water change? I trust you guys have it right since you all own fish right now.

Sorry for all the questions today, I am a huge beginner

[Ringo]

Lots of people have differant ways of doing there water changes.
I personally do 2-4 small 10% water changes every week, using the gravel vac.
Am-quel+ is a great water conditioner to use.

Don't be afraid to ask any questions, anything you wanna know, just ask

[BV77]

I believe the key is REGULAR water changes....if you do two a week, do them twice every week. once a week, same thing, just stay regular IMO

[Sable]

Originally Posted by Ringo

Lots of people have differant ways of doing there water changes.
I personally do 2-4 small 10% water changes every week, using the gravel vac.
Am-quel+ is a great water conditioner to use.

Don't be afraid to ask any questions, anything you wanna know, just ask

Just make sure you don't use Am-quel directly in your tank! It will destroy your biological filter.

Water changes depend on how well your biological filter is established and your stocking levels. If you've got a very well-established biological filter and the tank is understocked, you can do smaller water changes than if you have a poorly or newly established biological colony and a well-stocked or over-stocked tank. The best way to do it is to monitor your tank for two weeks and do daily water parameter readings. When the nitrates in your tank get to be 30-40 ppm, write it down on your calendar and do a water change to bring the levels down to 20 ppm tops. Then see how long it takes to get back to 40 ppm. If the level goes up to 40 ppm every week, do a 20-25% water change every week. (Obviously, if it gets to 40 every other day, you're overfeeding and still need to cut back on the feedings - until such a time, however, you'll still need to do water changes every other day.) That, at least, is how I determine my water change schedule.

[locojay]

I agree with Sable, this is how I determine my water changes as well. At one time on my 10g my nitrates were staying below 10 all the time so I cut back on my water changes and let it start getting to between 30 and 40 and making sure it got to between 10 and 20 after the water change. I do my water changes once a week on each tank. On my 20g I usually have to change close to 40% and on the 10g it's closer to 20%. I always vacuum one half of the gravel, I alternate, left side one week, right side the next week.

Run the tests often and you'll find the volume that's right for your tank. Then, like someone else already said, just keep it consistent.

[Danyel]

Okay, that makes sense! Thanks for helping.

With the test strips (I heard these can be inacurate, today) I use, the nitrite ranges from 0-10. So when you say 40ppm does that just equal 4.0 on my scale?

[kay-bee]

Originally Posted by Danyel

With the test strips (I heard these can be inacurate, today) I use, the nitrite ranges from 0-10. So when you say 40ppm does that just equal 4.0 on my scale?

Nitrate and nitrite are two different things (beneficial bacteria convert nitrite into nitrate).

[Danyel]

Ohhhh! I knew that, but I got confused- it makes alot more sense!

[Sable]

I don't think you'll have any fish left if your nitrites reach 40.

Good luck!!! Keep the questions coming; that's why we're here

[Gourami Swami]

In fact, you shouldnt have any nitrites at all. Are you cycled? Im guessing not, so read up on it!

And I do 40% waterchanges once a week on all my tanks, ranging from 5gallons to 100 gallons

[Danyel]

The tank is fairly new and I moved the tank yesterday (did the cycling process start all over again?). Every time I test its been 0, I am asuming that as the tank gets older the levels will go up...

[Gourami Swami]

no... the levels should not go up if it is cycled. Google the nitrogen cycle and read what you need to do, if your tank is not cycled your fish will suffer health complications and ultimately die.

[BV77]

http://www.fishaholics.org/articles.php?ArtId=12 http://www.firsttankguide.net/cloudywater.php http://fish.mongabay.com/chemistry.htm
The above articles may help

[Danyel]

Ok, well the fish are already in the tank, and I have been watching the chemicals- so what should I be doing?

Edit: going to go look at the articles posted!
Edit2: I read the 1st, and scimmed the other two. So randomnly one day the ammonia levels are going to be extremly high and then nitrates are going to form and the tank will go back to normal??? So what am I supposed to do now??
Edit3:If I do water changes to control the ammonia, wont it prohibit the cycle??? I wish I had done fishless cycle now!

[mousey]

if you do water changes it may slow the cycle down a bit. DO NOT do gravel vaccuuming while cycling-- it will kill the bacteria that are trying to build colonies on the stones.
There are charts on the internet that show you how the ammonia and nitrite levels rise day by day. usually the ammonia really peaks at day 10-12 and then you see the nitrite start.
You can use a bit of Ammolock or Prime to neutralize the ammonia and nitrite along with some water changes.when I cycler a tank i do water changes every 2 days and use Ammo lock and or Prime as per instructions on the bottle.
To help the fish thru the nitrite stage you can add a little aquarium salt to the water. It helps their blood stay free of the nitrogen.( nitrogen in the bloodstream will kill the fish.
DO not get nitrite confused with nitrate!!nitrite and ammonia will damage the fish or kill them . Fish can tolerate some nitrate and that is why people do water changes on a regular basis.
How high the nitrates go and how fast also depends on what kind of fish you have and how many you have in a tank.
Keep testing your water, do small water changes, do not disturb the gravel or filter until you are cycled( 4-6 weeks).
Get back to us with what your levels are at.
There are no definite answers sometimes. So much depends on whether you have high ph or low , hard or soft water, what is in your individual water supply etc.

maybe I missed it but how big is the tank and what have you got in it?
You might want to return some fish to the store if you have too many just now.

[Danyel]

Hello Mousey, I am going to print your post off - its very informative.

I wish I had just done a fishless cycle now. I have a twelve gallon tank, with 3 corycats, 2 mollies and 1 betta. I can't really take the fish back, because their policy is "all fish sales final".

I set up the tank around december 4th, and I moved the tank (90% water change) december 15th. I am not really sure what point I am on the cycle, but my ammonia levels have never been high, and I have been doing water changes.

I am going to test tomorrow and see where the water is at. The water at home (from the dec 15 move) is originally soft water, and a neutral pH.