10 Gallon Tank Water Changes

[Fruba]

I have a 10 gallon tank with 7 fish, just wondered if i still change my water weekly?

Appologies if this is a silly question

Thanks though

 

[Miss Wiggle]

depends on the fish to an extent, if you had 7 big fish in a 10 gallon (firstly you'd be an idiot ) you'd need to do loads of water changes, for 7 teeny 1/2" fish you could probably do bi weekly

the best way to tell when a water change is due is to monitor nitrates, check what the reading is from your tap, after a water change you're nitrate reading should be somewhere around the same as your tap water, check it again after a week, if it's risen by 20ppm or more then you're due a change, if it takes 2 weeks to get to 20ppm higher then you can do fortnightly changes etc etc

 

[Fruba]

Ah ok then. I only done my first change last week after 4 months or so, there was a slight misunderstanding yes! But during that time all my results were spot on!

I have 2 mollies, 2 swordtails, 2 flame tetras and a fighting fish?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

just monitor your nitrate and when it's risen by about 20ppm then you're ready for a water change, should be fairly stable so if you monitor over a few weeks you'll see how often you need to do them

 

[Fruba]

Ok thank you

 

[ox5477]

I would recommend rehoming the betta (if thats what you mean by fighting fish) to a seperate 5 gallon tank or bowl. Because of it's large and fragile finnage, it will struggle to compete for food and may even be nipped at by the other fish.

And not to contradict Miss Wiggle, but I always like to do a weekly change, especially on a smaller tank as the chance for water stats to go crazy are amplified in a small water volume. As Miss Wiggle said, monitor the nitrate for about a month or so and whenever you see it reach 20 to 30ppm, thats when you will do a wc (could be one week, could be three weeks)

 

[martyn21uk]

And not to contradict Miss Wiggle, but I always like to do a weekly change, especially on a smaller tank as the chance for water stats to go crazy are amplified in a small water volume. As Miss Wiggle said, monitor the nitrate for about a month or so and whenever you see it reach 20 to 30ppm, thats when you will do a wc (could be one week, could be three weeks)

And as not to contradict yourself as well you mean?!?!? You started saying weekly then gave a to potentiailly 3 weeks?!?!

Also Miss Wiggle said 20ppm higher than the tap water which is correct. Not just 20-30ppm full stop. My tap water comes out at 30ppm so I'd be changing my water every day...

 

[ox5477]

True.....

 

[Fruba]

My tap water and tank water are both currently 0ppm?

I would kind of like to get rid of the fighting fish as i would like some guppies, but its so nice and colourful

if i put it in a 5 gallon would i also need a heater filter etc? What could i put in with it though?

 

[ox5477]

Technically, a betta can survive in a small bowl without a filter or a heater with sporatic water changes. But it is better to put them in at least a 5 gallon tank with a heater and maybe a filter. It would be by itself unless you were to try and breed it... but I have no knowledge of betta breeding. But there is a whole section devoted to betta's so they could give you lots more info

 

[Fruba]

I wouldnt like to live by myself for ever

 

[Miss Wiggle]

My tap water and tank water are both currently 0ppm?

that's a little odd, what test kit are you using?

I wouldnt like to live by myself for ever

they're actually happier living alone, it's the nature of the species, don't judge them by our standards, in the wild they are solitary fish.

 

[Ace Of Spades]

Id boost the tetra's numbers up too 5/6, as tetra's like to be in groups.

Also Id still do weekly changes, a Change dosent take 10 minutes

 

[Fruba]

I have an API Freshwater Master test kit? Im sure when i checked them a few days after testing they were both 20ppm!?

I might just do weekly changes anyway, wont do any harm eh?

 

[waterdrop]

I have an API Freshwater Master test kit? Im sure when i checked them a few days after testing they were both 20ppm!?

I might just do weekly changes anyway, wont do any harm eh?

Oh, quite the opposite. I think water changes (done correctly of course) are one of the most central secrets to really good fishkeeping.