Cleaning

[smb]

There is no correct answer in general. It depends on your fish you have, your filtration, what you feed, how often and how much. You can't just say a certain percentage is right or wrong without knowing that,imo.

Some fish like 50% water changes at least once a week and some only need 25% water changes. I've heard some Discus breeders do a 90% water change daily. I do 2 water changes a week- a 35% and a 50% for some of my cichlids.

Taking just a percentage of water out of the tank w/o gravel cleaning and if you leave the filters alone won't disrupt the bacteria present in the water much, imo. I would recommend doing at least a partial substrate cleaning with every water change tho.

Actually imo, a 5% daily water change is the best for my tanks but I don't always do that.

 

[mrV]

It depends on your fish you have, your filtration

Can you explain to me, how filtration remove harmful compounds from water? (Not talking about nitrification)

And what about plants? Some of them doesn't tolerate "old" water or bad water either.. Like Nomaphila stricta, if there is something wrong with that plant, it is usually caused by old water or high nitrates for example.

I change water about 50% weekly. And 3 times/week about 1/3 from tank which is 55 liters. It's quarantine tank.

 

[Phase2]

Personally I clean my filters once a fortnight and Clean the glass and gravel every interim fortnight....cleaning the gravel by syphoning will remove 25% of the water anyways....you need to keep the "good bacteria" thats present in the filter and gravel so I never clean both on the same week.

 

[smb]

It depends on your fish you have, your filtration

Can you explain to me, how filtration remove harmful compounds from water? (Not talking about nitrification)

And what about plants? Some of them doesn't tolerate "old" water or bad water either.. Like Nomaphila stricta, if there is something wrong with that plant, it is usually caused by old water or high nitrates for example.

I change water about 50% weekly. And 3 times/week about 1/3 from tank which is 55 liters. It's quarantine tank.

I'll assume you know the answer to that question and it's rhetorical.

It depends on your fish you have, your filtration

Yes, it depends a lot on that.

Some fish are a lot messier than others and need to be cleaned up after a lot more. If you have insufficient filtration to handle the bioload, then you need to clean more often.

And what about plants?

What about them? Just goes to prove my point even more about everyone giving exact amounts and times to change water is incorrect w/o knowing the tank they are talking about as this is just 1 more factor that plays into it.

 

[reg2k2]

Can you explain to me, how filtration remove harmful compounds from water? (Not talking about nitrification)

Carbon will do it...

 

[mrV]

I'll assume you know the answer

Reason why I asked it, it's because I do not know and when asked it from J. Järvi, finnish hobbiest, who has studied biology at university and he is licentiate in fish diseases, had tanks over 55 years, wonders why only 20% is recommended. He recommends to change water 50-75% too. And he do 75% weekly.

How many other compounds than nitrate you measure? If you keep nitrate as a indicator that you know when it's time to change water, what about in heavy planted tanks, where nitrate level can be ~0mg/l? You don't need to change water at all?

For example, G. Aurell wrote in 1952 in book that there isn't any reason to change water at all. Even in 80's there was opinions that you don't have to change water, just add if water evaporates too much. Same time many hobbiest did water changes weekly, about 20%. Nowadays it's highly recommended that you change water 50-75%. It helps keeps water parameters steady, keep it pure and helps fishes to be good condition. How many sickness are caused by bad water? Or how many problems have solved when hobbiest has started to do larger water changes?

Tropical Fish Hobbyist and Today's Fishkeeper -magazines recommend only 20%/week, what it's quite odd.

Some fish like 50% water changes at least once a week and some only need 25% water changes

I don't know about your fishes. But I think that every fishes love pure, fresh water Many diseases can be avoided by changing water enough. When fishes don't need to suffer bad water, they don't need energy to survive. Bad water doesn't only mean high nitrate, water can be "too old" too.

What about them?

Even plants can be difficult to keep in good shape or alive, if you don't change water enough. They also need fresh water, so no only fishes.

I haven't had problems with my tanks, plants or fishes. I do 50% changes weekly. There is already couple reason, why I don't do small water changes - I don't want to get any problems B) (fish diseases, algaes, plant-deaths...)

 

[smb]

If you keep nitrate as a indicator that you know when it's time to change water, what about in heavy planted tanks, where nitrate level can be ~0mg/l? You don't need to change water at all?

I don't use nitrate as an indicator to change water. I don't think I've tested my water in over 10 years but I understand what you are saying and if someone did use it as an indicator then it could prove incorrect.

I don't know about your fishes. But I think that every fishes love pure, fresh water

Yes, when I used the word "need" it was probably a bad choice.

I haven't had problems with my tanks, plants or fishes. I do 50% changes weekly. There is already couple reason, why I don't do small water changes - I don't want to get any problems

I agree and that's what I was trying to say. I think we're saying the same thing but coming at different angles.

I have read, and wished I could find the article, that small water changes everyday is better than a single large scale water change. Water changes, like all other factors in the fishkeeping World, is always up for debate and has it's detractors with the pros and cons. I think it might also depend on the persons tapwater if they don't cure the water first. If it's totally different than the water in the tank, a mass water change could change the parameters of the water and stress the fish, whereas a small water change everyday of 5% wouldn't affect it, or at least not much. When doing a small water change it also includes getting all waste and leftover food that would normally be sitting on the bottom for a week. So I can see both sides of the coin when it comes to small and largscale water changes.

With my 2 fish I just got for my 75g, I will be doing 5-10% water changes daily and when they get bigger I will go back to twice weekly large scale water changes. I've done it this way for a while and it seems to work for me. Maybe it's not the best for everyone but I haven't lost any fish, other than a killing from another fish, so it's what works best for me.

Like I said, I do a 35% and 50% weekly so I don't do any different than you and agree with you. I only said something because doing a water change once a month, bi-weekly or 25% a week is insufficient, imo and needs to be done more often than that.

 

[guppymonkey]

Isn't recommended water changes just a personal preference? If we had the time (and money) we could have continual runoff systems so that the water is never old. No water changes! Its always new water. Of course this system would be amazingly expensive, only some professional breeders or immensely rich people could afford to do it or have the need. The more water that is changed the better. Fish in their natural environment have a constantly changing water supply. Its not just a box of 20 to 100 gallons, its more like millions of gallons.

I change about 20 to 30% of my water once or twice a week. If I notice any fish acting strange I immediately change some water. I noticed that water changes can make fish more lively and they seem happier (not that I could know if they are happy). It seems to make them healthier too.

 

[smb]

It's personal preference on how often we want to clean but that doesn't mean that's what the fish like or not.

I only meant to reply once with my opinion along with others but was responded to so I hope it doesn't sound like I'm preaching or trying to convince anyone to switch to my ways. Because that's not what I'm trying to do at all. I am so set in my ways that no matter what anyone else said be it here or scientists, I wouldn't change a thing I do w/o some serious techno-breakthru and I don't expect my opinions to have much impact either because actually if you look at this thread I am in the minority. My opinion is no more valid on any subject than anyone elses.

Anyways, on to your question. You said isn't it personal preference? I think you just answered your own question imo.

I change about 20 to 30% of my water once or twice a week. If I notice any fish acting strange I immediately change some water. I noticed that water changes can make fish more lively and they seem happier (not that I could know if they are happy). It seems to make them healthier too.

That's what I've been saying. With adult fish I do 2 large scale water changes a week because I think it is healthier for them and by this quote, you think so too so it isn't necessarily personal preference in what is healthire for the fish, just personal preference in how often/volume we as aquarists wish to do it.

 

[Phase2]

SMB

Its nice to see someone on here like myself that also doesn't test the water.....I dont even own a testing kit!!!....and also have never tested my water. I followed the experience of a friend who said when I started out " use as few chemicals as possible"and it works for me.....clean my filters once a fortnight....and my gravel and glass every week in between....again never lost a fish thru ill health. 8 years serious fish keeping now and it still seems to work. I think people can get too carried away with becoming amateur chemists.

 

[Alien Anna]

Can you explain to me, how filtration remove harmful compounds from water? (Not talking about nitrification)

Carbon will do it...

Actually, it won't, at least not many of the chemicals that can harm plants and fish if you don't do regular water changes.

For instance, fish hormones, excreted from the fish in their urine, can build up and damage the immune systems of the fish and the growth of plants.

Besides, carbon is only active for a few days. After that, it becomes useless for the purposes of removing chemicals from the water. If you don't do water changes your tank is basically a stagnant pool.

 

[Phase2]

Personally I clean my filters once a fortnight and Clean the glass and gravel every interim fortnight(the weeks in between)....cleaning the gravel by syphoning will remove 25% of the water anyways....you need to keep the "good bacteria" thats present in the filter and gravel so I never clean both on the same week. Make sure you have a good filter.....a really clean tank isn't always the best for the fish.....even though it looks good. I also personally never test my water ( although other people on here seem to have a labratory full of chemicals and kits! ). I know if the waters good or bad by the way my fish are...if they are healthy ...leave well alone....always buy from 1 supplier, and make it a good one. I also done have any "live " plants as I have found over the years that they can carry problems (but again others swear by them). You have to go with your gut feelings and take all advice in the way thats its meant....what works for some doesn't work for others.

 

[White Whale]

Any advice on when and how to clean out non-filtered 1/4 bowls? Please tell me if I'm wrong and I will stop immediately:

-- Siphon out the waste products every other day using a turkey baster
-- Feed them on the days there is no siphoning
-- Every 3-4 days I do a 40% water change and add a pinch of rock salt to taste
-- I just added gravel a couple of days ago, I'm not sure when to do an entire bowl clean
-- Planning to shuffle the gravel during the 40% water change; I use one of those wooden chopsticks to shuffle the gravel and my guys love to chase the chopstick when it goes around!

Am I doing OK

 

[Alien Anna]

Any advice on when and how to clean out non-filtered 1/4 bowls? Please tell me if I'm wrong and I will stop immediately:

-- Siphon out the waste products every other day using a turkey baster
-- Feed them on the days there is no siphoning
-- Every 3-4 days I do a 40% water change and add a pinch of rock salt to taste
-- I just added gravel a couple of days ago, I'm not sure when to do an entire bowl clean
-- Planning to shuffle the gravel during the 40% water change; I use one of those wooden chopsticks to shuffle the gravel and my guys love to chase the chopstick when it goes around!

Am I doing OK

Sounds fine except with an unfiltered bowl, I'd do a small water change a couple of times a week. Not only will this help with nitrate levels, it will also help oxygenate the water and keep your beneficial bacteria healthy.

 

[White Whale]

Any advice on when and how to clean out non-filtered 1/4 bowls? Please tell me if I'm wrong and I will stop immediately:

-- Siphon out the waste products every other day using a turkey baster
-- Feed them on the days there is no siphoning
-- Every 3-4 days I do a 40% water change and add a pinch of rock salt to taste
-- I just added gravel a couple of days ago, I'm not sure when to do an entire bowl clean
-- Planning to shuffle the gravel during the 40% water change; I use one of those wooden chopsticks to shuffle the gravel and my guys love to chase the chopstick when it goes around!

Am I doing OK

Sounds fine except with an unfiltered bowl, I'd do a small water change a couple of times a week. Not only will this help with nitrate levels, it will also help oxygenate the water and keep your beneficial bacteria healthy.

Anna, I thought I said that - 40% every 3-4 days with a pinch of rock salt to keep the bacteria in check. Or do you mean I should do a 75% water change instead? They do seem livelier after a water change. But I don't want to overdo it because I might clean out the beneficial bacteria along with the crap.