Do you ever break the "rules"

[Sorrell]

I just finished doing my water changes, and I was wondering if you guys ever "ignore the book" so to speak on proper fishkeeping.

I think my biggest one is my 150. I only do maintenance on this tank one a month. When I do change it, I very sparingly pay attention to the gravel. It seems like the less I mess with that tank, the better the fish do. Who knows! They are weird I guess

I more then make up for it with the discus and the darn fantail. I do water changes on them three times a week! But I like them.

Anyone else break the rules?

 

[ChriX]

I wouldn't say that there were any rules, only guidelines, as every situation is different, and so what works for someone may have the opposite effect on someone else's tank, like your 150 for example. I just go with what I think is best.

 

[Fiddlesticks]

I do water changes on my 60 every week now, but thats cuz Iv heard raimbows are picky about that sort of thing. I used to only do them every 2-3 weeks with my other fish, but I do remember once I just thought I had done one and I hadnt, so the tank went a month without a water change. I got a outbrake of those little worms though, so I learned my lesson.

 

[gadazobe]

I don't know about breaking rules, but in a heavily planted tank there's no need to clean the gravel as much as in a non planted tank. My community tank is like an underwater jungle - every time a plant gets too big, I just break the top off and stick that bit in the substrate and 99 times out of 100 it starts a new plant. I just skim off the dead leaves and do a water change every 12-14 days. But, in my cichlid tank which has very few plants, I have to clean the gravel at least once a week, much to the annoyance of the fish.

 

[CFC]

I break loads of rules, the biggest one being the kinds of fish i keep together. Almost everything you read says that certain fish are"non community" or "needs to be kept alone" but i have succeded very well in creating "community" tanks of large predatory fish.

 

[clutterydrawer]

I didn't do water changes for about three years because i dodn't know I had to and everything was fine.


My friend has 4 huge goldfish and a weather loach in a tank that I think is about 25g, water changes with chlorinated water, hasn't had a filter on it for years, and they all seem fine and are about ten years old.

 

[wuvmybetta]

I change my 120 about every two weeks and I don't really do much gravel vac'ing. They seem to be super aggro and less playful after a water change and the loaches just hate it so The fronts all start flashing about and huffing and puffing, I think it's because my tap nitrates come out at 40 ppm and the tank nitrates are virtually zero so...I must raise the nitrates after a water change and it takes a couple of days to catch up (or slow down ) Fronts are extremely sensitive to nitrates anyway.

My 29 with the 3 fish, hardly ever change it anymore. I actually let it evaporate almost half way down and then I just add a bit of water. I have reasons for doing this,that's another story.I gravel vac that tank maybe once a month. But it's a 'rule breaker' I suppose. Look at me! I'm a rebel!

 

[wrs]

I change all the water in my betta tank. and i dont clean it out much either. I do use water from my 15g. My old one never had a problem with it. i dont know about the one i have now, because i just got him.

 

[Sky042]

I have reduced water changes to once a month.(not a real rule breaker) but i'm keeping dainos with an oscar they get on just fine.

 

[yhbae]

As mentioned before, heavily planted tank gets WC every 2 - 3 weeks. Others, get 1 - 2 weeks before the next WC. So far, so good.

 

[Becca]

I wouldn't say that there were any rules, only guidelines, as every situation is different, and so what works for someone may have the opposite effect on someone else's tank, like your 150 for example. I just go with what I think is best.

I agree with ChriX. It seems that the best way to do things is to find something that works for you and your fish. Of course, it's nice to have people to feel out to get an idea of what to do when you have situations you're not sure about - but sometimes what works for one person, doesn't work for another.

 

[silver]

I did a water change and vac. on my 55 only about once a month over this past winter and I believe I payed the price dearly in February, March, April.....HECK even now!!!

My Silver Dollars are just now recovering.......well, 2 are dead...... I think that they are just one fish that needs to be "kept clean" They don't do so good in high PH (which I didn't find out until early Spring and they are sensitive to elevated ammonia and nitrite levels.........poor things!

I try and do them every week now!! Let's hope it lasts!! )

 

[CFC]

Waterchanges are one thing i never try to cheat on, all my tanks get done at least once a week with 20 or 40% changes and i try to do a 10 or 20% change mid week as well. I'll overstock and mix supposedly incompatable fish but never scrimp on the husbandry, its just asking for trouble.

 

[The Red Stripe Warrior]

I Do a waterchange every 3-4 weeks for my Tank, and they seem to be fine, I just make sure I clean My filter Out Regulary

 

[Angry_Platy]

20% water change the same day each week without fail....don't do a gravel vac as often as I should....I was gravel vaccing a bit earleir but soon discovered that the more I vacced the gravel the cloudier the water got a few days later.....weird....now I gravel vac less often and my water is always crystal clear in all my tanks.

What I wonder about is....does anyone monitor their nitrites and ammo and nitrates? The only time I check mine is if I have a sick fish or the water seems cloudy...I was just wondering if perhaps I should more often....