Filter Care

[Seb Spiers]

I've discovered I have a slight nitrate/nitrite problem so tonight I'm going to do an 80% water change. Should I be turning my filter off before doing a water change?

 

[minxfishy]

Providing you dont drop the water level below the intake tube then no, leave it on, although you could slow the flow a bit if you like, might be nicer on the fish rather than having a waterfall on their heads

Can I suggest you dont do an 80% change, rather two 40% changes a couple of hours apart.

 

[Seb Spiers]

Providing you dont drop the water level below the intake tube then no, leave it on, although you could slow the flow a bit if you like, might be nicer on the fish rather than having a waterfall on their heads

Can I suggest you dont do an 80% change, rather two 40% changes a couple of hours apart.

Can I do two 50% changes two hours apart?

 

[minxfishy]

Yep no problem, just try to temp match the water going back in as much as you can, so as not to shock the fish. Not normally a problem on a water change of 20% or such, but larger changes will drop the temperature too much, so match it as best you can.

 

[VictorMeldrew]

Are you treating your water for the nitrate/nitrite problem, do you know whats causing it in the first place? 80% is proberly to much and if you 50% water change because of an emergency i would only repeat if needed, a couple of days later at the least. make sure you turn your filter off, if the inlet tube is going to be above the water level at any stage. Good luck

 

[Seb Spiers]

Are you treating your water for the nitrate/nitrite problem, do you know whats causing it in the first place? 80% is proberly to much and if you 50% water change because of an emergency i would only repeat if needed, a couple of days later at the least. make sure you turn your filter off, if the inlet tube is going to be above the water level at any stage. Good luck

I think its because I've put too many fish into my new aquarium too quickly. I got some media off a friend and put loads of cycle in it but my nitrate and nitrite have gone high over the last day or so.
My ammonia is 0 and my PH is somewhere between 7 and 7.5.

My LFS sells bacteria in refrigerated tubes so I'm going to buy some of that after work, do my 50% water change, then put the bacteria in and hopefully that should be problem solved.

 

[Seb Spiers]

Ive just done a 50% water change and added the bio cool plus bacteria i bought.

lets home it sorts out the nitrates/nirites =)

 

[rabbut]

What is nitrite on?

80% waterchanges are fine. Some discus breeders do daily 90%'s and only stop there to ensure the fish don't need to be moved for the waterchange.... It amazes me that so many people are scared of large waterchages, as I do two 50%'s driect from the cold tap on my disucs tank... They are supposedly one of the most sencitive species, so if 50% from the cold do't hurt them, I don't see how it would harm less sencitive species... I think nothing of doing large 90%'s in emergencies if I am temp. matching....

Why would you need to leave time between waterchanges? If you are temperature matching, you won't move the temp. enough to stress the fish, and you remove toxins through the waterchanges, so doing waterchanges back-to-back won't do any harm.

All the best
Rabbut

 

[VictorMeldrew]

To my knowledge this person is not breeding discus, 90% water change on a daily basis is just crazy for most set-ups, and i do not beleive in water changes with water direct from the tap. imo he does not need to change such a large amount of water, 20/30% every few days would be fine i think.

 

[three-fingers]

To my knowledge this person is not breeding discus, 90% water change on a daily basis is just crazy for most set-ups, and i do not beleive in water changes with water direct from the tap. imo he does not need to change such a large amount of water, 20/30% every few days would be fine i think.

But he does have a nitrite problem. That's the whole reason large water changes are being recommended, to keep nitrites low.

 

[rabbut]

I wasn't saying what he does and doesn't need to be doing. That would be foolish when the nitrite reading is unknown, as there just isn't enough information to make that call I was simply making objections to the "no more than 50% waterchanges even in an emergency" tone that was starting to come across I was also making the point that large changes are safe, with the 90% daily discus breeders as an example of where large changes are done regularly with no detrimental effect. Just to go over again, I am not saying that is what is needed, as again, there isn't enough information to make that call.

On a side note, two 40% changes don't make the equivelant of an 80%. Shure, they are the same volume being changed in and out, but the origional toxin level has decreased by 40% on the origional value before the second change, so it has less effect than the first; 40% less to be exact Two 40% changes are equivelant to a 64% waterchange if my maths is correct.

All the best
Rabbut

 

[VictorMeldrew]

I can not see where anyone said two 40% changes i was talking about normal sort of changes much more often for a while, i don't know the extent of the problem, maybe the OP could give more info. I do respect your views Rabbut, i am just going by my experiences

 

[rabbut]

I can not see where anyone said two 40% changes i was talking about normal sort of changes much more often for a while, i don't know the extent of the problem, maybe the OP could give more info. I do respect your views Rabbut, i am just going by my experiences

Fair enough. Thats all this hobby is, personal expreience. We all need to express our opinions to progress anywhere, such that a consencus is reached, so likewise, keep your views comming

Providing you dont drop the water level below the intake tube then no, leave it on, although you could slow the flow a bit if you like, might be nicer on the fish rather than having a waterfall on their heads

Can I suggest you dont do an 80% change, rather two 40% changes a couple of hours apart.

Thats where two 40%'s instead of an 80% was mentioned. There was also a mention of two 50% which woukld be closer to the mark (at the equivelant of a 75% change) bust still not the same effect

Seb Spiers, could you please post stats for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate with details of what test kit you are using? Then mebe more relivant advise can be given and the thread brought back on topic

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Seb Spiers]

I think I've fixed the problem now I did 2x 50% changes and my nitrate and nitrite levels are really down to almost nothing. I'll do some tests tomorrow and see what my levels are like.