got this from another forum..

[Crystal]

I am also on a makeup forum, and I posted a comment in regards to a user's comment about only changing her tank water once a month. It shocked me when I read it, so I commented in an "aiya!" fashion. I got a pm later with this:

"I keep an eye on the parameters, have awesome filters with bio-filters built in, neither are overcrowded at all, in fact, there's very few fish in each tank, plants, on and on, absolutely no reason to change the water any more often than I do, I do not want to wreck the parameters."

I am being overly critical, or does anyone on here change their water once a month only, especially when it is only 10-25% per month?

 

[WILDER]

Some people do leave it a while, you can't tell them, if it's a large tank she might get away with it, I maintain my tank once a week without fail, but that's just me.

 

[sylvia]

I don't but it is possible if you under-stock, under-feed and over-filter. What I don't understand is this person's comment 'I don't wan't to wreck the parameters'. Water changes don't 'wreck parameters' - they improve the water quality greatly! Ask any discus owner and they'll tell you that the more frequent the water changes the better - should be the same for any fish should it not? Plus sudden changes like that caused by a water change after a whole month are more stressful and damaging to fish than say a smaller water change every week would be. I think a water change of 20-25% weekly is much better for any fish.

 

[JoKeR]

I Do

Well but i make water changes every 2 week

 

[freddyk]

There is no right and wrong, and it is absolutely possible to maintain a perfectly healthy tank doing monthly water changes. There are many variables involved including stocking levels, planting levels, types of livestock, nutrients substituted through additives etc. etc. There are generalities th can be made for beginners to get them started, but these are by no means rules that cannot be broken.

 

[Genki]

Well, the fresh water you add in isn't going to match what's in the tank already, so that could be what she meant. (Or, you know, you could just ask her ) Maybe the pH is wacky or something?

Btw, I agree with what everyone else said about the water changes, once a month is fine depending on the tank.

 

[yvez9]

water changes will keep nitrates down basically.

if her nitrates are always low and the general water quality is good, it's fine.

Lots of people change their water once a month. If she knows what she's doing then i say it's fine.

 

[freddyk]

water changes will keep nitrates down basically.

It's important to note that water changes not only remove pollutents like nitrates, but it also re-introduces nutrients used up by the livestock.

 

[BobK]

There can be other pollutants besides nitrates that build up over time. As water is lost to evaporation and the tank is topped off the concentrations increase. I guess a big factor could be the source of "new water". There are plenty of things in water that we do not test for that could be harmful. Personally I wouldn't want to wait that long for a water change although many people can and do wait that long w/o problems. Also, just because there appears to be no problems doesn't mean they do not exist. Perhaps with weekly water changes the tanks inhabitants have extended life spans. I wonder if there has been any studies on this.