How Often To Do A Water Change?

[Tavares100]

Hi,
I tried to do a search but it just returned too many topics. I'm just after a straight forward answer to how often i should perform a water change on my tank?

Its an established jewel rekord 70 litre running a Fluval U3 filter, stocked with;

5 x Gold barbs,
2 x Garra rufa
2 x Platys
3 x Endlers
1 x wcmm
1 x bristlenose plec
many shrimps and snails and no live plants.

I currently change 1 bucket (about 10-12 litres) a week. Is this over doing it? If so what should i be looking to do?

Thanks for the help,
Shaun.

 

[BETTY BOO]

20%/25% once a week would be fine

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Unless your water test results say any different i would recommend 30/40% weekly. Personal opinion, obviously.

Terry.

 

[kylealastairlove]

that sounds good to me
i have a 64L tank and i do weekly water changes, about 25% water changes to be precise.
keep up the weekly water changes

 

[Fishy friend2]

around 40% should be good, as the tank is a bit overstocked

 

[Man of fish]

I do 40% weekly and I'd recommend you do as well. Also make sure you don't replace the filter cartridges invade you were

 

[JayD976]

It's a personal preference really, but I'd say a minimum amount would be 30% I like to do more to be safe.

 

[Sammyb]

Well i do 20% every 2 weeks and ive been doing this for many years so unless your ammonia is nuts theres no need to do it weekly

 

[Man of fish]

Well think about it this way if your doing weekly w/c your fish have gotten used to getting nice clean water every week but they might not like it if all of a sudden you start giving them clean water only every other week would they?
Ps. If youre doing bi-weekly w/c I'd be changing more like 40-50%+ on w/c day.

 

[Tavares100]

thanks for the fast replies,

I'll change slightly more than i do now and keep it weekly.

Cheers,
Shaun.

 

[soybean]

Id do two buckets out, two buckets in for that tank.

 

[CezzaXV]

The important thing is that you're changing enough water that the nitrate is being removed quicker than it builds up.

 

[balajake]

I do 40% once a week

 

[peediedj67]

do you switch the filter off?

 

[Piltdownpaul]

40% for me weekly- clean one side of my filter each week- i'm using a big fluval 4 internal filter pump.