No signs of nitrates. Should I still do water changes?

[Colin_T]

How would you like to swim in your own pee and poop.

we do that every time we swim at the local public pool or in the river

 

[Slaphppy7]

we do that every time we swim at the local public pool or in the river

Public swimming pools....the ORIGINAL all-gender restrooms

 

[Slaphppy7]

For the OP, regular water changes are the most important process we need to establish for maintaining a healthy tank

Water Changes and Water Quality in Aquariums – Advanced Aquarium Concepts

advancedaquariumconcepts.com

Maintaining Aquarium Water Quality | Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine

Without clear water, even the most beautifully aquascaped tank will fail. Aquatic guru Takashi Amano explains how to manage aquarium water quality.

www.tfhmagazine.com

 

[Bpfoto]

Yes. I do about 20% every week and it has worked for me for years.

 

[joelfernandes]

Did you give your Nitrates bottle a really good shaking? I think it's bottle 2 that is a pain to mix and if it's not done right it will read 0

Yeah, I do shake hard them for the full 30 seconds as recommended.

I agree with what everyone has said. However, I'd like to add that zero nitrate is something to celebrate, as it usually means you're doing it right.

Thank you, @WhistlingBadger. Does feel good, not gonna lie

Do you add any fertilizers for your plants? If not you may need to start. As the plants grow the amount of nutrients they need increases. One of the reasons for doing 50% weekly changes on a well planted tank is it will remove the things nothing really needs and any things there are more of than can be used. WCs will replenish some of what is needed but which has been used up. If your plants need more things than comes in with your water or which is created by the fish and other natural biological processes, you will need to add these things.

Thank you, @TwoTankAmin. This is extremely helpful.
I do add a small amount of Seachem Flourish (this one here). I started adding between 1 to 2ml once a week. When I set up the tank about three months ago, I added three root tabs (give or take), and, underneath the sand, I have Fluval Stratum as well.

I am going to keep doing water changes every week, then. I do enjoy it if I'm being honest. Although, lately, I've been seeing this debate about doing water changes or not doing water changes. I understand the benefits of doing it, as everyone noted on this thread before.

 

[Byron]

Yeah, I do shake hard them for the full 30 seconds as recommended.



Thank you, @WhistlingBadger. Does feel good, not gonna lie


Thank you, @TwoTankAmin. This is extremely helpful.
I do add a small amount of Seachem Flourish (this one here). I started adding between 1 to 2ml once a week. When I set up the tank about three months ago, I added three root tabs (give or take), and, underneath the sand, I have Fluval Stratum as well.

I am going to keep doing water changes every week, then. I do enjoy it if I'm being honest. Although, lately, I've been seeing this debate about doing water changes or not doing water changes. I understand the benefits of doing it, as everyone noted on this thread before.

The liquid Flourish Comprehensive Supplement linked is good. Go by the plants' response, so as to not use more than actually benefits. Excess is only encouraging problem algae, and possibly detrimental to fish. Tabs if the Flourish Tabs are very good. The Stratum is not, but it's there so let's hope there are no issues going forward. You don't have cory catfish, which have serious bacterial issues with any "plant" substrate, so that should eliminate problems.

As for debates on water changes, there will always be some who counter the factual wisdom. Ignore them. There are people who firmly believe in a flat earth too, this is part of life.

 

[joelfernandes]

I did use the Seacham Flourish tabs, yes.

Regarding the Stratum, I had no idea it was not recommended. Is it because of those issues that could cause to corys?

As for the water changes vs no water changes, yeah, that whole debate loses all sense when it's said that doing water changes is a bad thing. Although, are you saying Earth is not flat? How dare you!

 

[Byron]

I did use the Seacham Flourish tabs, yes.

Regarding the Stratum, I had no idea it was not recommended. Is it because of those issues that could cause to corys?

As for the water changes vs no water changes, yeah, that whole debate loses all sense when it's said that doing water changes is a bad thing. Although, are you saying Earth is not flat? How dare you!

Plant substrates are known to have bacterial issues. I cannot explain them scientifically, I accept the majority opinion when it is from the reliable sources. I do know that part of this is the grain size. Uneaten food gets down in any gravel, and cories cannot sift the gravel to get it, so it causes bacterial issues. Degeneration of barbels in cories is more often due to this bacterial issue than it is to roughness, though a rough sand or gravel can cause barbel erosion too. But it is the bacterial aspect that is the problem.

Aside from the above, cories need to sift the sand and expel it via the gills. All cories do this in nature. Sand has been found in the stomachs of cories, and Ian Fuller is of the opinion that since cories have no teeth, this "grit" helps them to break down food, just as such grit does in birds. It just isn't fair to the cories, and any similar fish, to deny them what they consider to be essential in their lives.