Water Changes In Large Tanks?

[dthoffsett]

Some of you guys do really big water changes, I've always only done about 10%, why would you want to do more, are you over stocking?
I thought you only need to do water changes to get the Nitrate levels down, but if you got lots of plants thats not a problem?
Assuming you are tropical!

I usually do anywhere from 40-60% water changes. My tank is a 75gal freshwater, however I do overstock because I keep mbuna (rock-dwelling african cichlids), so they require large changes.

I think you'll find most people that have very large tanks keep large predators which are big waste producers, so need large changes.

 

[michaelwgroves]

Thanks for your comments, I'm still learning.

OMFG, CFC your tank is massive, how do you fit that in your house, what is it standing on?
Have you got any pictures from a distance.

 

[CFC]

Its not in my house its in a purpose built fish house at the end of the garden along with another 17 tanks of various sizes, in total around another 1000 gallons of water.

It sits on 5 concrete block piers topped with 3/4" ply and 2" polystyrene sheet.

Photographs are difficult due to its position and lighting in the room so most just come out as greeny coloured blurs but heres one from the early days of setting the tank up which show the size.