Water changes..Need Info

Fishturd · 10-04-2004, 05:32 PM

Is there a rule of thumb about water changes as in doing 20% once a month or so many gals in a week or is it preference? I have a 55gal and I dont over feed my fish and after I did a water test my nitrate was about 20 to 40 ppm hard to tell with those **** color charts looking like the same colors..lol. I noticed a emepty snail shell. Either he died or got eaten by some one in the tank. I have 0 nitrite and my ammonia was 0.25 which it has always been 0 as well. I was thinking on doing a 5 or 10 gal change. Any thoughts?

tims · 10-04-2004, 06:40 PM

i think you are going ot get many answers for this one, some never do a change.But i think thatis really asking for trouble, i like to do ten gallons a week or so ( about 10 days) and clean the bottom every other one. 10 gallons is about 20 % for your tank so i think that is good, if you can not do that then try a 5 gallon once a week.

HTH

washowi · 10-04-2004, 06:43 PM

I have a 50 gallon and do a 15 gallon change every other Saturday. Keeps water perfect! I make my own RO water so it is easy.

Todd

JennM · 10-04-2004, 06:45 PM

Even 5 gallons every other week should be fine for that tank.

However, an ammonia reading is cause for investigation and a water change. What brand of test kit do you use? Also 20-40 ppm is high for nitrates, you ideally want as close to zero as possible. I'd do a 5 gallon change every week, or twice a week til those trates stay below 10 and then monitor and change accordingly.

HTH

Jenn

Fishturd · 10-04-2004, 07:20 PM

Thanks eveyone. JennM, the test kit im using is Saltwater master test kit
http://www.petmeister.com/usrimage/cat699.jpg

JennM · 10-04-2004, 07:24 PM

Let me guess ... test kit by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals? If so, trash it and get a better kit... I'd bet there's no ammonia. Those tests are notorious for bad readings. Yep they're cheap - you get what you pay for. Red Sea, Seachem (but I hate their ammonia test) and Salifert are good choices. A bit more money but they are reliable. You get what you pay for.

Jenn

Jeremiah · 10-04-2004, 08:34 PM

I would suggest more frequint smaller water changes vs. larger ones once a month. I would think like 5 gallons every other week would be good like Jenn already mentioned. I also agree that not doing water changes, although you may skate by for a while, is not good in the long run.

wanareef · 10-05-2004, 05:39 AM

10% every two weeks

bent240LV · 10-05-2004, 05:49 AM

i think i over-change my water, i have a 60 gal and i change 20gal a week!! is that to much, the fish seem to like it. i have 7 fish in my 60 gal, i also vacume the sand once a week also to get the top layer of stuff that i blow off the rocks

wanareef · 10-05-2004, 09:32 AM

IMO - it's a little excessive. But if it works, don't change.

Measure your param before and after a WC and this will let you know where the tank stands. Then just try a 2 week one and compare the resluts.

Geoff · 10-05-2004, 11:08 AM

my water changes are as big as need be to remove the detritus that has built up since the last one. if i do it once a week then 5g is enough for our 100+ gallon systems. if we start skipping weeks than the total volume for a WC goes up. not quite 5g a week, but close. it takes some experience to guess properly.

this is when you tank reaches maintenance mode. usually takes at least a year for this to occur. at this point you are not trying to correct water quality issues with your WC's.

G~