Question Re Water Changes

[Hdoubleu]

So its Sunday, the day i usually do my water change. My question is if i test the water pre change and it does not show elevated levels of nitrate do i need to change the water? Or are there other nasties that i am also removing aswell that arnt really tested for?

My test strips showed 0ppm nitrite and 20-40ppm nitrate.

[hovmoller]

Yes, you should always do regular water changes no matter what your tests show.

FYI Amonia is the real badie, the comes nitrite and then nitrate. Nitrate is the end product of the nitrogen cycle and can be used by plants.

Try googeling "aquarium nitrogen cycle"

[diver21]

you still got nitrite and ammonia in there.

just trying to find a reason to be lazy? lol

waterchanges dont need to be done every week on the dot, personally as im fairly lazy i just do them when i can be bothered of when the tank starts looking a bit stink.

[Caryl]

If the tests show 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and acceptable nitrate then I would not do a water change.

I buck the trend here though. My tank is not heavily stocked but has lots of plants. I clean my filter about once a year (if that) and do a water change every 3 or 4 months (at the most). Since I do not have any test kits (mine are old and no longer accurate) I have no idea what the parameters are but fish are happy and some are breeding so it can't be too bad. :thup:

[Jaxxnz]

tip for lazy:

when making water change try not to top the tank right up,..

leave about 80% filled and 20% remaining unfilled ( depend on filter system..internal filter are all sweet)

when you know the tank needing waterchange, and feeling lazy.. grab the garden hose and way you go..tank should last you for couple more days.. :digH: :digH:

[ally07]

Even though the test kits show acceptable levels, it's always good to maintain a regular water change regime. Don't wait for something to go wrong before you fix it. High nitrate levels have been proven to stunt fish growth, so unless you have lots of plants getting rid of the nitrate, it's not good to have it building up in the water. Also, remember that aquariums are CLOSED ENVIRONMENTS. In the wild, fish swim in waters that are constantly being changed due to water movement or rainfall. In an aquarium, it's the same water being circulated until you replace it.

Think about it this way: if you sat in your car with the doors/ windows closed, you would have enough oxygen to survive for a while before you have to let in more fresh air. Just because you CAN survive does not mean that you will THRIVE on that stale, recycled air.

On a final note, fish are very adaptable. If you ignore your water changes, fish CAN adapt to bad water conditions without dying, as long as the change is gradual. When you finally get around to doing it, you figure that you should make up for lost time and do a BIG water change - that's what's likely to kill your fish. Even though you're adding fresh water, the sudden changes in parameters will send your fish into shock and make them more susceptible to sickness/ death.

Just remember that we should always strive to give our pets the best possible conditions rather than simply letting their well-being be dictated by our schedules.

[alanmin4304]

As Caryl has said, the frequency of water changes required will relate to the conditions in the tank including how heavily planted, how heavily stocked, how heavily fed the fish are, etc. Every aquarium is different but most people stock their tanks relatively heavily.