Water Changes

BigReefer

Super Active Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Location
London, Ontario
water changes

After reading about heating up your water changes .... now i am wondering if i am changing to much water or not enough ...... how much of a water change should we do ... for maintenance if nothing is wrong ...
I have a nano I do about 5 gallons a week
my cube 93 gallons ... I got about 15 gallons
and my 150 gallon I do about 20-30gallons

is this to much to little please help :)
 

EricTMah

Aquariums by Design
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Location
Kitchener, Ontario
Website
www.aquariumsbydesign.ca
It all depends on bio load and filtration.

You really should test your water to determine if you're not doing enough. Or too much. That's the best way to determine. Combined with observation of the inhabitants to ensure they're happy and healthy. Will let you dial in the amount your specific tanks need.

Sony Xperia Z3
 

EricTMah

Aquariums by Design
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Location
Kitchener, Ontario
Website
www.aquariumsbydesign.ca
Usually a 5-10% weekly wc should keep your no3 and po4 in check.

So if you're having to do 20-30% weekly. Probably over stocked.

It's like everything else in this hobby. All boils down to how much work you're willing to do and how much money you're willing to spend on up keep

Sony Xperia Z3
 

BigReefer

Super Active Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Location
London, Ontario
thats makes sense thank you sooo much

I do the nano weekly

and the other 2 tanks every other week !!

Usually a 5-10% weekly wc should keep your no3 and po4 in check.

So if you're having to do 20-30% weekly. Probably over stocked.

It's like everything else in this hobby. All boils down to how much work you're willing to do and how much money you're willing to spend on up keep

Sony Xperia Z
 

MrHermit85

Active Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2013
Location
London, Ontario
As said above it boils down to your tank. On my 75 I would do 30 gallon changes every two weeks as I had loads of fish and only fed frozen. By the end of the second week I could tell by the algae growth on the glass that a change was due.

With my new 40 I only have two fish and a few corals so find that small 5 gallon weekly changes work perfectly as the bio load is very low...
 

heath

Distinguished Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2012
Location
Woodstock, Ontario
I don't know if this pertains to sw but, freshwater's rule of thumb is 1" per gallon, not sure if that applies to sw, as I have a heavy bio load...
 

EricTMah

Aquariums by Design
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Location
Kitchener, Ontario
Website
www.aquariumsbydesign.ca
I don't know if this pertains to sw but, freshwater's rule of thumb is 1" per gallon, not sure if that applies to sw, as I have a heavy bio load...
That 1" per gal rule never really applies.

Think of it this way;
6x 1" fish are going to eat and produce WAY less waste compared to 1 X 6" fish.

It's a silly myth about aquariums along with the "fish will only grow to their tank size"

Sure I can stunt the growth of a child if I raised them in a small box. But is it healthy?

Sorry. Bit of a sore spot for me coming from so many years of pet retail.

Sony Xperia Z3
 

chief hill

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2013
Location
Windsor, Ontario
That 1" per gal rule never really applies.

Think of it this way;
6x 1" fish are going to eat and produce WAY less waste compared to 1 X 6" fish.

It's a silly myth about aquariums along with the "fish will only grow to their tank size"

Sure I can stunt the growth of a child if I raised them in a small box. But is it healthy?

Sorry. Bit of a sore spot for me coming from so many years of pet retail.

Sony Xperia Z3
So a Goliath Grouper is out of the question on my 90 gallon? Lol

Sent from my SM-N900W8 using Tapatalk
 

heath

Distinguished Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2012
Location
Woodstock, Ontario
That 1" per gal rule never really applies.

Think of it this way;
6x 1" fish are going to eat and produce WAY less waste compared to 1 X 6" fish.

It's a silly myth about aquariums along with the "fish will only grow to their tank size"

Sure I can stunt the growth of a child if I raised them in a small box. But is it healthy?

Sorry. Bit of a sore spot for me coming from so many years of pet retail.

Sony Xperia Z3


thanks Eric, for clearing up my thinking... not even sure now where I heard that...I think it came from a big box pet store...
 
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