# Water Changes...



## The Warden (Jan 13, 2009)

I currently perform a 25% water change every week. On my 120 Litre, i do about a 30 litre swop out.

Im soon getting a 240L tank and will do about 20% a week, this will work out at 48 Litres.

Would i be better doing the whole 48 litres in one go?

Or do it in 2 changes of 24 litres? Or 4 changes of 12 Litres?

Which is best?

It would obviously be easier to do a 12 litre change, 4 times per week.

Are there any benefits to the fish?

Cheers

Gaz


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

A larger change less often will result in cleaner water for your fish. I do 50% or more weekly.


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## The Warden (Jan 13, 2009)

Thanks, thats all i wanted to know.

I will do 20% water change once a week.

Your water bill must be through the roof! doing 50%?

Cheers

Gaz


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

I so small frequent changes on some tanks and larger frequent changes on others. It all depends on 
the fish load, etc. Do what's easier for you. Any of the three scenario's you posted will work great for the 
fish. Mix and match and to work around your schedule, if need be. It's just not that big of a deal as long 
as you're doing them.

My .02


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## The Warden (Jan 13, 2009)

Cheers for replys.

Like you say, i will perhaps see what fits around my routine.

It will be easy most nights to do a 12 litre change or so.

And if im busy at a weekend then a big water change will be impractical.

I just wondered if there was much difference to the fish and quality of water.

Thanks

Gaz


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

I do about a 20 percent water change about three times a week. I do this for several reasons (as opposed to one weekly large change):

I like getting the poop up more frequently than once a week
I like adding fresh water more than once a week
I like not changing the water chemistry very much with each water change (any difference in pH or temperature is not likely to make much difference with a 20 percent change vs a 50 percent change)
I can do a small change like this is less than 10 minutes.

it works for me, but my tank is only 60 gallons.


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## The Warden (Jan 13, 2009)

I think a 50% change would really upset the chemistry wouldn't it?

Even your 20% change, is 12 gallon, thats over 50 litres! and three times a week, thats 150 litres of fresh water going in each week.

How do you treat this quantity of water? Just the usual tap safe?

And do you add warm water so as not to upset the temperature?

Cheers

Gaz


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> I think a 50% change would really upset the chemistry wouldn't it?


If I had to buffer change water, it would affect how I went about things, I think. But, I don't, so it can only 
affect the chemistry in a good way. I think that the dangers of pH shock, etc are unfounded and 
unsubstantiated in most cases. For temp, yes, I mix hot and cold to get the temp approximately the 
same as the tank. Fish can handle fluctuations. *All *tank temps fluctuate by nature of how 
aquarium heaters work. And, I'd guess that most fish are exposed to some temp changes in the wild. 
I add dechlor sometimes before, sometimes right after adding the new water. There are some things in 
regards to my fish where I concern myself with the details, but from my experience, just doing the water 
changes is the important thing. I've had different routines with different tanks, and I've not found a single 
one that didn't agree with my fish. Just my experience. I used to concern myself with matching change 
water parameters as exactly the same as tank water parameters as I could. When I backed off from 
that, no noticeable change in the fish.


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## The Warden (Jan 13, 2009)

Again, thanks for the reply.

What do you mean by 'buffer change'?

Cheers

Gaz


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Just means add buffers, or other chemicals to water that I use to make water changes to match water 
parameters in the tank.


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## The Warden (Jan 13, 2009)

ah rite, okay, thanks.

I always add tap safe to mine, is this really nesescary? How harmful is untreated tap water?

Cheers

Gaz


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> How harmful is untreated tap water?


if it has chlorine or chloramine, can be very harmful. Particularly chloramine which is more stable. 
Chlorine gases off pretty quickly, but I still use dechlor because it's a cheap precaution.


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## The Warden (Jan 13, 2009)

thanks for the info, youve been really helpful.

Gaz


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

The Warden said:


> thanks for the info, youve been really helpful.
> 
> Gaz


You're welcome.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

I change my water with a bucket and siphon (the old fashioned way) so that I know exactly how much water is coming out and going in. For each 3 gallons of new water (from the tap), I add Prime, cichlid salt and buffer. I add exactly the same amount every time to ensure the chemistry remains consistent. I test the water with my hand for temperature. (I used to have a thermometer stuck on the side of the bucket, but have since gotten less anal about it.)


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have no water bill and water chemistry does not change. I have a well, LOL. No water treatments, buffers, dechlor or anything. I just have to make sure to match the temp (I use a hot and cold tap and check the flow with tank thermometer before pumping it through the Python).


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