water change question

[brady]

Today I came upon a article on you tube re: w/c. He stated that when setting up a new tank we shouldn't
do daily w/c because we are starving the filters of ammonia, thus starving the bacteria from establishing
a active colony of the ability to change A to nitrites then to nitrates.
This sort of made some sense but it made me think of my tanks, one in particular, which is a year old.
It's a 50 with 5, year old fish from Liz who are doing great. I have done a 95+ W/C probably everyday since I've had them.
But i wondering would they do "better' if I maybe did a w/c every 3 or 4 days to let some ammonia build up to
feed the bacteria to increase there number? Just food for thought. No pun intended.
Jay

[brewmaster15]

Jay,
Not familiar with the you tube guy but yes when a tank is new and you are cycling it you dont change water unless fish are in it... wc slows down the cycle.

Your tank with fish from Liz is fully cycled.. its biofilter can process what ammonia the fish make. More or less wc will not change that..

Your fish however would probably appreciate you not changing less water.

[brady]

Al.
I agree, but I thought I would just put it out there to get some discussions going.
I am not familiar with him either . Just looking for some info on an entirely different
subject and as you know whatever you see on" You tube" is gospel.LOL
Jay

[brewmaster15]

AMEN!

This is something though that alot of novices need to understand. Cycling a tank properly keeps your fish safe from ammonia spikes and nitrite spikes

Though it is possible to cycle a brand new tank with fish in it..its hard on the fish and requires alot of water changes.. it also takes forever because you are walkibg a fine libe between whats good for the developing biofilter abd whats best for the fish.

Should also poibt out that its easier in water thats slightly acidic as the ammonia is less toxic as pH drops..but... as the pH drops the biofilter bacteria become less and less happy.. so again its a balence!
Al

[Willie]

Today I came upon a article on you tube re: w/c. He stated that when setting up a new tank we shouldn't do daily w/c because we are starving the filters of ammonia, thus starving the bacteria from establishing a active colony of the ability to change A to nitrites then to nitrates...

That's why everything you see on YouTube needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Did they actually measure the bacterial count? Did they actually change water daily to verify this assumption? No, they just made a random call and present it as fact.

So it's not true. I say that as someone who have changed 100% of the water in my grow out tanks daily. The sponge filters are just as full of bacteria in these tanks as in my show tanks with only weekly water changes. Also, bacteria don't starve. I say that having earned a Ph.D. in microbiology.

Not trying to start a fight, but the outright nonsense on social media is so frustrating.

[jeep]

When I have new arrivals, I change 40% every other day if the filter isn't cycled. Even though it may take a bit longer, this will allow the filters to cycle on their own...

[Iminit]

Ok I’m guessing here he’s talking about a fishless cycle. You’ve adding ammonia or fish food to build ammonia. So the longer these are in the tank the more time given for bacteria to grow. So here water changing wouldn’t help. Now fish in is a different approach. Here the main thing is the fish. So you’re not wanting too much ammonia. So you change water daily. There is still fish waste entering the filter and creating bacteria to eat it. Takes longer but works out. Most of us will just take some used media and add to new filter of new tank. Add discus and change water daily never worrying about the cycle.