100% Water changes

[Mikemeets]

Doing 100% water changes is not logical unless you are stinking rich and can afford the water bill every month... is 50% changes every 3 days ok? Got a 25gallon bucket for a 45-50gallon 3foot tank and all i do is leave it for a day with water prime and no airstone or heater but top the bucket up with hot water with prime to get temp right (10% hot water) hope it does the job, my fish seem happy.

[DiscusLoverJeff]

I would add a heater and airstone. You need to keep movement in the holding tank and air to balance the PH. 50% every three days possibly if you have adults but I believe your guys are young if I am not mistaken?

You should try and do 50% daily for optimal grow out.

[LizStreithorst]

Here we go again:rolleyes2:

[Madaboutdiscus]

Doing daily water changes will not raise your water bill that much. It only raised mine about 20 dollars. You don't have to do daily 100% but you should definitely strive for at least 50%. To age water you an air stone and a heater. You need air going so you can gas out the water and put the ph down to where it's the same as the tank. If you're not putting the same temp water back into the tank then you're going to have some issues. What temp is your tank at? Every 3 days will not due for the fish of the size you have. You have asked this question in another post and we're given a firm answer several times that you need to do daily changes. At least 50% 100% would be best but for some it's not feasible. I do daily 50 and it works for me. I use a tub heavy duty I bought at Home Depot a heater and a bubble wand. It's roughly the same amount as half my tank but I usually end up adding 3 3 gallon buckets to fill it on up. Also there's no need to put Prime in your aging bucket. Put straight tap water in there and age it. When put the clean water into the tank put enough prime in the tank to do the entire volume of the tank. Most say prime fizzles out after 24 hours there's really no need to put it in your aging bucket. It doesn't do the fish any good there.

~Victoria

[LizStreithorst]

Not everybody can get away without adding an airstone. I know that I can't. My water contains a good bit of chlorine. I use air and sodium thiosulfate to neutralize the the chlorine. The air helps get the pH right.

[Madaboutdiscus]

My ph starts at 7.4 and settles at 6.8. For a long time I didn't age my water and it didn't really seem to bother them but since aging I have seen more vibrant colors and they've seemed happier.

~Victoria

[nc0gnet0]

Doing daily water changes will not raise your water bill that much. It only raised mine about 20 dollars.


Thank you for that, it gave me quite a good laugh.

[LizStreithorst]

Mine goes from 6.8 to 7.2. I believe that a swing of .4 or more is detrimental to the fish if done over the long term. I used to not have to add dechlor either. My WS containers were all open and had large surface areas. Everyone's set up is different.

[Madaboutdiscus]

Thank you for that, it gave me quite a good laugh.

Hey I only have 2 tanks lol. If I had room for more trust me I'd have them. However my 2 tanks only raised mine about 20 bucks. My water bill would probably be higher than my electric bill.

~Victoria

[nc0gnet0]

Doing 100% water changes is not logical unless you are stinking rich and can afford the water bill every month

I see guppies and beta's in your near future......

[Madaboutdiscus]

I see guppies and beta's in your near future......

I was thinking something close to this but didn't say it lol.

~Victoria

[rickztahone]

I understand the financial aspect of this problem, but lately I have been feeling very guilty about the large water changes I do, and I am only on a 50g tank. California is currently in one of its worst droughts in a very long time. Last year we only had 8 full days of rain. So, I try to conserve water by other means around the house, but like the OP, I'm starting to think that my water changes will have to be lessened, even if it isn't advisible.

p.s., I have always practiced and always advised the changing of larger water volumes. I am just not sure everyone can do this for their own personal reasons.

[treemanone2003]

When I posed the question a few months ago, many fabulous folks reassured me there wasn't a problem with a 100% WC. Since then, it's a weekly ritual with my adults and if I had fry to contend with, I'd do the same thing. It's 50% every other day and I can see just how much they really enjoy the fresh water.


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[musicmarn1]

water on the ground always goes back to the water table right? i know i felt BAD at the waste but i then did some research on the water table and how it is fed AND i saw what my neighbours did with their cars and lawns.

i proudly have brown dirt *lawn*and a filthy dirty car HA im not just even, im so far ahead. also next year im doing rain barrels

[Kirbs]

I have 3 tanks.....75,30 & 50 and I rotate water changes of at least 50%. I'm going to add a 90 and another 75 and don't really even notice it on my bill. If I could get my kids out I might even see my bill go down! LOL!

[kwan8911]

For me, the water bill does not concern me since I do not need to pay it. Lol, but the electric bill is go up by $70 a month. Since I am changing 80gal of water twice per day.


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[Skip]

Nothing wrong with guppies

[Chee_dog]

I change my 125G every week and my three 29g every 3-4 days. The water bill went up by 60$, 80 if I run RO. Electricity also went up about 30 bucks but yea, discus isn't cheap overall lol.

[TheMutlu]

I think it's important points discus old.i change %140 daily and i use reserve Os no cholorine,no stress,healty eyes and fishes


Sent from turkey

[lhalliday]

Not everybody can get away without adding an airstone. I know that I can't. My water contains a good bit of chlorine. I use air and sodium thiosulfate to neutralize the the chlorine. The air helps get the pH right.

Can I ask how your how much s.thiosulfate you use Liz. Tried to find a formula but struggling.
Cheers
Lee

[discus rookie]

I would think it really depends on how much chlorine you have in your water. I use sodium thiosulphate crystals as well, but my water has only very little chlorine (per my chlorine test kit) so I only add like 1/8 tsp for 50 gallon, sometimes even less. I think you can over dose a bit they will not harm the fish.

[Mikemeets]

Doing 50% per day and fish still dont seem happy, my lfs says im crazy doing 50% per day and not seeing my fish die yet is a miracle... i told them they dont know what they talking about and should do research, they say they use to service a 3foot tank for a shop once every 3months with discus in and they were healthy... this story is true i can remember that tank in that shop that had the discus in and always liked looking at them... now im wondering how the hell did those discus survive...

[Crunchy]

I do 80% three times a week for the young fish tank, and they have been good for the past 2 years. They don't grow to the biggest ever shape but easily 5-6 inches and round. I feed 3-4 times a day max.

[Mikemeets]

But no water change for 3months is unheard of lol

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[chris jennings]

I have several tanks that I used to change the water on 50% everyday,but I am on a well with a lot of iron in so I have to use 90% ro and 10% well to reach a ph of 6.8 to 7.0.I have bare glass tanks with biological filters and I only change the water 50% every 3-4 days sometimes longer and my fish are doing great.

[Discus-Lover]

I do WC 50% every day for my 20, 75, and 100 G. Water has been aged and air blowed.

[jasa73]

Wow the drought in CA is a tough situation. I wonder how breeders in CA handle the water issues.

[rickztahone]

It is a huge concern. I've raised this point a few times on the forum being that I am in California, however, I am not a breeder, just someone who does a lot of water changes.

Check out what is going on at UCLA if you haven't heard about it: UCLA leak (http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Water-Main-Break-Floods-UCLA-Campus-Sunset-Boulevard-Closed-269200881.html)

losing 20M gallons of water can not be good for California :mad:

[jasa73]

As crazy as this sounds, I'd find ways to use the water from the water changes. Couldnt you use the water to flush the toilet? Doesnt flushing the toilet use like 4 gallons of water? That way you'd offset your water change doing something you would do anyway.

[ProBreeders]

I only doing 25% water change weekly... is this too little?

[John_Nicholson]

I only doing 25% water change weekly... is this too little?

Yes

[Quintin]

50-80% water daily for juvies.50% daily for adults

[trungnguyen]

As crazy as this sounds, I'd find ways to use the water from the water changes. Couldnt you use the water to flush the toilet? Doesnt flushing the toilet use like 4 gallons of water? That way you'd offset your water change doing something you would do anyway.

You can use tank water to water the garden, especially grass during summer
I do 80% for 110 gallon tank every 2 days, and 2 90% daily for 30 gallon frys tank
All tank water comes to front yard and back yard...

[ProBreeders]

ahh thats a good idea
using tank water for the garden

[MendoMan]

water on the ground always goes back to the water table right? i know i felt BAD at the waste but i then did some research on the water table and how it is fed AND i saw what my neighbours did with their cars and lawns.

i proudly have brown dirt *lawn*and a filthy dirty car HA im not just even, im so far ahead. also next year im doing rain barrels
You throw water on the ground it will evaporate not go into the water table unless your water table is 1' deep.