Water and water changes

[architect1]

Hello everyone I just went to the PJ pets in sherway mall, and I was talking to a guy that has been raising fish in big farms for quite some time, He seems like he knows what hes talking about, His tanks are immaculate, and he doesn't do dead fish runs like big als does.

I was wondering whats really the perfect system? Like 1 water is different around the world. I do 50% water changes every other day, and he said I do to much it wasn't needed. He said when I take out that much water I'm taking the natural enviorment out of the tank, and putting in clean water that has been cleaned so we can drink out of it.

Like I can see what he means in that aspect, but don't we need to take the water out and put clean water in to replace the dirty water like what a river would do?

I would like to just talk about it and hear what other people have and are doing, from breeders, to the little joe in a 8x10 room.

Me like I said I do 50% in my tanks from my old 33% every other day, my water is perfect from what I have tested, I do need to do a KH or is it a GH test, to find out if my water hardness is 7 for spawning.

So tell me how your feel, what you think and also what do you do with your water.

[Hans Kloss]

So tell me how your feel, what you think and also what do you do with your water.

IMVHO there are no fixed rules. Anything you do is OK until your fish are healthy, eating, growing up and spawning. I'm doing WC once monthly, my friend built permanent WC yielding 50% WC daily.
Both have healthy discus but our goals are quite different.
Hans

[architect1]

Hey hans, thats cool a auto water changing system. Do you use a RO unit or age your water, or is it straight from the tap?

[Darren's Discus]

I do 30 - 50 % wc daily,i find this works well for me, my water is straight from the bore ph 8.5 and tds 280-300ppm.I use RO for breeders tanks.


cheers

[crazie.eddie]

I do WC every 5-7 days or so at about 50%. Basically, it's done when the water level gets too low. I have an open top tank, so the water evaporates quickly. The noise level gets too loud when the water is too low, which is why I do the WC when it gets too low.

My discus and other fish appear to be happy with my maintenance. I also do them straight from tap and add Prime when I add water in.

[architect1]

I do 30 - 50 % wc daily,i find this works well for me, my water is straight from the bore ph 8.5 and tds 280-300ppm.I use RO for breeders tanks.


cheers

Wow thats a high pH and crazy. so by the looks of it i'm not just the only person that does water changes at 50% and with no problems.
Like I use to do wc once a month when I first started doing fish, I was young , more died, and they didn't look so healthy. Since I have done more wc healthy fish and a more happy fish.

So why would he say that its to much? Like my fish don't show any since of stress, or anything.

[crazie.eddie]

I forgot to mention, which I edited, I also perform 50% WC straight from tap.

[kaceyo]

Architect1,
You're going to get that response from 99% of the "knowledgable" fish keepers out there. The daily to weekly large wc's are mostly a discus keepers practice. There may be other fish out there that most keepers advocate similar wc schedules but I don't know of any.

Kacey

[architect1]

Architect1,
You're going to get that response from 99% of the "knowledgable" fish keepers out there. The daily to weekly large wc's are mostly a discus keepers practice. There may be other fish out there that most keepers advocate similar wc schedules but I don't know of any.

Kacey

Like it makes perfect since, I know the on farmer in mylasia or china I forget he does almost 100% every day. I do 50% every other day and some times every 3rd day. So am I doing anything wrong? My one discus tank is healthy with thriving discus.

I guess I started this to hear that what i'm doing is normal and its not me thats wrong. lol

[B-O-F]

The bit that amuses me is the 'changing water so they have fresh water like in a river'

I understand and agree with the principal but in a river the fresh water they get has already been pood in by the fish 100 yards upstream :)

OK, so flame me :)

[architect1]

Hahahahaha BOF that is so funny and true, Like isn't that what makes there water acidic, along with the wood, and everything else in the river?

Like I thought that i did everything wrong before I got into this hobby, and that was a water change a month, now I do it at least 50% every other day, then I'm told I'm doing to much and I'm doing it wrong. I'm so confused.

[White Worm]

You are talking about a much larger body of water than your every day aquarium and their natural environment is always being replenished by new rain water.

[architect1]

witch is vary true. So what is the best way to mimic that? Like i know if I put 1 too 2 degree lower then there water I will get a spawn in 2 -3 days. Is it ok that I put tap water in as long as I put my prime in?

I was thinking of getting an RO unit a 5 stage what would i be doing different if I used that?

I no some people age there water, like there are so many ways to give the same compound a different face lift that seams to work for everyone.

I do tap because I live in an apartment and don't have my own basement to age my water. I just want the right water to keep my discus happy. Like I guess the main reason i started this, is because when i got these 5 fish from a friend, they flourished in my ways that i did my tank, then out in the blue they go crazy, and now I have 2 left after loosing 3 to god knows what.

[Ardan]

When I do more wc's my fish seem more active and look vibrant.:)

I do 75% every other day under normal circumstances (discus tanks). If There is an indication of a problem I do wc's every day. (If a fish acts like it doesn't want to eat well....)

More wc's decreases the chance of disease. This is from my experiences. Tanks with less wc's tend to develop illness first.

Ardan

[architect1]

So ardan would your water changes be tap water?

[Ardan]

Yes, my water changes are straight tap. The ph is very stable.
I do use dechlor as we only have chlorine and the levels are unpredictable.

I do mix with RO at times to try to get some spawning going.:)

Ardan

[architect1]

So I guess I'm not the only one that uses tap water. SO i take it that I am not crazy and risking my beautiful discus to something aslong as its good clean water.

Now how about filters how often does ever one clean there filter? i do it about once a month is that bad, good or normal?

[Ardan]

For me
I clean prefilters at every wc, usually 3 times a wk, but sometimes daily.

All other filters, sponges, power filters are cleaned at least wkly (sunday is filter day:))


Ardan

[architect1]

Wow thats alot of cleaning, its interesting to know.

So let me put this out there, could you not set up a tank in one day or a week. if you do 50% water changes ever other day that would means 4 water changes a week and say its a 100g tank, that means you have changed 200gallons of water and your canister is clean. Would you Bio life not be vary low?

Like I figure you can put fish int he vary first day of a tanks life, if your doing 505 every other day you will attack the nitrite spike anyways before it happens right?


I'm just curious at the life cycle of a tank.

I find it so interesting that we can clean it so much and it works. But why are people so worried about the spike if your already doing so many water changes.

[hironobu]

Compare to most places in the world Toronto's tap water is great for discus, ph 7.5~8 and tds 150~200ppm. But I have a 30G tank just for aging water and I use water conditioner like stress coat with every wc. My small 35G tank is for growing out my juveniles and my big tank 90G is a community tank and I have another tank ready for breeding (if it happens in the next month, crossing my fingers).

For the junvenile tank I have three 2"~2.5" feed 3 times a day with two 30% or one 50% wc daily depending on my availability. For my big tank I got three 4"+ and I feed them twice a day with 30% wc every 4~5 days. I started keeping discus two months ago and as I begin to get more confident I also will start to collect more. I'm very picky with what I want and will wait for the "perfect" fish for me. Anyways I always go by the guideline of 10G per fish and wc depending on your purpose: grow out, show tank, breed... etc. Ultimately its like having your own kids; everybody raise them differently. Only time can tell if you're doing a good job. :p

p.s. I got a Fluval 404 cannister filter for my 90G and Fluval 204 for my 30 and 35G. I'm also in the process of designing a self maintaining all natural water recycle system modeling after what they have at the science center.

[architect1]

I feel we are alike lol, I found hamilton water was ok to, now I moved hear and have had no problems till i got some new discus from a friend and that is mainly why I seek to ask these questions. Also welcome to simply, I'm hoping we can meet some time, and show one another tanks of. Thank you for your information its a pleasure.