100% WC 3 times a week

[Astolfo]

i seen people doing 50% every day etc.etc. but I want clean substract and it takes a lot of water to do. is it bad to do more than 100% wc each time i clean the tank?
TIA

[cjr8420]

so u would vac all water out fill up then vac some more till its clean.i dont see that as a problem cause if ur substrate is that dirty u should have plenty of good bacteria left to keep it cycled.i would recomend 80%fill up then what ever more u need.this why BB tank so popular good luck

[Astolfo]

the substrat is not dirty becasue i am pretty @n@ll about cleaning and what means clean...in BB tank the only thing cycled is the filter, doesn't a subtract tank have an advantage when it comes to water changes?
I rinse the substrate in the filter once a week with fresh water, this does not kill the bacteria correct?

[ericatdallas]

I don't even understand how people do 100% WC... Don't fish stress out from flopping around and/or aphixiation??

[PAR23]

I don't even understand how people do 100% WC... Don't fish stress out from flopping around and/or aphixiation??

I guess not if one has a system set up to replete the water as soon as it is fully drained.

[Astolfo]

very slowly. i have a 75gl tank i empty it (with the gravel vacum) half way, then with a hose i add water while with the gravel vacum i fill my 5gal bucket until i am happy and everything is clean. the tank never goes empty and my fish appear to enjoy "chasing" the vacum while i clean. unlike in another post mine don't poop while i do this, which i understand that pooping while water changes is a sign of stress.

[cjr8420]

the substrat is not dirty becasue i am pretty @n@ll about cleaning and what means clean...in BB tank the only thing cycled is the filter, doesn't a subtract tank have an advantage when it comes to water changes?
I rinse the substrate in the filter once a week with fresh water, this does not kill the bacteria correct?

every surface under water has good bacteria growing that help the cycle yes rinsing sub. in fresh/tap water kills ur good bacteria.depending on ur bioload ur tank may need that bateria also just haveing filters cycled is not always enough.and can create a mini cycle where ammonia and nitrites will have a smaller spike than a brand new uncycled tank but there is still a spike untill all that good bateria grow bk on everything u cleaned
in a BB tank there know substrate for bacteria to grow so ur not losing any bacteria the problem with that big water change and killing ur sub.batceria is ur tank needed all that and now it does not have it

[Astolfo]

i am in a well, no clorine at all...why would plain fresh water kill my bacteria?

[ericatdallas]

very slowly. i have a 75gl tank i empty it (with the gravel vacum) half way, then with a hose i add water while with the gravel vacum i fill my 5gal bucket until i am happy and everything is clean. the tank never goes empty and my fish appear to enjoy "chasing" the vacum while i clean. unlike in another post mine don't poop while i do this, which i understand that pooping while water changes is a sign of stress.

Then you're technically not doing a 100% WC. You have diminishing returns as you remove water and add water back in. Without knowing the flow rate, it's impossible to know how inefficient this method is but...

assuming flow_in is the same as flow_out, the best you could hope to achieve with fifteen 5G buckets of water is 47% (rough calc). Bottom line, if you're doing it that way, you're better off doing a 50% WC, you'll save water.

[ericatdallas]

Ooops, I read it wrong.. so you empty 50% then you do siphon out, flow in? Then it becomes the equivalent of a 67% WC. So you're better off with a 67% WC than emptying 50% and taking out another seven 5-gal buckets.

I do 70-80% each day. I leave just enough that the fish have a little bit of water over the top. Sometimes I mess up and they have to swim kind of crooked. I then usually empty another 5G bucket while siphoning poop (see my other thread about pooping and WC).

[cjr8420]

very slowly. i have a 75gl tank i empty it (with the gravel vacum) half way, then with a hose i add water while with the gravel vacum i fill my 5gal bucket until i am happy and everything is clean. the tank never goes empty and my fish appear to enjoy "chasing" the vacum while i clean. unlike in another post mine don't poop while i do this, which i understand that pooping while water changes is a sign of stress.
this is fine but u asked about more than 100%

[cjr8420]

i am in a well, no clorine at all...why would plain fresh water kill my bacteria?

no chlorine ur good but when u say fresh/tap majority of people have chlorine/chlorimines so i assumed that u did to

[Astolfo]

good...i was ready to slap myself....

[AngryBird]

I tried doing 90% water change and my fishes went crazy and in the end had some bruises from flapping close to the driftwood. I decided to not go beyond 75% with the fishes in the tank. 100% water change is great but not at the cost of hurting the fish.

[ericatdallas]

I tried doing 90% water change and my fishes went crazy and in the end had some bruises from flapping close to the driftwood. I decided to not go beyond 75% with the fishes in the tank. 100% water change is great but not at the cost of hurting the fish.

That's kind of what I thought too... I accidentally did a 90% once and they freaked out and started slamming against the sides in panic (that's how I found out the hose slipped to a lower position).

In the NADA Site: Discus Basics (http://www.discusnada.org/discus/discus101.html), they have a picture of a 100% WC (I think it says use aged-water).

http://www.discusnada.org/discus/discus101_1.jpg

[Discus Origins]

LOL those fish are definitely going to get 100% new water!

[Elite Aquaria]

i seen people doing 50% every day etc.etc. but I want clean substract and it takes a lot of water to do. is it bad to do more than 100% wc each time i clean the tank?
TIA

Astolfo, This really depends on your water. For example my water is fairly stable and I am able to change 100% daily if I choose. I also use ClorAm-X with every water change to remove chlorine and chloramines.


I don't even understand how people do 100% WC... Don't fish stress out from flopping around and/or aphixiation??
http://www.discusnada.org/discus/discus101_1.jpg

Eric,

I have never had a problem doing water changes like the photo you posted above. I normally leave approx 1/2" of water just enough to cover most of the fish.

[Eddie]

Eric,

I have never had a problem doing water changes like the photo you posted above. I normally leave approx 1/2" of water just enough to cover most of the fish.

Ditto, been doing it for years. ;)


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[roclement]

Me 3 I leave just enough water to cover the fish.

Rodrigo

[ockyra215]

I do 100% water change daily and I use prime and warm tap water. Never had a problem! I do my juvie tank and my 2 tanks of sub adults. Just enought to cover the fish.

[Jason K.]

That's kind of what I thought too... I accidentally did a 90% once and they freaked out and started slamming against the sides in panic (that's how I found out the hose slipped to a lower position).

In the NADA Site: Discus Basics (http://www.discusnada.org/discus/discus101.html), they have a picture of a 100% WC (I think it says use aged-water).

http://www.discusnada.org/discus/discus101_1.jpg
my fish go through this at a minimum of 3 time's a week... they stop freaking when they can't swim no more, and they are ready to eat as soon as the tank is filled.

[ericatdallas]

Astolfo, This really depends on your water. For example my water is fairly stable and I am able to change 100% daily if I choose. I also use ClorAm-X with every water change to remove chlorine and chloramines.


You do this with tap? I might have to give it a try then... I was pretty close again yesterday (by accident again). I left about 2" of water again which is about a 90% WC. So maybe I'll do jsut that much.

[Elite Aquaria]

You do this with tap? I might have to give it a try then... I was pretty close again yesterday (by accident again). I left about 2" of water again which is about a 90% WC. So maybe I'll do jsut that much.

Yes straight from tap

[Skip]

Yes straight from tap

:gossip:

[DLock3d]

Yes straight from tap

I do my water changes straight from the tap as well. My PH locally is mid to high 8's. Fish seem fine.

[discolicious]

Wow, if nothing else, this proves discus are pretty easy going fish after all. I can't imagine many species of fish just relaxing while their water literally disappears aroung them. I don't do over 60% changes so I've never seen this. Do the fish not show any signs of stress while lying there? I know mine don't like it much if I remove them from the tank.

[DiscusOnly]

Wow, if nothing else, this proves discus are pretty easy going fish after all. I can't imagine many species of fish just relaxing while their water literally disappears aroung them. I don't do over 60% changes so I've never seen this. Do the fish not show any signs of stress while lying there? I know mine don't like it much if I remove them from the tank.

Remember. Folks who are doing these massive volume of WC are putting back fresh water that are very close tank water parameters. There are times when I drain close to the bottom and then start filling the other side the tank while still it's still draining.

Van

[ericatdallas]

Remember. Folks who are doing these massive volume of WC are putting back fresh water that are very close tank water parameters. There are times when I drain close to the bottom and then start filling the other side the tank while still it's still draining.

Van

When I do large WC (I guess that's relative, but around 70-80%), I sometimes see them losing their slime coat. I found a thread a while back that this was normal after WC and nothing to be too concerned about. I'm not going to try to dig it back up, but it was on this forum somewhere.

[DiscusOnly]

When I do large WC (I guess that's relative, but around 70-80%), I sometimes see them losing their slime coat. I found a thread a while back that this was normal after WC and nothing to be too concerned about. I'm not going to try to dig it back up, but it was on this forum somewhere.

Losing their slime coat may occur with water change. You want to minimize it (it is something to be conern about if it excessive). It will lead to stress.