How often should a small home aquarium's water be changed?

Question

I have a 15 gallon tank with 10 or so small fish. The water is clear even though I have not cleaned the tank in 3 or 4 weeks.

Answer 1

It depends on the types of fish and substracts (gravels) you have. Never overcrowd your tank. You can manage with 10% water change every week and once in 2 month tank clean. You can "further" that 2 month period with live plants and good gravels that absorb dirts within and 1-2 catfishes (they dont look great though).

Feed your fishes only as much as they can consume. Stand by, feed, watch them finish, then feed again if needed. Food is the main source of dirt for the tank. Keep the food tight lid.

Dont have direct sunlight on ur tank (unless the species demands it). Think extremely careful before you introduce something (anything) into tank, be it a fish or food or plant or decorative or even water or light. Everything affects the composition of tank. Most beginners do this error. When you bring a fish, dont let it loose .. instead, have the cover in water for 20 min so temperature inside the cover matches the tank temperature. Then DONT pour the water inside.. pour it out but just filter the fish and introduce into tank. As long as you introduce very minimum into tank, and have a watch on what goes in when, you shouldnt have problem with disease or algae or unclean water.If you planning to make water changes, tap the water overnight and treat for chlorine etc.. never hose it direct from tap.

Answer 2

The problem isn't so much with how dirty the water looks as the ammonia levels in the water. As food/waste decays in the water the ammonia levels raise and reduce the amount of oxygen in the tank. This is what kills a lot of fish. Your best bet is to get an under gravel filter in place. This helps control chemical levels in the water and you can then just clean the gravel when it gets dirty.

Answer 3

At least 20%, but no more than 30%, every WEEK. Anything less, and your nitrates will end up out of control, possibly leading to fish illness.

EDIT: For those of you who do your changes once a month, how would you like to live for a month with no fresh air? That is essentially what you are doing to your fish. Not only are you not providing them with fresh air to breathe, but you're causing them to live in nothing but their own feces. Rethink what you're doing. If you can't do weekly changes on your tank, you simply are not caring for your fish properly.

Answer 4

Even if the water is clear, it can still be "dirty". Ammonia is invisible, but it does build up, and will kill your fish.

You should do 10% water changes every week, always, and siphon/vacuum the gravel at the same time.

You should also testing the tank for ammonia, nitrates, etc, every week.

Answer 5

meep! change it every other week to keep your fish from swimming in their own cr@p. =/

first: NEVER change 100% of the water! about 25% should be fine--but make sure you get it from the bottom where most of the junk settles. if you have rocks, you can get a little tube from any petstore to vacume it. again, don't get deep into the rocks where their good be good bacteria, just get the surface, where there'd be any fishy poo or old food.

also, to help treat the new water you're putting in, you can go buy some Stress Coat at any pet store that'll not only kill any chemicals in the tap water, but give your fish a nice slime coating that will keep them healthy!

good luck!

Answer 6

I use a gravel washer to remove the larger particles of debris every 3 or 4 weeks. While doing this I remove about a third of the water to remove any harmful build up of nitrates, ammonia, nitrites and other stuff

Answer 7

Sounds like you are doing good. The bacteria level is in balance with how much leftover food and waste is in the water. Good for you! Most aquarium questions we get here are about how the water is all hazy and gross and it's because people are overcleaning their tanks.

Once a month is sufficient, replace 20% of the water.

Answer 8

One a week, 10 - 20%.

Some breeders change the water in their tanks every day.

You nitrifying bacteria are in your filter, and on the substrate - not really in the water column. You won't deplete it with water changes.

Just make sure your water is of the same temperature and has been dechlorinated.

Answer 9

counting on how a lot you feed the little guy, & a lt of human beings have a tendency to over feed, you want to regulate about an ordinary of once a week, if the water receives murky faster, see about feeding him a lot less, or replace to a nutrition it fairly is designed for beta's. also make confident the old tank water & the hot tank water are a similar degree so as no longer marvel the little critter! sturdy success!

Answer 10

Clean it 2 every month. like the 1st and the 3rd week
i have a 30 or 40 gallonm tankwe clean it every month. i have tropical fish. also if you have an air pump it helps so u dont have 2 clean it as often.