i think i have a problem with to many water changes?

Question

its becoming a serious problem with me , if i see any dirt or uneaten food i have to do a quick 10% water change, i put in a small amount of food in the morning, but they dont come out to eat until its been in the tank for more then five minutes, then the food just gets messed up and bits are left , its cichlid pellets, and also my pleco never finds his disc, ive tried the once that stick to the inside of the tank and also sinking once they make a mess, i hate mess? so im doing little water changes nearly everday, is this bad, they seem happy enough, oh yes im using water softner as well?

yes he has bogwood and i put a disc in evey two days,

Answer 1

Don't worry, there really is nothing wrong with what you're doing. Your fish have the freshest and cleanest water of anyones around here and for that they'll tell you you're doing it too often. Just kidding, but many people misinterpret the idea, and doing 10% every day will not damage your bacteria, your fish, or anything else might come up. On certain of my tanks I've always done this, especially with young, growing fish. The only downfall I can think of is the actual disturbance of the aquarium, but a few minutes of stress each day is really also harmless, as long as you aren't in the tank all night mucking about.

I agree, it's best not to mess with the PH, it only complicates matters and leads to unstable water, which is much worse then water a little off.

Oh yeah, try clipping fresh veggies for your pleco like zucchini or cucumber, they love that stuff usually.

Answer 2

People that breed and raise Discus fish change 50% or more water daily. These are very delicate fish.Why do you a water softener? It's better to acclimate your fish to the water that you have,constantly changing the pH can be very stressful to the fish. And water softeners usually replace Calcium with Sodium,which can be hard on the bacteria colonies that de-nitrify the tank. Don't worry too much about feeding,it's OK for fish to miss a few meals.You might even try not feeding for a few days to see if they react in a different manner, it will not harm the fish. Also I think that your Plecostamus is eating the bogwood, this is also normal,skip a few days with the algae discs and try one, then wait 3 or 4 days before offering more.Also remember that most catfish are nocturnal,and might not even look for food until the tank is dark. Try leaving some food in the tank over-night.

Answer 3

I agree, fequent small water changes like you are doing is not a problem at all for the fish. Nothing like a nice clean tank! The fish will eventyally find whatever food the want or need and I would worry too much about that either. I would say don;t change water or other stings for a few hours before you feed so that they won't be to scared to come out and eat though.

I'm with the others, ditch the water softener.

MM

Answer 4

1. don't use water softner unless you have an unusually high pH, messing with the pH making it unstable can be really bad news.

2. yes, thats too many water changes really, it's not necessary, 25% once a week should be fine, with a good gravel vac. just don't feed so much food that it goes to waste! reduce the amount you are giving them.

3. a lot of plecs are more active at night, so give him his pellet just before lights out. maybe only once every two days, does he have bogwood to knaw on? it's beneficial in their diet you see.

Answer 5

well do a 25% water change once a week.
use the rule of thumb...one inch of fish per gallon.
its messes up the water chemistry changeing the water so much and not letting it be established.
on ly use a water dechlorinator on the water you put in the tank. if you take out 5 gallons...then add fresh 5 gallons just treat the amount for 5 gallons.

Answer 6

you recognize i do no longer think of there are large numbers of circumstances i could easily lend a hand with Chevelle, yet with this actual case, I % out with maximum of what he's asserting. i could in simple terms choose for to characteristic to the factor he's making approximately waiting nevertheless. you're able to do weekly 50% alterations. you relatively are not going to harm the fish doing 50 or 25 or 30 and so on weekly. in simple terms that the factor is you're doing it consistantly. And as the two certainly one of you reported, good on the objective easily, is that the micro organism that bargains with ammonia would not stay there, yet i'm extremely particular it could have a much better result on the micro organism that oxidizes nitrite. i visit flash this over to Carl S. He and copperhead comprehend a lot extra then all and sundry else i comprehend to be helpful that. additionally as Chev reported, the PH or hardness could extra then possibly get effected via too large of a water substitute. i attempt to make 50% is the max shrink i could do. i attempt to purpose for extra like a 30-40% leaving a cushion in case i bypass over 40. i could additionally choose for to characteristic in, that waiting the month, if that's what you do for a large substitute, no longer basically do you have the nitrate build up that's real, yet you in addition to mght have all that waste sitting around that's a haven for any pathogen that must be dormant or hit upon a fashion in. it may enable a foothold for something very undesirable to begin. upload interior the fact that waste aspects on an prolonged then must be decay, you are going to finally end up with nitric and carbonic acids going to artwork on your hardness and PH to bypass even one extra step previous that, the hint minerals should not be readded as in many circumstances as properly, that can basically ensue in the time of the ordinary alterations. i could agree that folk asserting against known alterations are in simple terms putting their fish at unessecary disadvantages. I even experience undesirable if i bypass right into a 2nd week, nevertheless which could no longer a lot be prevented with being distant places final month. i think of that's a large factor like somebody reported, that must be very clever to sticky in this entire communicate board, even nevertheless, interior a pair weeks, the effect is in simple terms going to be misplaced anyhow. stable question, and you bought stable solutions from many human beings. i'm going to attempt to make certain if i will get a pair extra to characteristic in right here.

Answer 7

as long as you dechlorinate the water first it won't hurt to do frequent water changes.

Answer 8

Too many water changes can upset the biological system that is established in your tank.

Answer 9

why use water