02 Water changes
Description
This article is from the Aquaria: Filters FAQ, by Bruce Hallman.
02 Water changes
Although there are many ways to remove excess nitrate, the most
effective way is to regularly change part of the water. This is one of
the most neglected and important parts of aquarium maintenance!
How often and how much you need to change depends a lot on the waste
load in your tank, and the sensitivity of your fish. You don't want to
change ALL of the water at any point in time because the change in
water chemistry will be stressful to your fish. The best way to decide
how often and how much to change your water is to monitor your water
quality with water tests. As a minimum, if your tank is new, you
should test for ammonia and perhaps nitrite. In established tanks you
should monitor for nitrate accumulation. Read more about water tests
in the TEST KIT SECTION of the BEGINNER FAQ. Water tests are the most
reliable way to know how well your aquarium filtration works.
For an average tank, you should change no more than one third of the
water in 24 hours. Many aquarists with average aquariums change a
quarter of the water every two weeks. Your aquarium is probably not
average, and you really should measure nitrate levels to determine
your water change schedule.
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