@KGTropicals Thank you so much for this video. This answered SOOOOOO Many of my questions such as when to add conditioner, maintaining temperature etc.... As a first time fish keeper I have been looking for these answers for a while now online, and I think you are one of the first to address it. So, Thank you!
@KGTropicals is it OK to never do a water change if your parameters stay perfect? It's lightly stocked, and heavily planted with extra filtration, and has been reading zero nitrates for 2 years now..... (100 gallons with about 30 small-medium fish, mainly live bearers). My only hesitantion is that I have had issues with parasites, but that might have happened with water changes anyway.
As for why water changes encourage breeding, I read somewhere that water changes will convince the fish that its the rainy season which is a good time to raise fry because of the abundance of water.
This was great. My fish LOVE their fresh water and play in the stream of bubbles; so I do small changes every weekend (5-10% because my tanks are heavily planted); and top-offs in the middle of the week. I'm in this hobby because I enjoy it, water changes are not work for me.
Finally a voice of reason in the water change discussion. My family bred fish in the 1940's supply local pet shops. Less was known about the nitrogen cycle, etc. We did water changes when the water began to smell stale, when it became cloudy, or when we noticed the fish were more or less active than normal. We used water from the tap doing them "as needed", testing with litmus strips for acidity, and, our fish thrived and bred easily. Now the water change mania dominates the industry, and the work to maintain tanks has become such a burden, that many abandon the hobby. Sad!
I do too! I have a long hose with my gravel vac that I run out the door to my flower bed, my ferns seem to love it. My big tank is by the door so it is easy. My 40 gallon is in the dining room so I have to carry the buckets outside to the flowers. Sometimes I cheat and pour it down the sink if I’m too tired.
We spend so much time trying to fix what ain't broke ,I believe if we're consistent with how we're treating our water, how often we do our water changes and keeping parameters in check then your good
I've got heavily planted tanks and "topping off" daily is all I do. There's a huge difference between planted tanks that have been going for 2+ years and new tanks with no natural plants/substrate.
I was thinking this. I have a new tank so testing my water every couple of days, just to be safe. What if I did a small amount of water change more regularly rather than a bigger amount in one hit. Surly this would be less stressful for the fish.
@@snapdragon2441 I agree. I am also a great believer in "don't skimp on the substrate!" I bought Seachem's Fluorite Black, which cost $$$, BUT my plants grow like crazy, resulting in a healthier overall tank. I think it got to a point that my tanks got to a better balanced biome (cool phrase) because I used the Seachem. Whenever I hear "how do I start a tank but have a budget" the first thing people recommend is playground and as a cheap substrate. Um, if I were building a house, the last thing I'm going to skimp on is the foundation. The substrate is the foundation. It saves money on dead plants, Co2 systems, and plant fertilizers. Plant the plants, let it roll, and it will be the healthier tank.
@@Jeswald1 Thank you Melissa, I am a new fish keeper so need all the advice I can get. I have a 15 gallon, planted tank with a little betta, 4 shrimps and a couple of uninvited snails, but they are cool so can stay. I only have gravel substrate unfortunately, but use fertiliser and co2 liquid. My plants look very healthy and growing like mad. Did not quite realise how much science was involved in this hobby but I loved science at school so it’s nice to use this knowledge again as I get older. What fish do you keep.
Thanks for the reminder. It helps my overprotective instincts not be quite so anxious about water changes. I don't do them as often as I should (twice a month, needs more plants). But hearing that I don't need to get the perfect temperature and that I don't need to let the water settle/mix with the water conditioner helps the brain weasels quiet down a little.
You don't understand how much I needed this video. I started the hobby only about 2 years ago, and watching this video today has unearthed so many myths and lies that I was told and readily accepted. I have been doing 25% water changes every week on Sunday since I had this tank established. And I feel like I have wasted so much time doing water changes when I probably did not need to do them as much. You guys keep saving my life with every video. Thank you so much! 💙
Them and then Corey from aquarium co op are some of the best fish UA-camrs you can find! So glad to hear you are getting started and hopefully you find as much joy in it as the rest of us do!
This video helped me stop stressing out over the fact that we haven't changed a massive amount of water in our tank for water changes for a long time and I was worried we were doing something wrong. We test our water ever week, and only take at most 10% of the water and that's only because we are trying to clean up the gravel (which we also do every week) and the little bit we lose from cleaning the mechanical filter media from the canister filter we use. All of the people I'd asked around me said that we were slowly killing our fish because even though the tests said our water was very good, we "needed" to do 50% water change "every two weeks" (So said one of my friends before 'joking' that she would come and steal our fish to 'save' them). Thank you so much for this video.
NO LIE PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE VIDEOS ON UA-cam EVER!!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY! I TRY MY HARDEST TO DO VIDEOS FOR THE BEGINNER HOBBYIST AND PUTTING OUT VIDEOS THAT WON'T SCARE THEM OUT OF KEEPING FISH. AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS ONE IS A MUST SEE. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS NOT COMPLICATING THING ALL TO HECK SO THAT BEGINNERS CAN FEEL LIKE THEY CAN DO WHAT WE DO TOO. KEEP UP THE THE GOOD WORK JOHN AND LISA I BELIEVE THAT THIS CHANNEL WILL ONE DAY BE NUMBER ONE AND IM NOT JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE WE COOL IM 4-REALZZZZZ
In the tropics when it rains the change in temp sets off spawning behaviour, even though the rain is usually cooler that the river or lake it's raining on....that's why I have never really worried about getting the water temp right during water changes.....love your channel by the way....
"Don't disturb the fish" was funny to me... my fish LOVE it when I do maintenance that involves a tool in the water! It's a community tank, and they all gather wherever the tool is. They'd get bored if I didn't provide them with a bit of existential challenge like that, kind of like never allowing your child to climb a tree or ride a roller-coaster!
I live in Orlando, FL and the time-of-day per time-of-year dictates when I decide to do water changes: Winter and Spring = late-day changes (gives the water in the pipes time to absorb more radiant heat), and Summer and Fall = late morning water changes (before it gets in the high 90s Fahrenheit).
Thank you for this. I think on average we've gotten beyond ridiculous about water changes for our aquariums. We've taken what specialty and show breeders do as law for what the average hobbyist should do and it's just not true. It is a balance between stocking levels, feeding, whether there are live plants or not. I think keeping an eye on nitrates can be a decent indicator of when we need to do water changes. I think water sustainability needs to be something we seriously consider as hobbyists. I also think it's important to condition our fish to NOT need constant water changes and exact precise tank parameters or they just die. Our fish should be a joy to keep, not a ridiculous hassle requiring constant, intensive management.
I have my Python connected to the outdoor water spigot and do water changes year-round from it in Western PA. I treat while filling and I only do 10% (55 and 90 gallons) during winter every other week and fill slowly so that the temp doesn't change more than 4 degrees. During the Summer I do 40% bi-weekly and follow the same approach, treat and fill slowly. I keep F1 Frontosa and Tropheus.
You guys make me feel so much more confident about my fish keeping. I have a 40 Gallon cycling right now for an Oranda and a Black Moor, and I also just bought a 10 gallon and I’m going to get a Betta and 6(ish) Cardinal Tetras for it. You guys are awesome, you have a fan for life here!!
I usually put my conditioners in right when i start to refill. I made a mistake and waited about 10 minutes. It was a 55 gal that wasn't even back up halfway (i usually do large water changes without an issue) However my sensitive catfish. A pictus and a synodontis cat both went into shock before i noticed i hadn't put my conditioner in when i normally do. Also learned well water with high concentrations of gases. Caused gas bubble disease in a few of my fish but killed half my stock pretty much instantly. This is due to a temporary living situation. But now i can only refill by bucket by letting the gases escape. Or to refill with my python hose, i have to take all my fish out, refill, let the gases escape from the tank by waiting almost 30 min. Then i can re add the fish. Due to this i have only been doing about 50% water changes, refilled by bucket every 2-4 weeks. When i had City water. I would do almost 100% water changes, leave fish in and refill. As long as i added my water conditioner right away i was always good. Did that also once every 2-4 weeks
I've heard that just topping up for compensating for the evaporation concentrates the minerals/metals/hard products, in a way that it might be an issue after a certain time. So the advice was instead of just topping up, replace a certain amount of water to de-concentrate these minerals… What is your opinion about this ? Thanks
This video is so important. When I got into the hobby about a year and a half ago I was doing multiple water changes a week and couldn’t understand why I was never cycled properly. Now I let the filters and plants handle it mostly. No water chemistry issues. Maybe change water every 2-4 weeks depending on the tank
One thing about cooler water is during summer fresh water lakes develop a thermocline that keeps the cold nutrient rich water near the bottom and the warm nutrient poor water on top. When fall/winter rolls around that thermocline disappears, that nutrient rich water starts mixing with the surface water and the free floating algae goes ballistic because it wants to be in nutrient dense water at the surface where the sunlight is. Phytoplankton and the tiny zooplankton that feeds on it makes great food for tiny fry so fish probably spawn when they sense the temperature change to take advantage of the bumper crop of baby food that’s about to arrive.
Back in the 70s we did quarterly complete water changes. We boiled the gravel in a pressure cooker. Our fish never had any problems. We had a 55-gallon tank with two angelfish, one fire mouth, one black shark. and two catfish. We would scrub the whisper filter with backing soda. We kept those fish for 7 years. I think our saving grace was that we used a fresh water alga that looked like a plant that grew in Roanoke River and in ponds here in Virginia. We didn't know anything about the nitrogen cycle back then. So, using those algae kept the nitrogen bacteria in balance! I got a 30 gallon long wild Virginia tank. With two sunfish and three madtoms. I use a whisper filter and have those algae planted in the tank. My substrate is fine gravel and sand from the river. I do a 30% water change twice a month. It's a lot easier than tearing down the entire aquarium pressure-cooking the substrate, scrubbing the aquarium with backing soda, and scrubbing the filter with backing soda four times a year.
ROFLOL Best line in the video and gesture "kinda like a Friday night after Lisa had a bottle of wine" ** Wiggles Eyebrows** I busted up laughing. good one
Some say water changes replicate rain season for fish .in wild when it rains it floods food and nutrients into water ways fish love breeding in these conditions
#1 Bettas are definitely sensitive to fluctuations in temperatures, especially adding cold water to their aquarium. It's a real slap in the face for most Anabantids. Cichlids love a water change because it's like a rainstorm, the beginning of their breeding season.
This kinda made me feel better about my horrible gravel vac skills. Knowing that i don't have too go crazy every time wont be the end of the world if i don't get it all done in one shot.
Assuming you don't over feed and/or have more fish in the tank than you should. As they mentioned, do a water parameter test both ways, to get an accurate result.
I work for a pool company, I actually use one of the 100 lb shock buckets to circulate water with a filter from my tank. I let it circulate for a few days, the chlorine is crazy high in my part of the hood
I’m a new subscriber and I enjoy what I see and hear. I’m very particular about my small hobby and it’s nice to know things don’t have to be perfect to take care of these little guys. I have a 130 gal. and a 25 gal., so it’s nice that we don’t have to panic if we can’t to our scheduled water change. I find since I have been giving my fish their vitamins and garlic their real beauty has proven success. I’ve had two spawning batches of Acara’s with this feeding program and the colours, size and health have been amazing. The buyers are more than impressed with these little guys. I look forward hearing more about your awesome tips. KEEP THEM COMING. 🐠🐟
Love this subject it will help so many people understand the water change process so much better. Keep up the great work! Has Lisa watch this yet John lol
I love that you keep talking about Florida. I live here and it makes me laugh whenever you make fun of us. I'm just trying to keep my betta happy and ya'll just make me chuckle while I'm learning.
Unfortunately, we have to keep a designated water location to prep, because in the Phoenix area, the water comes out of the tap at around 100° all summer.
Thank you! This really helps! I really admire you two & your enthusiasm for this hobby! 😊 I hope to be in a relationship like you guys! Also, please keep up the good work! I look forward for your next video!
I have well water and I've always used water conditioner for that reason! I live surrounded by corn/bean fields (literally across the road lol) and I usually have some nitrates in my tap water.
8:50 I'm so glad to have seen this. I have a 40 gallon tank (upgraded from a 10g) that has water evaporate very quickly and so I'd just top it off. The water is pristine. It's too easy of a system. Totally different from my 10 gallon
Great Video and I just did my Weekly Water 💦 Change Thinking 🤔 that I was supposed to, But with the OverStocked Tank that I have and the upgrade to A FX4 this week I will Probably cut it back to maybe 1 1/2 weeks. I’m glad you and Lisa did this Video to dispel some of the myths out here on the internet 😎😎😊Keep up the good work 😎
Great video but I have to take issue with the water conditioner point. I live in a very small Rocky Mountain town in BC, Canada. Yesterday I measured a TDS of 29ppm out of the tap. According to the water report issued by the local authorities our water contains about 25ppm of carbonates and everything else combined is only 2-4ppm depending on the time of year. We use so little chlorine that by the time it comes out of the tap it is not measurable. I am a breeder and have many tanks from 3g to 300g and I have never had to treat my water! I realize that this is likely a very rare case but if your tap or well water is clean of problem ions then no conditioner is needed. I do 90% water changes on my 300g koi growout system with no issues.
I like this new format! I have been binge watching your channel for the past 5 days and I got every question right! I've learned so much from this channel, thanks John and Lisa!
I have the water for my 40 connected to a float that keeps the tank full, to supply this is a saddle valve on my cold water pipe, but it takes over 12 hours to refill the tank after a water change, so my heater has more than enough time to keep the tank at the right temp.
Bottom line is keep a filter than can handle double or triple the water in your tank and you’ll save yourself a bunch of time and money. Filtration will keep your water quality and quality of your fishes in top fin shape longer ..
really like this video - one thing to mention about the "if your nitrates are still low you don't need to do a water change" though is fish do let out hormones that should be changed out from time to time so it's good to do one every so often even if the nitrates aren't getting up there. and also if you're just topping off and your water has any hardness to it it'll slowly increase that hardness unless you're doing water changes as well as topping off, which can be just fine, but if you've got fish that are sensitive to that, it's good to be aware of.
Great video but I got to say top offs and water changes arent the same. Minerals can build up and dont evaporate which can cause certain issues over time. Also top offs dont reoxgenate the water like a real water change would. I know sounds funny from a guy like me who rarely does water changes but water changes def. have more of a effect then top offs. Especially since dilution can be the solution to certain problems. Also it doesnt just become about the fish but also plants for some people which a real water change makes huge huge difference with plants. Just thought I would share what I have come to understand with my fish room.
I also must add that ammonia, nitrates, bacterias, fungi, and a multitude of things can build of with top offs. But the great thing about mother nature is that you dont have to worry so much if keeping a natural system because mother nature has a micro organism for everything.
I am glad you broached these subjects. I’m afraid to mention on a site, a fish site, that I don’t vacuum my tank every week or that I just top off my tanks most of the time. Because I’ll get yelled at! LOL I’ve been keeping fish for many, many years.
When you said all of them were going to die I literally thought they were going to die until he said if you don't subscribe I'm like phew I'm subscribed already Also love your guys content
In 1993 I moved to Marlow Oklahoma from rural Northwest Oklahoma. I had 5 tanks. After using Marlow water in my tanks I lost enough fish to have 1 tank. It killed the fish instantly. Those that did not die within seconds died within an hour. Even after putting them back into the original water that they moved in. Did I make some mistakes? Probably. But I also knew how to set up a tank properly, and let it run overnight before adding livestock. From that weekend on I now only use RO water. I do not use instant water conditioner and the tanks run weeks before adding livestock.
I can explain in part why a dash of cold water tends to trigger spawning in a lot of fish. Depending on the breed, its because it simulates EITHER: The Wet Season (Most Tropical Fish) The Spring Melt (Fish from a flood plain, like the Nile) The Monsoons. (Indian and SEA tropical fish) When a LOT of new water enters any system, it is typically cold. HOWEVER in the wild it also typically comes with an increase in food due to a bunch of different factors. ESPECIALLY small food for Fry. Thus when fish get hit with a cold water, water change, their instincts are more likely to tell them, "Food is coming for the babies" There are in fact several breeds of Fish that require multiple cold water water changes to induce spawning AT ALL. The Bichir for example requires at least TWO 50% cold water what changes to induce it to spawn, to simulate the floods in the various African river systems.
20 years ago when I was fishkeeping, I did my w/changes weekly between 20-40%. I'd vacuum my gravel really well. Scrub my HOB filters completely clean. Run the filter media through the dishwasher or washing machine. Even though my tanks were planted, I had them WAY overstocked and I fed them 3-4 times a day as well. I never had issues with my fish dying off or any other issues. We're fish just tougher back then or was I just extremely lucky over the 6 years I kept fish?
Unless you are doing major water changes, for most fish, you don't need any chemicals. I have live bearers. I do not change my water, have tons of plants, top off, straight from the tap and a deep substrate. My tanks are 6 years old. The water parameters are acceptable. I have black water tanks with a lot of driftwood. I feed every other or every three days. I have about 20 fish each in a 50 and 75 gallon tanks. When you are over crowding the tank with livestock you are going to need to do more water changes. Bare bottom tanks are the ones that need the major water changes. I have a sponge filter with a power head in each tank. The plants do the rest of the filtration.
I have the opposite problem in the Philippines where it's warm. The water coming out of the taps (or water stocked outside) is warmer than the water in the aquarium inside the house. I just pour it in slowly so that the fish have a bit of time to get used to warmer water.
Helpful videos but I'm surprised he said to just feel the water and put it in. It is VERY hard to feel degree differences in water. Sometimes it feels the same and it's off by 20 degrees! I always use a thermometer to make sure it's close in temperature before putting it in.
The weekly water change though not 100% accurate I think is a good thing. Let's face it, if you tell people they don't "have to" do something they are way more likely to not do it. Regardless if there tank requires it. Very few people have understocked tanks, so I believe even if not completely true the weekly water change is a good way to go. If you can go 2 weeks then do a 50% water change, why not just do a 25% weekly water change? Just my thoughts.
I have a 55 gallon tank with a single 12" long "common" pleco. I think he's a zebra peco. He's well trained. I tap on the glass any time I'm going to stick my hand in or even drop food in. Because he's not that shy, but if something touches him, he spazzes out. He is actually active almost all day. When I tap the tank, he goes and hides under his slate because he knows I'm going to put something in the water. It's better for him. Which means it's better for me.
Hi , thanks for all the good advice on aquariums , I have a question though my aquarium is a 250 liter with lots of plants and fish some over 25 years old ( my botia macracanta ) but my question is do i have to chance the soil because its in there for so long ? I mean other gravel substrate and so on ? The problem i hv is always too low on Co2 all the rest of my parameters are ok ,i give alternative Co2 every day but stil , even when i gave Co2 gas it was stil too low …. I give 7,5 ml alternative Co2 per day isn’t that enough on the bottle it says 5 ml per day
You guys are the Best! I learn so much from your videos and your simple, easy-going approach to fishkeeping. And, I love your website/store! I can tell you have a long-term marriage that works well with your business, and you seem to have a lot of fun together. Thanks!
Best UA-cam clip I've seen describing water changes people seem obsessed with doing this. I'm running a 120 gallon heavily planted with a moderate stocking of fish including a good clean up crew. Only top up once a week and treat only the amount of water I'm adding my nitrates normally 0.5 to 10. I will refer this video clip to my fishkeeping friends. Thanks from Norfolk England 👍👍👍
I have a thriving SPS dominant reef tank that I haven't done a water change in a year. I just started a FW planted tank and cant keep nitrates without adding fertilizer. Why in the world would I want to dump my fertilizer down the drain?
i have a lil problem, I live in a tropical area ( 78-84 F aprox) , but the water comes from a high altutide zone so it feels cold. When I measure it, it was at 64F !!! so i kind wait, store it in some cubes to warm up a lil bit to room temperature and after that i do the water changes...
Something is very wrong with my municipal water or my water conditioner or the bucket I use. The muni water incredibly hard, has a green tint, conditioner is API stress coat, the bucket is thoroughly clean. The bug larvae experience mortality, the water becomes cloudy, and some or all of the bladder snails die. Really terrible situation.
I read that adding cooler water incites breeding because it mimics the breeding conditions of their natural habitat when cooler rainwater pours onto the warmer bodies of water that the fish inhabit. Not sure if it’s true though.
I did a water change and my guppies were stressed out, they were just at the top, like floating not swimming at all, can you please tell me what are the problems? Is water temperature is higher than tank water, so the O2 can not resolve, or overdose the conditioning?
water changes causing spawning kinda think of it like the rainy season, most fish spawn during or after the rainy season as the water levels are high, flood plains open up and access to areas where fish fry will have a place to hide out of the main water systems. fish that come from areas with snow melt will feel that new water influx and they think spring is here same with you tank fish.
I have a question not related to the topic. I've done research and called my local fish store for advice and can't seem to get any help. I have a cichlid that my wife bought at the fish store cause it seemed very stressed out. He has signs of swim bladder disorder and we've giving him salt baths and a pea(that he didn't eat even tho he was starving) anyway he got better and was swimming around not normal. But a lot better. He started pooping and he showed signs of hunger so my wife fed him. And then he started swimming sideways again. Do you have any advice on what I could do with him? I'd appreciate any type of help. Thank you! I love your channel I've learned a lot here.
I am in Melbourne Australia and we have some of the best quality water there is. I do water changes once a month on all of my tanks and I have 20 tanks of various sizes, stocked with different fish and most with plants but not lots of plants and I don't lose fish and I have been doing this for over 20 years..!!! I usually put in water that is about 12-15deg C which also helps to mimic rain and this makes them spawn. I do not gravel vac as the stuff at the bottom helps the plants grow.
I'm 4 months into a new tank and have been running an air stone thinking it would help keep the water cleaner, but recently turned it off. I kind of like it with just the filter moving the water, so is it necessary to run an air stone?
Water Temps. Most tanks are 65-80 degrees F. That’s only 15 degrees. So in the summer, tap water is fine. However in the winter, my tap water is extremely cold. So I still use it, I just refill the tank much slower so that the heaters can keep up somewhat with the cold water coming in. Fill slower in the winter than the summer works fine for me.
Question: Is measuring nitrate levels the only indicator to use when determining the need for a water change? Are there other dissolved minerals and other element used up by the fish and the plants which would also neccesitate a water change? Thanks!
I got an extra always running tank with no heater that sits in the low 60s. I throw fish that need to be isolated in there all the time and it's like a 15 degree difference
I've literally never seen nitrates on my test strips, and I've been running my tank for years, I can go a month with no water change, and nitrates are still 0, it bugs me a little honestly, because I do get occasional problems with cyano bacteria, which nitrates would prevent!
Those test strips aren't really reliable though. Try using Api Master Test Kit. When using test strips it always said my water was fine but then the master test kit said nitrates are high. It's a little spendy but last a long time & so much more reliable!
*Check out our brand new website and shop for all of your aquarium supplies and fun merch!*
bit.ly/3lyTqjj
@KGTropicals Thank you so much for this video. This answered SOOOOOO Many of my questions such as when to add conditioner, maintaining temperature etc.... As a first time fish keeper I have been looking for these answers for a while now online, and I think you are one of the first to address it. So, Thank you!
What is the fish in the thumbnail
Awesome new format, love it! The second "tip" had me crying with laughter.
@KGTropicals is it OK to never do a water change if your parameters stay perfect? It's lightly stocked, and heavily planted with extra filtration, and has been reading zero nitrates for 2 years now..... (100 gallons with about 30 small-medium fish, mainly live bearers). My only hesitantion is that I have had issues with parasites, but that might have happened with water changes anyway.
I have a quick question my one zebra danio has 1 stripe all the others have 3-5 stripes is this normal
You made me get off my ass and do a water change while listening 😅
Same
I top off mostly...if water parameters are good.
They are basically saying you only need to change your water in extreme cases. I haven't changed my water in 2 yrs
@@emmanuelgutierrez8616 My cichlids started breeding like crazy once a started doing water changes once a year.
@@michaelmorningstar8645oh cool, congrats. You're imitating rainfall, Most fish don't need that, and it helps more if the water change is colder too.
As for why water changes encourage breeding, I read somewhere that water changes will convince the fish that its the rainy season which is a good time to raise fry because of the abundance of water.
Yes, I've heard that as well.
I'm actually surprised they didn't know this. I learned this when I used to keep dwarf gourami years ago.
I think its more to do with the increase in oxygen that rain brings, as well as diluting any pollutants in the water
Yes, my danios spawned yesterday straight after a water change.
My mystery snails started breeding after my last water change and now I have all these egg clutches around the top of my tank
Just started my fist aquarium with neon tetra's. Very helpful because all the stuff on the internet is a little confusing
Just saying that this is also stuff on the internet ;) joking ofcourse
It's overwhelming for a beginner ngl
i dont like fist aquariums, their just so weird, i mean your gonna put water in a glass hand? i dont see the hype
@@wototw4637 why are u here then? And may I know what's your hobby?
@@aoudyvideos3307 my hobby is fishkeeping, im here for help, fist aquariums are weird though, i mean its a glass hand full of water??
This was great. My fish LOVE their fresh water and play in the stream of bubbles; so I do small changes every weekend (5-10% because my tanks are heavily planted); and top-offs in the middle of the week. I'm in this hobby because I enjoy it, water changes are not work for me.
Same for me..I like playing around with the tanks..it's not really a job..it's a lot easier then cleaning up after my sled dogs years ago..😁😁😁😁
It’s like tinkering in a garage. Need to keep doing something with my tank, testing, cleaning, watching, more watching.
Ye I noticed my fish like to swim towards the water being poured in too!
I personally just top off my tank because I have plants 🌺
Finally a voice of reason in the water change discussion. My family bred fish in the 1940's supply local pet shops. Less was known about the nitrogen cycle, etc. We did water changes when the water began to smell stale, when it became cloudy, or when we noticed the fish were more or less active than normal. We used water from the tap doing them "as needed", testing with litmus strips for acidity, and, our fish thrived and bred easily. Now the water change mania dominates the industry, and the work to maintain tanks has become such a burden, that many abandon the hobby. Sad!
get off my porch
Will John escape Lisa's wrath? Find out on the next episode of Dragon Ball Z!
Great video guys!
I read this in the Dragon Ball Z narrator voice lol
Cooler water is like rain in nature, that's why it triggers spawning
And with rain. Normally comes extra food, extra food means room for extra mouths
Hmmmm, I'm convinced.
😲
My fish are so proun to this, i top my water up with about one gallon of kind of cold water and boom, both of my cichlids spawnd
Makes sense....
I take water out and use it on my plants, then I add water to my tanks, its a win-win for me.
Same 🙋🏽♀️
Sometimes I dump mine in my garden and the plants love it
I do too! I have a long hose with my gravel vac that I run out the door to my flower bed, my ferns seem to love it. My big tank is by the door so it is easy. My 40 gallon is in the dining room so I have to carry the buckets outside to the flowers. Sometimes I cheat and pour it down the sink if I’m too tired.
Now if you can make a flow-circuit from the aquarium, through your plants’ root systems, and then back to the display tank, you’d have aquaponics. 😉
Can I add this water to my orchid plants? I would love to know. I love orchids and I wouldn’t want them to die on me
We spend so much time trying to fix what ain't broke ,I believe if we're consistent with how we're treating our water, how often we do our water changes and keeping parameters in check then your good
I've got heavily planted tanks and "topping off" daily is all I do. There's a huge difference between planted tanks that have been going for 2+ years and new tanks with no natural plants/substrate.
Same. Not done a water change in 10 years on my main tank.
I was thinking this. I have a new tank so testing my water every couple of days, just to be safe. What if I did a small amount of water change more regularly rather than a bigger amount in one hit. Surly this would be less stressful for the fish.
@@snapdragon2441 I agree. I am also a great believer in "don't skimp on the substrate!" I bought Seachem's Fluorite Black, which cost $$$, BUT my plants grow like crazy, resulting in a healthier overall tank. I think it got to a point that my tanks got to a better balanced biome (cool phrase) because I used the Seachem. Whenever I hear "how do I start a tank but have a budget" the first thing people recommend is playground and as a cheap substrate. Um, if I were building a house, the last thing I'm going to skimp on is the foundation. The substrate is the foundation. It saves money on dead plants, Co2 systems, and plant fertilizers. Plant the plants, let it roll, and it will be the healthier tank.
@@Jeswald1 Thank you Melissa, I am a new fish keeper so need all the advice I can get. I have a 15 gallon, planted tank with a little betta, 4 shrimps and a couple of uninvited snails, but they are cool so can stay. I only have gravel substrate unfortunately, but use fertiliser and co2 liquid. My plants look very healthy and growing like mad. Did not quite realise how much science was involved in this hobby but I loved science at school so it’s nice to use this knowledge again as I get older. What fish do you keep.
This entire channel is such a wealth of knowledge it should be awarded a medal for education
Thanks for the reminder. It helps my overprotective instincts not be quite so anxious about water changes. I don't do them as often as I should (twice a month, needs more plants). But hearing that I don't need to get the perfect temperature and that I don't need to let the water settle/mix with the water conditioner helps the brain weasels quiet down a little.
Pop a pothos cutting in the top. Pothos will uptake a lot of the waste for growth. You will get a beautiful plant and a more stable tank.
"and I'm not talking about Metallica"... the best part of this line was the delivery.
Yeah, Metallica hasn't been heavy metal for at least 20 years... LOL
Your videos are what keep me from giving up the hobby.
When I do water changes, I like to filter the water first, and still use a conditioner in the tank too.
You don't understand how much I needed this video. I started the hobby only about 2 years ago, and watching this video today has unearthed so many myths and lies that I was told and readily accepted. I have been doing 25% water changes every week on Sunday since I had this tank established. And I feel like I have wasted so much time doing water changes when I probably did not need to do them as much. You guys keep saving my life with every video. Thank you so much! 💙
How about a video about the truth behind cleaning your filters and how to do it the right way. Canister, Hob, etc...
Just started an aquarium for the very first time and you guys are definitely my go to for any help I need! Thank you so much for what you two do!!
Them and then Corey from aquarium co op are some of the best fish UA-camrs you can find! So glad to hear you are getting started and hopefully you find as much joy in it as the rest of us do!
Thank you!! Good tips. Also, thanks for calling out idiots on UA-cam who do dumb fish abusing stunts for views.
This video helped me stop stressing out over the fact that we haven't changed a massive amount of water in our tank for water changes for a long time and I was worried we were doing something wrong. We test our water ever week, and only take at most 10% of the water and that's only because we are trying to clean up the gravel (which we also do every week) and the little bit we lose from cleaning the mechanical filter media from the canister filter we use. All of the people I'd asked around me said that we were slowly killing our fish because even though the tests said our water was very good, we "needed" to do 50% water change "every two weeks" (So said one of my friends before 'joking' that she would come and steal our fish to 'save' them). Thank you so much for this video.
NO LIE PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE VIDEOS ON UA-cam EVER!!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY! I TRY MY HARDEST TO DO VIDEOS FOR THE BEGINNER HOBBYIST AND PUTTING OUT VIDEOS THAT WON'T SCARE THEM OUT OF KEEPING FISH. AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS ONE IS A MUST SEE. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS NOT COMPLICATING THING ALL TO HECK SO THAT BEGINNERS CAN FEEL LIKE THEY CAN DO WHAT WE DO TOO. KEEP UP THE THE GOOD WORK JOHN AND LISA I BELIEVE THAT THIS CHANNEL WILL ONE DAY BE NUMBER ONE AND IM NOT JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE WE COOL IM 4-REALZZZZZ
In the tropics when it rains the change in temp sets off spawning behaviour, even though the rain is usually cooler that the river or lake it's raining on....that's why I have never really worried about getting the water temp right during water changes.....love your channel by the way....
Anything that helps debunk the many myths in this hobby, when it comes to water changes is helpful. Thanks for the good advice.
"Don't disturb the fish" was funny to me... my fish LOVE it when I do maintenance that involves a tool in the water! It's a community tank, and they all gather wherever the tool is. They'd get bored if I didn't provide them with a bit of existential challenge like that, kind of like never allowing your child to climb a tree or ride a roller-coaster!
You guys are the best with the thrown in jokes 😂
I do prepare my water the day before in the summer to let it cool down. I live in Tucson and in the summer the water can be near 90 on the cold side!
Ha! Yes! You don't even need hot water to shower in the Tucson summer 😉
I live in Orlando, FL and the time-of-day per time-of-year dictates when I decide to do water changes: Winter and Spring = late-day changes (gives the water in the pipes time to absorb more radiant heat), and Summer and Fall = late morning water changes (before it gets in the high 90s Fahrenheit).
Thank you for this. I think on average we've gotten beyond ridiculous about water changes for our aquariums. We've taken what specialty and show breeders do as law for what the average hobbyist should do and it's just not true. It is a balance between stocking levels, feeding, whether there are live plants or not. I think keeping an eye on nitrates can be a decent indicator of when we need to do water changes. I think water sustainability needs to be something we seriously consider as hobbyists. I also think it's important to condition our fish to NOT need constant water changes and exact precise tank parameters or they just die. Our fish should be a joy to keep, not a ridiculous hassle requiring constant, intensive management.
I have my Python connected to the outdoor water spigot and do water changes year-round from it in Western PA. I treat while filling and I only do 10% (55 and 90 gallons) during winter every other week and fill slowly so that the temp doesn't change more than 4 degrees. During the Summer I do 40% bi-weekly and follow the same approach, treat and fill slowly. I keep F1 Frontosa and Tropheus.
You guys make me feel so much more confident about my fish keeping. I have a 40 Gallon cycling right now for an Oranda and a Black Moor, and I also just bought a 10 gallon and I’m going to get a Betta and 6(ish) Cardinal Tetras for it. You guys are awesome, you have a fan for life here!!
I hope you are still alive after that Lisa comment John....hahaha
Haha. I'm surprised he got that approved!
I didn't ha ha! Had to sneak it in there!!
@@KGTropicals and that dead Pan after the wiggle of eyebrows was the icing on that. Just too funny loved it
I usually put my conditioners in right when i start to refill. I made a mistake and waited about 10 minutes. It was a 55 gal that wasn't even back up halfway (i usually do large water changes without an issue)
However my sensitive catfish. A pictus and a synodontis cat both went into shock before i noticed i hadn't put my conditioner in when i normally do.
Also learned well water with high concentrations of gases. Caused gas bubble disease in a few of my fish but killed half my stock pretty much instantly.
This is due to a temporary living situation. But now i can only refill by bucket by letting the gases escape. Or to refill with my python hose, i have to take all my fish out, refill, let the gases escape from the tank by waiting almost 30 min. Then i can re add the fish.
Due to this i have only been doing about 50% water changes, refilled by bucket every 2-4 weeks.
When i had City water. I would do almost 100% water changes, leave fish in and refill. As long as i added my water conditioner right away i was always good. Did that also once every 2-4 weeks
I've heard that just topping up for compensating for the evaporation concentrates the minerals/metals/hard products, in a way that it might be an issue after a certain time. So the advice was instead of just topping up, replace a certain amount of water to de-concentrate these minerals… What is your opinion about this ? Thanks
This video is so important. When I got into the hobby about a year and a half ago I was doing multiple water changes a week and couldn’t understand why I was never cycled properly. Now I let the filters and plants handle it mostly. No water chemistry issues. Maybe change water every 2-4 weeks depending on the tank
🌹Happy Mother’s Day🌹
Thank you so much 😊
I’m not your mum
@@Tom-nb8cp how do you know🤔😘
One thing about cooler water is during summer fresh water lakes develop a thermocline that keeps the cold nutrient rich water near the bottom and the warm nutrient poor water on top. When fall/winter rolls around that thermocline disappears, that nutrient rich water starts mixing with the surface water and the free floating algae goes ballistic because it wants to be in nutrient dense water at the surface where the sunlight is. Phytoplankton and the tiny zooplankton that feeds on it makes great food for tiny fry so fish probably spawn when they sense the temperature change to take advantage of the bumper crop of baby food that’s about to arrive.
Fish spawn after water changes because water changes simulate rain, and most fish spawn after it rains
Back in the 70s we did quarterly complete water changes. We boiled the gravel in a pressure cooker. Our fish never had any problems. We had a 55-gallon tank with two angelfish, one fire mouth, one black shark. and two catfish. We would scrub the whisper filter with backing soda. We kept those fish for 7 years. I think our saving grace was that we used a fresh water alga that looked like a plant that grew in Roanoke River and in ponds here in Virginia. We didn't know anything about the nitrogen cycle back then. So, using those algae kept the nitrogen bacteria in balance! I got a 30 gallon long wild Virginia tank. With two sunfish and three madtoms. I use a whisper filter and have those algae planted in the tank. My substrate is fine gravel and sand from the river. I do a 30% water change twice a month. It's a lot easier than tearing down the entire aquarium pressure-cooking the substrate, scrubbing the aquarium with backing soda, and scrubbing the filter with backing soda four times a year.
ROFLOL Best line in the video and gesture "kinda like a Friday night after Lisa had a bottle of wine" ** Wiggles Eyebrows**
I busted up laughing. good one
I think we should send them a bottle of wine! Lisa, red or white?
@@greyhound-t3k Pinot noir goes well with freshwater fish, so...
Some say water changes replicate rain season for fish .in wild when it rains it floods food and nutrients into water ways fish love breeding in these conditions
#1
Bettas are definitely sensitive to fluctuations in temperatures, especially adding cold water to their aquarium. It's a real slap in the face for most Anabantids.
Cichlids love a water change because it's like a rainstorm, the beginning of their breeding season.
This kinda made me feel better about my horrible gravel vac skills. Knowing that i don't have too go crazy every time wont be the end of the world if i don't get it all done in one shot.
Assuming you don't over feed and/or have more fish in the tank than you should. As they mentioned, do a water parameter test both ways, to get an accurate result.
I work for a pool company, I actually use one of the 100 lb shock buckets to circulate water with a filter from my tank. I let it circulate for a few days, the chlorine is crazy high in my part of the hood
I go out and buy the gallons of spring water and I still use a water conditioner bc it’s better for your fish.
That black and white Betta is ✨GORGEOUS✨
I have a well .
if my well had Metallica in it , I would have stopped drinking it after Cliff Burton died !
I’m a new subscriber and I enjoy what I see and hear. I’m very particular about my small hobby and it’s nice to know things don’t have to be perfect to take care of these little guys.
I have a 130 gal. and a 25 gal., so it’s nice that we don’t have to panic if we can’t to our scheduled water change. I find since I have been giving my fish their vitamins and garlic their real beauty has proven success. I’ve had two spawning batches of Acara’s with this feeding program and the colours, size and health have been amazing. The buyers are more than impressed with these little guys.
I look forward hearing more about your awesome tips. KEEP THEM COMING. 🐠🐟
Love this subject it will help so many people understand the water change process so much better. Keep up the great work! Has Lisa watch this yet John lol
I love that you keep talking about Florida. I live here and it makes me laugh whenever you make fun of us. I'm just trying to keep my betta happy and ya'll just make me chuckle while I'm learning.
Why do fishes die
Why do fishes die ?
@@lolitamiranda892 They’re living breathing animals who need to be loved and cared for and have special requirements like any other pet.
Yay. I always was so confused about water changes.
Unfortunately, we have to keep a designated water location to prep, because in the Phoenix area, the water comes out of the tap at around 100° all summer.
This is perfect timing!!!! I’m still cycling my 36gal tank for some freshwater tropical fish and this is a topic I’m still confused about
Thank you! This really helps! I really admire you two & your enthusiasm for this hobby! 😊 I hope to be in a relationship like you guys! Also, please keep up the good work! I look forward for your next video!
I have well water and I've always used water conditioner for that reason! I live surrounded by corn/bean fields (literally across the road lol) and I usually have some nitrates in my tap water.
8:50 I'm so glad to have seen this. I have a 40 gallon tank (upgraded from a 10g) that has water evaporate very quickly and so I'd just top it off. The water is pristine. It's too easy of a system. Totally different from my 10 gallon
Great Video and I just did my Weekly Water 💦 Change Thinking 🤔 that I was supposed to, But with the OverStocked Tank that I have and the upgrade to A FX4 this week I will Probably cut it back to maybe 1 1/2 weeks. I’m glad you and Lisa did this Video to dispel some of the myths out here on the internet 😎😎😊Keep up the good work 😎
Great video but I have to take issue with the water conditioner point. I live in a very small Rocky Mountain town in BC, Canada. Yesterday I measured a TDS of 29ppm out of the tap. According to the water report issued by the local authorities our water contains about 25ppm of carbonates and everything else combined is only 2-4ppm depending on the time of year. We use so little chlorine that by the time it comes out of the tap it is not measurable. I am a breeder and have many tanks from 3g to 300g and I have never had to treat my water! I realize that this is likely a very rare case but if your tap or well water is clean of problem ions then no conditioner is needed. I do 90% water changes on my 300g koi growout system with no issues.
I like this new format! I have been binge watching your channel for the past 5 days and I got every question right! I've learned so much from this channel, thanks John and Lisa!
I have the water for my 40 connected to a float that keeps the tank full, to supply this is a saddle valve on my cold water pipe, but it takes over 12 hours to refill the tank after a water change, so my heater has more than enough time to keep the tank at the right temp.
Bottom line is keep a filter than can handle double or triple the water in your tank and you’ll save yourself a bunch of time and money.
Filtration will keep your water quality and quality of your fishes in top fin shape longer ..
This video help me with water changes
yo KGtropicals, thanks for the tips, its been 3 month since im started this hobby, no fish die, everything good!
really like this video - one thing to mention about the "if your nitrates are still low you don't need to do a water change" though is fish do let out hormones that should be changed out from time to time so it's good to do one every so often even if the nitrates aren't getting up there. and also if you're just topping off and your water has any hardness to it it'll slowly increase that hardness unless you're doing water changes as well as topping off, which can be just fine, but if you've got fish that are sensitive to that, it's good to be aware of.
Hey KG, new to the hobby and let me say I have been watching your channel all week. Very helpful thanks so much!:)
Glad we can help 😊
Great video but I got to say top offs and water changes arent the same. Minerals can build up and dont evaporate which can cause certain issues over time. Also top offs dont reoxgenate the water like a real water change would. I know sounds funny from a guy like me who rarely does water changes but water changes def. have more of a effect then top offs. Especially since dilution can be the solution to certain problems. Also it doesnt just become about the fish but also plants for some people which a real water change makes huge huge difference with plants. Just thought I would share what I have come to understand with my fish room.
I also must add that ammonia, nitrates, bacterias, fungi, and a multitude of things can build of with top offs. But the great thing about mother nature is that you dont have to worry so much if keeping a natural system because mother nature has a micro organism for everything.
I am glad you broached these subjects. I’m afraid to mention on a site, a fish site, that I don’t vacuum my tank every week or that I just top off my tanks most of the time.
Because I’ll get yelled at! LOL I’ve been keeping fish for many, many years.
Plain and Simple Tysvm!! 🤗
When you said all of them were going to die I literally thought they were going to die until he said if you don't subscribe I'm like phew
I'm subscribed already
Also love your guys content
In 1993 I moved to Marlow Oklahoma from rural Northwest Oklahoma. I had 5 tanks. After using Marlow water in my tanks I lost enough fish to have 1 tank. It killed the fish instantly. Those that did not die within seconds died within an hour. Even after putting them back into the original water that they moved in. Did I make some mistakes? Probably. But I also knew how to set up a tank properly, and let it run overnight before adding livestock. From that weekend on I now only use RO water. I do not use instant water conditioner and the tanks run weeks before adding livestock.
First I love this channel
Yep loving the format! Thanks for the simple advice takes a lot of the confusion away from the mysterious art of water changes haha.
Happy Mother's Day Lisa!
Thank you 😊
I can explain in part why a dash of cold water tends to trigger spawning in a lot of fish. Depending on the breed, its because it simulates EITHER:
The Wet Season (Most Tropical Fish)
The Spring Melt (Fish from a flood plain, like the Nile)
The Monsoons. (Indian and SEA tropical fish)
When a LOT of new water enters any system, it is typically cold. HOWEVER in the wild it also typically comes with an increase in food due to a bunch of different factors. ESPECIALLY small food for Fry. Thus when fish get hit with a cold water, water change, their instincts are more likely to tell them, "Food is coming for the babies"
There are in fact several breeds of Fish that require multiple cold water water changes to induce spawning AT ALL. The Bichir for example requires at least TWO 50% cold water what changes to induce it to spawn, to simulate the floods in the various African river systems.
Yesss this was a great idea!! Great video
20 years ago when I was fishkeeping, I did my w/changes weekly between 20-40%. I'd vacuum my gravel really well. Scrub my HOB filters completely clean. Run the filter media through the dishwasher or washing machine. Even though my tanks were planted, I had them WAY overstocked and I fed them 3-4 times a day as well. I never had issues with my fish dying off or any other issues. We're fish just tougher back then or was I just extremely lucky over the 6 years I kept fish?
Extremely lucky since you destroyed all the bacteria each time, and the tanks were overstocked.
I needed this. Thanks
Unless you are doing major water changes, for most fish, you don't need any chemicals. I have live bearers. I do not change my water, have tons of plants, top off, straight from the tap and a deep substrate. My tanks are 6 years old. The water parameters are acceptable. I have black water tanks with a lot of driftwood. I feed every other or every three days. I have about 20 fish each in a 50 and 75 gallon tanks. When you are over crowding the tank with livestock you are going to need to do more water changes. Bare bottom tanks are the ones that need the major water changes. I have a sponge filter with a power head in each tank. The plants do the rest of the filtration.
I have the opposite problem in the Philippines where it's warm. The water coming out of the taps (or water stocked outside) is warmer than the water in the aquarium inside the house. I just pour it in slowly so that the fish have a bit of time to get used to warmer water.
Helpful videos but I'm surprised he said to just feel the water and put it in. It is VERY hard to feel degree differences in water. Sometimes it feels the same and it's off by 20 degrees! I always use a thermometer to make sure it's close in temperature before putting it in.
The weekly water change though not 100% accurate I think is a good thing. Let's face it, if you tell people they don't "have to" do something they are way more likely to not do it. Regardless if there tank requires it. Very few people have understocked tanks, so I believe even if not completely true the weekly water change is a good way to go. If you can go 2 weeks then do a 50% water change, why not just do a 25% weekly water change? Just my thoughts.
Hi John and Lisa. I am new to fishkeeping and I live in Australia. I am finding your video's extremely helpful. Keep up the good work
I have a 55 gallon tank with a single 12" long "common" pleco. I think he's a zebra peco. He's well trained. I tap on the glass any time I'm going to stick my hand in or even drop food in. Because he's not that shy, but if something touches him, he spazzes out. He is actually active almost all day. When I tap the tank, he goes and hides under his slate because he knows I'm going to put something in the water. It's better for him. Which means it's better for me.
Your videos really helped me a lot. Thank you very much.
Hi , thanks for all the good advice on aquariums , I have a question though my aquarium is a 250 liter with lots of plants and fish some over 25 years old ( my botia macracanta ) but my question is do i have to chance the soil because its in there for so long ? I mean other gravel substrate and so on ?
The problem i hv is always too low on Co2 all the rest of my parameters are ok ,i give alternative Co2 every day but stil , even when i gave Co2 gas it was stil too low …. I give 7,5 ml alternative Co2 per day isn’t that enough on the bottle it says 5 ml per day
You guys are the Best! I learn so much from your videos and your simple, easy-going approach to fishkeeping. And, I love your website/store! I can tell you have a long-term marriage that works well with your business, and you seem to have a lot of fun together. Thanks!
Best UA-cam clip I've seen describing water changes people seem obsessed with doing this. I'm running a 120 gallon heavily planted with a moderate stocking of fish including a good clean up crew. Only top up once a week and treat only the amount of water I'm adding my nitrates normally 0.5 to 10. I will refer this video clip to my fishkeeping friends. Thanks from Norfolk England 👍👍👍
I have a thriving SPS dominant reef tank that I haven't done a water change in a year. I just started a FW planted tank and cant keep nitrates without adding fertilizer. Why in the world would I want to dump my fertilizer down the drain?
i have a lil problem, I live in a tropical area ( 78-84 F aprox) , but the water comes from a high altutide zone so it feels cold. When I measure it, it was at 64F !!! so i kind wait, store it in some cubes to warm up a lil bit to room temperature and after that i do the water changes...
Something is very wrong with my municipal water or my water conditioner or the bucket I use. The muni water incredibly hard, has a green tint, conditioner is API stress coat, the bucket is thoroughly clean. The bug larvae experience mortality, the water becomes cloudy, and some or all of the bladder snails die. Really terrible situation.
My friend's 15 Gallon saltwater tank have never had water change for a year 😂
He just adds saltwater when it evaporates
I read that adding cooler water incites breeding because it mimics the breeding conditions of their natural habitat when cooler rainwater pours onto the warmer bodies of water that the fish inhabit. Not sure if it’s true though.
The water changes feel good to the fish...kinda like fresh sheets on our beds, lol.
I did a water change and my guppies were stressed out, they were just at the top, like floating not swimming at all, can you please tell me what are the problems? Is water temperature is higher than tank water, so the O2 can not resolve, or overdose the conditioning?
water changes causing spawning kinda think of it like the rainy season, most fish spawn during or after the rainy season as the water levels are high, flood plains open up and access to areas where fish fry will have a place to hide out of the main water systems. fish that come from areas with snow melt will feel that new water influx and they think spring is here same with you tank fish.
I have a question not related to the topic. I've done research and called my local fish store for advice and can't seem to get any help.
I have a cichlid that my wife bought at the fish store cause it seemed very stressed out. He has signs of swim bladder disorder and we've giving him salt baths and a pea(that he didn't eat even tho he was starving) anyway he got better and was swimming around not normal. But a lot better. He started pooping and he showed signs of hunger so my wife fed him. And then he started swimming sideways again. Do you have any advice on what I could do with him? I'd appreciate any type of help. Thank you! I love your channel I've learned a lot here.
I am in Melbourne Australia and we have some of the best quality water there is. I do water changes once a month on all of my tanks and I have 20 tanks of various sizes, stocked with different fish and most with plants but not lots of plants and I don't lose fish and I have been doing this for over 20 years..!!! I usually put in water that is about 12-15deg C which also helps to mimic rain and this makes them spawn. I do not gravel vac as the stuff at the bottom helps the plants grow.
I'm 4 months into a new tank and have been running an air stone thinking it would help keep the water cleaner, but recently turned it off. I kind of like it with just the filter moving the water, so is it necessary to run an air stone?
Water Temps.
Most tanks are 65-80 degrees F. That’s only 15 degrees.
So in the summer, tap water is fine.
However in the winter, my tap water is extremely cold. So I still use it, I just refill the tank much slower so that the heaters can keep up somewhat with the cold water coming in.
Fill slower in the winter than the summer works fine for me.
Question: Is measuring nitrate levels the only indicator to use when determining the need for a water change? Are there other dissolved minerals and other element used up by the fish and the plants which would also neccesitate a water change? Thanks!
I got an extra always running tank with no heater that sits in the low 60s.
I throw fish that need to be isolated in there all the time and it's like a 15 degree difference
I've literally never seen nitrates on my test strips, and I've been running my tank for years, I can go a month with no water change, and nitrates are still 0, it bugs me a little honestly, because I do get occasional problems with cyano bacteria, which nitrates would prevent!
Those test strips aren't really reliable though. Try using Api Master Test Kit. When using test strips it always said my water was fine but then the master test kit said nitrates are high. It's a little spendy but last a long time & so much more reliable!