Aquarium Water Change Advice 2023

Don’t be afraid of large water changes!

A common myth within the fishkeeping hobby is that you should only do 20% water changes, this is not true! If your water roughly matches temperature and is dechlorinated you can do 50% without any problems. I have been doing 50% water changes for years with no issue, I have even seen some professional aquascapers do 80% water changes with room temperature water. If you break it down, the concept of a water change is to dilute pollutants, so it is best to change as much water as possible. This is also especially important in a planted tank as freshwater will replenish micronutrients for the plants. 20% is better than nothing but 50% is much more effective at reducing nitrates and other unwanted toxins.

 

Use a hose for larger tanks

Do not over work yourself and if you can make water changes easier then do it! I fell victim to the water changes early on in my hobby when I bred fancy goldfish in a 300 litre aquarium, I was constantly lugging buckets of water up and down the stairs. Until one day, I came up with the genius idea to just siphon the water out of the window into the garden below, I then used a hosepipe to fill the tank back up. Look after your back!

 

Be Consistent

As difficult as it may seem with our busy schedules try your best to be consistent. With good consistency your tank will always stay looking its best. If you start to miss water changes you will have to do even more work next time to make up for it. All the best aquariums you see are a testament to the consistency of the owner.

 

Disperse Flow

When filling your tank back up make sure you do not disturb your substrate. One way to avoid this is to pour the water very slowly, another way is to use a plastic bag or bowl in the aquarium to disperse the flow.

 

Use Dechlorinator

This one goes without saying, use a good quality dechlorinator which removes chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals to ensure levels do not build up within your aquarium. Dechlorinator becomes even more important when you are carrying out large water changes.

 

AQUAnatur

AQUAnatur was created by an established UK aquarium installation and maintenance company near London which has been running for over 25 years! Our team are very experienced and happy to help offer advice with any aquarium questions. We are always available via phone or email Monday -Friday, feel free to contact us, we would love to help! AQUAnatur supply a range of aquariums and aquascaping products. If you have a question, please leave a comment or contact us via phone or email.

By Alasdair McPhail