Water Change 10% Each Day

[goldfish123 0]

Hello guys. I was just wondering if I can do 10% water change everyday? I used to do 50 % water change per week. But now I'm just got more time to do a 10% water change per day. Is it ok?

Thanks

[daryl 11]

You will need to let your water tests guide you in that. If your fish produce little enough ammonia that your cycle processes it into nitrate that is little enough thta you can reduce it properly with 10% each day, then fine. Test the nitrates. Change out 10% of the water. Test the nitrates again the next day - have they risen more than they were the day before? Change out 10% each day - and test the nitrates at the end of the week. Are they higher than they were at the beginning?

If you can keep the nitrates from never rising too high with 10% a day - then it whould work. I have some tanks on continuous water exchange. It is constantly diluting the "used" water with "fresh" water - not unlike a 10% a day (I do more like 100% a day, but that is beside the point. I also do not have a cycle). If the polutants in the water never rise any higher than what I want to see - then it works.

If you find that you have nitrate "creep" - that it continually gets higher and higher in readings until you find that you need to do an 80% or some such change to lower it again, then 10% is not enough.

[samoht70 0]

Seven 10% water changes is the same dilution as one 50% water change: 0.9^7=0.48 (90% of original water remaining after each water change yields 48% of original water after 7 water changes).

I've done a mathematical analysis of the long-term nitrate levels following either method, and they are similar. So my answer: it's a matter of personal preference. Of course, you should test your water weekly to make sure it is behaving as expected.

[Jack of Hearts 9]

Seven 10% water changes is the same dilution as one 50% water change: 0.9^7=0.48 (90% of original water remaining after each water change yields 48% of original water after 7 water changes).

I've done a mathematical analysis of the long-term nitrate levels following either method, and they are similar. So my answer: it's a matter of personal preference. Of course, you should test your water weekly to make sure it is behaving as expected.

The only downside to the daily water changes is that you will go through a lot more water conditioner than with a weekly 50% change.