Water Changes
Maintaining a clean tank, ensures that you are keeping a healthy environment for your Goldfish to thrive in. Housekeeping is essential to the health and wellbeing of your aquarium. Don't wait until your tank needs cleaning, stay on top of maintenance and you will run into less bumps along the road.
Clean water is the most important thing you can give your fish. Maintaining pristine water means you are keeping their environment clean which reduces the risk of illness and disease.
Clean water is the most important thing you can give your fish. Maintaining pristine water means you are keeping their environment clean which reduces the risk of illness and disease.
Why?
We perform water changes for a number of different reasons, the first one is to remove waste. When we test our water (with our liquid test kit), we test for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrates. If ammonia or nitrite are present, we must perform a water change. A cycled tank would not have a reading for either of these as they would have been converted by the nitrifying bacteria. These toxins, even in small amounts can cause stress, induce illness and disease and even cause fatality. You would have a reading for these if your tank is either not cycled or is going through a cycle bump. Water changes and daily monitoring are vital during this time.
Nitrates are the end product of the Nitrogen Cycle. Ammonia is broken down into nitrites and then into nitrates, which we manually remove. A reading of over 40ppm nitrates is considered high, ideally we want our nitrates to be 20ppm and under and we want them to be as low as possible. Whilst not as toxic to our Goldfish as Ammonia and Nitrite, Nitrates are still lethal in high numbers.
If your nitrates are 20ppm, a 50% water change will reduce them to 10ppm and a 75% water change will reduce them to 5ppm. 2×25% water changes is not equal to one 50% water change. When we change 50% of the water, we are replacing that water with 50% fresh water. When we change 25% of the water, we replace it with 25% fresh water. When we perform a second 25% water change, 25% of that water we are removing is freshwater and 75% is old water, meaning we add a total 18.75% fresh water, as the other 6.25% was already fresh. 2×25%water changes = 43.75% water change. Over time, this adds up!
There are other things in our tank water that we don't test for. Goldfish excrete hormones, which can cause stunting if they build up. Stunting is the process in which a Goldfish isn't able to grow; its body stays small, whilst its internal organs continue to grow putting pressure on them and causing slow and painful death. Bulging eyes are a common symptom of stunting and are not to be confused with Telescope eyes.
Dissolved organic compounds (DOCs) will also need removing from the aquarium manually. Food, waste and other organic material is colonised by bacteria which break them down into fine particulate and dissolved in the water column. The DOCs will also build up in the substrate, so regular vacuums will also help remove them.
Goldfish also use minerals and electrolytes found in water that has been running through rocks for millions of years... your tap water! Over time, the Goldfish will use these minerals and electrolytes and they will need replacing, to ensure your fish remain in optimum health. Regular water changes will replace these electrolytes and minerals and your fish will surely thank you for them.
Nitrates are the end product of the Nitrogen Cycle. Ammonia is broken down into nitrites and then into nitrates, which we manually remove. A reading of over 40ppm nitrates is considered high, ideally we want our nitrates to be 20ppm and under and we want them to be as low as possible. Whilst not as toxic to our Goldfish as Ammonia and Nitrite, Nitrates are still lethal in high numbers.
If your nitrates are 20ppm, a 50% water change will reduce them to 10ppm and a 75% water change will reduce them to 5ppm. 2×25% water changes is not equal to one 50% water change. When we change 50% of the water, we are replacing that water with 50% fresh water. When we change 25% of the water, we replace it with 25% fresh water. When we perform a second 25% water change, 25% of that water we are removing is freshwater and 75% is old water, meaning we add a total 18.75% fresh water, as the other 6.25% was already fresh. 2×25%water changes = 43.75% water change. Over time, this adds up!
There are other things in our tank water that we don't test for. Goldfish excrete hormones, which can cause stunting if they build up. Stunting is the process in which a Goldfish isn't able to grow; its body stays small, whilst its internal organs continue to grow putting pressure on them and causing slow and painful death. Bulging eyes are a common symptom of stunting and are not to be confused with Telescope eyes.
Dissolved organic compounds (DOCs) will also need removing from the aquarium manually. Food, waste and other organic material is colonised by bacteria which break them down into fine particulate and dissolved in the water column. The DOCs will also build up in the substrate, so regular vacuums will also help remove them.
Goldfish also use minerals and electrolytes found in water that has been running through rocks for millions of years... your tap water! Over time, the Goldfish will use these minerals and electrolytes and they will need replacing, to ensure your fish remain in optimum health. Regular water changes will replace these electrolytes and minerals and your fish will surely thank you for them.
How?
A bucket and siphon and elbow grease is enough to perform water changes. I was a member of the Bucket Brigade for a long time and manually changed 300 gallons of water (I have a lot of tanks!), 2.5gallons at a time, every day. It's back breaking work , but worth every second for healthy fish
To perform a water change, you will need to get your water changing equipment together;
● A bucket
● (Optional) A Python (or similar) water changer, pond pump and tubing.
● Your gravel vacuum.
●Water conditioner/dechlorinator.
● A towel - why tempt fate? It's inevitable, you're going to get wet.
● Some fish prefer to stay in the tank during a water change, some prefer to be removed. If your fish are the "Get me out of here!" sort, you will need a plastic tub filled with tank water, a cup, colander or small bucket/tub to move the fish (nets can cause damage to the slime coat and should be avoided) and a bit of frozen blood worm for them to snack on whilst they're in the tub always goes down a charm!
1. Switch off your filters and any heaters you have... everything electrical. Off. You can leave the light on. I've had a nasty shock before and it can easily happen again. I cannot stress the importance of switching off electrical components prior to performing tank maintenance. Safety first people!!
2. Test the tank and tap pH. If they differ by more than 0.5, 50% is the maximum water change you should perform in one go. If a larger water change is necessary, back to back 50% water changes are required so as not to shock the Goldfish with pH swings. If your tank and tap pH match, a larger water change is not only possible, but preferred.
3. If you are using a pump or water changer, hook them up and get them running.
4. You will need to manually vacuum the substrate. We'll discuss the ins and outs later, but this is done as you are draining your tank into a separate bucket if required.
5. Keep a bucket of old tank water to clean the filter media in. Again, we'll discuss in depth later on.
6. Once you have drained your tank, it's time to refill. You can dose your dechlorinator two ways, the first (painstaking) way, is to dose every bucket and pour/siphon it back into the tank. The second (easier, lazier, less complex) way, is to dose the tank for the entire volume and then refill.
7. The water you are adding to the tank needs to match the water in the tank, so as not to shock the fish with temperature fluctuations. It is usually necessary to use a mixer tap or run a hot and cold faucet into a bucket/tub.
8. When I refill my tanks, I pour the water onto my hand at the surface of the water, direct the flow onto a clean plate or stick my siphon tuning into a cup/tub/ small bucket so as not to disturb the substrate too much.
9. Fill to the top. It's true what they say, every inch matters! The more water in your tank, the more water there is to dilute waste and for your fish to swim in.
10. Once you have refilled your tank, turn the filter back on, sit back and relax.
To perform a water change, you will need to get your water changing equipment together;
● A bucket
● (Optional) A Python (or similar) water changer, pond pump and tubing.
● Your gravel vacuum.
●Water conditioner/dechlorinator.
● A towel - why tempt fate? It's inevitable, you're going to get wet.
● Some fish prefer to stay in the tank during a water change, some prefer to be removed. If your fish are the "Get me out of here!" sort, you will need a plastic tub filled with tank water, a cup, colander or small bucket/tub to move the fish (nets can cause damage to the slime coat and should be avoided) and a bit of frozen blood worm for them to snack on whilst they're in the tub always goes down a charm!
1. Switch off your filters and any heaters you have... everything electrical. Off. You can leave the light on. I've had a nasty shock before and it can easily happen again. I cannot stress the importance of switching off electrical components prior to performing tank maintenance. Safety first people!!
2. Test the tank and tap pH. If they differ by more than 0.5, 50% is the maximum water change you should perform in one go. If a larger water change is necessary, back to back 50% water changes are required so as not to shock the Goldfish with pH swings. If your tank and tap pH match, a larger water change is not only possible, but preferred.
3. If you are using a pump or water changer, hook them up and get them running.
4. You will need to manually vacuum the substrate. We'll discuss the ins and outs later, but this is done as you are draining your tank into a separate bucket if required.
5. Keep a bucket of old tank water to clean the filter media in. Again, we'll discuss in depth later on.
6. Once you have drained your tank, it's time to refill. You can dose your dechlorinator two ways, the first (painstaking) way, is to dose every bucket and pour/siphon it back into the tank. The second (easier, lazier, less complex) way, is to dose the tank for the entire volume and then refill.
7. The water you are adding to the tank needs to match the water in the tank, so as not to shock the fish with temperature fluctuations. It is usually necessary to use a mixer tap or run a hot and cold faucet into a bucket/tub.
8. When I refill my tanks, I pour the water onto my hand at the surface of the water, direct the flow onto a clean plate or stick my siphon tuning into a cup/tub/ small bucket so as not to disturb the substrate too much.
9. Fill to the top. It's true what they say, every inch matters! The more water in your tank, the more water there is to dilute waste and for your fish to swim in.
10. Once you have refilled your tank, turn the filter back on, sit back and relax.
How Much?
As an absolute bare minimum, in an appropriately stocked tank, 50% weekly water changes are required. Bigger is always better (if your tank and tap pH differ by no more than 0.5. If they don't match, stick with 50% changes at a time, if you need to do a larger change, back to back 50% water changes will be required so as not to shock the fish) and more often is advised.
When we look at a minimum guideline amount, we need to consider %removal and what we are trying to achieve. If we take a measurable unit, Nitrates for example, and compare %water changes and differences in ppm, it's easier to see the impact a higher %water changes have on the aquarium. 50% water changes are recommended as a bare minimum, in one go. If your Nitrates are 20ppm, a 50%water change would reduce the Nitrates to 10ppm, a second water change would reduce those Nitrates to 5ppm and a third 50% water change would reduce them to 2.5ppm. A 25% water change would reduce those Nitrates to 15ppm, a second 25% water change would reduce that 15ppm to 11.25ppm and a third 25% water change would reduce them to 8.5ppm. Over time, this adds up.
Your aquarium water does not hold your cycle. The nitrifying bacteria reside on surfaces. They are attached to all surfaces of the tank, primarily, in the filter media. The filter media houses the vast majority of the beneficial bacteria as there is high flow, allowing maximum oxygenation and access to their food source. It also have lots of surface area for them. For this reason, water changes will not affect the cycle, so don't be afraid of performing 100% water changes. If the pH and temperature match, you can perform nice, big water changes without causing harm to your cycle or shocking your fish.
When we look at a minimum guideline amount, we need to consider %removal and what we are trying to achieve. If we take a measurable unit, Nitrates for example, and compare %water changes and differences in ppm, it's easier to see the impact a higher %water changes have on the aquarium. 50% water changes are recommended as a bare minimum, in one go. If your Nitrates are 20ppm, a 50%water change would reduce the Nitrates to 10ppm, a second water change would reduce those Nitrates to 5ppm and a third 50% water change would reduce them to 2.5ppm. A 25% water change would reduce those Nitrates to 15ppm, a second 25% water change would reduce that 15ppm to 11.25ppm and a third 25% water change would reduce them to 8.5ppm. Over time, this adds up.
Your aquarium water does not hold your cycle. The nitrifying bacteria reside on surfaces. They are attached to all surfaces of the tank, primarily, in the filter media. The filter media houses the vast majority of the beneficial bacteria as there is high flow, allowing maximum oxygenation and access to their food source. It also have lots of surface area for them. For this reason, water changes will not affect the cycle, so don't be afraid of performing 100% water changes. If the pH and temperature match, you can perform nice, big water changes without causing harm to your cycle or shocking your fish.
Substrate Vacuum
If you have sand or a bare bottom aquarium, swirl the vacuum over the substrate and suck up the debris. The vacuum will suck up sand if you get too close, so you can attach a chopstick to the end of the vacuum, to swirl the sand as you go (this also reduces the risk of anaerobic gas pockets forming).
A siphon without the gravel vacuum attached can be used to clean sand and bare bottom tanks. Just hover over the surface and suck up any debris, a swirling motion can be used and is good at clearing all the junk off the base.
If you have a gravel substrate, you'll need to use the gravel vacuum attachment to clean it. Set the siphon running. And dig the vacuum.into the gravel. A lot of junk builds up in the gravel as waste gets stuck between the grains so be sure to give the substrate a thorough clean. Failure to keep your gravel clean can cause spikes in parameters as waste rots and breaks down and produces further ammonia, which the cycle can't keep up with, putting your fish
A siphon without the gravel vacuum attached can be used to clean sand and bare bottom tanks. Just hover over the surface and suck up any debris, a swirling motion can be used and is good at clearing all the junk off the base.
If you have a gravel substrate, you'll need to use the gravel vacuum attachment to clean it. Set the siphon running. And dig the vacuum.into the gravel. A lot of junk builds up in the gravel as waste gets stuck between the grains so be sure to give the substrate a thorough clean. Failure to keep your gravel clean can cause spikes in parameters as waste rots and breaks down and produces further ammonia, which the cycle can't keep up with, putting your fish