Re: 50% water changes and keeping things from changing

["S. Hieber" <shieber at yahoo_com>]

Tony Schembri said this about 50% weekly water changes a la Tom Barr's
recommendatins:

> 50 % weekly water changes are far too much, especially with a planted
> tank 
> You are asking for a nice bacterial bloom which will take weeks to
> clear. 10 % weekly/or 25 % monthly is more realistic.
> This apart from the bother of having to readjust your traces at such
> frequent intervals.

Actually, that doesn't seem to normally happen with these kind of water
changes.  In fact, chemically, biologically, seem to right themselves
quickly with these changes and then the tank seems to stay more stable
with these changes.  Tom can tell you all the reasons why it works, and
all the years of experience behind it, and all of the happy aquarists
that now swear by it.  I just wanted to say that I once thought that
such large changes would be shocking to the fish.  Turns out they
aren't.  I also suspected that they would shock the tank biologially. 
Turns out, that ain't so either.

I don't think Tom is saying you must do 50% changes to keep fish or
plants.  It's one very good way that keeps the plants and fish happy,
greatly discourages algae, and keeps things stable.  Provided you
maintain proper nutrient levels, which is much easier to do when you
are starting from zero, so to speak, each week.  I changed my mind
100%.  :-)

Try it in a small tank, and see.  Or try it in a big tank with an
undesired bloom already present, and see.

Scott H.

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