Hi guys!

I've had my 200 lt aquarium for over a year, with the following setup:

- Red clay under the gravel (not all under but well over 3/4's of the way).
- Gravel (small).
- In some parts like next to the plant roots, I introduced some good black
soil wrapped in newspaper, in order to improve plant nutrition (with
excellent results).
- About three weeks ago, I added a CO2 generator in order to control an
algae infestation, with good results so far.
- The tank is planted with some amazon sword, hygrophila polysperma,
some remnants of cabomba, and those long leaved plants that you use
in the back (I can't recall the name right now), and some dwarf anubias.
- For a filter I got a homemade wet/dry filter with pre and post T/F
foams, water going down by syphon.
- Occationally I drop two cloves of sliced garlic, right before the last foam,
to kill a parasite present in my water system that seems to get controled
by it.
- I regularly change 1/4 th of the water on a weekly basis, heating the new
water a little above the existing water temperature.
- The foams I change every two weeks, but here is with my doubt raises.


The last couple of foam changes I noticed the water was actually pretty clean, and the foams didn't release any heavy dirt, so I'm at the point where I don't know wether to change the water or not, as it gets a little cloudy, do the water changes less often, or don't do any water changes ???


Population: 40 tetra neons, 6 black dot tetras, 5 swords, 2 mollies, 3 zebras, 2 plecos, and 4 baby mollies (born sometime this week).

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200 Lt Planted tank

Valisnera spiralis
Hygrophila polysperma
Cryptocorine becketii petchi
Amazone swords (3 different varieties)
Hygrophila polysperma (a giant variety)
Corkscrew valisneria
Rotala
Hygrophila difformis
Hygrophila angustifolia
Java moss
Java fern


Population:
30 Tetra cardinals
5 Swordtails
2 Mollies
4 Zebras
2 Plecos
6 Black dot tetras.

You're doing water changes to get rid of the INVISIBLE dirt and pollutants. The idea is to control nitrate levels, among other waste products, and increasing concentrations of ions caused by evaporation, by constantly refreshing a significant percentage of the tank water. Doesn't matter whether your filters are clogged up or not, in fact, they should just be rinsed, rather than replaced, so you preserve the biologic aspect of the filters.
Having said that, a heavily planted tank, ala Beaslbob or Walstead, may not require water changes as the plants take care of the nitrate issue.

water changes reduce the amount of toxins in the tank, even if you cant see the good that you are doing, believe that you are doing it. Could you imagine not flushing YOUR toilet for extended times? The fish appreciate the fresh clean water, I promise.

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"Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn".-- Benjamin Franklin

I would continue the 25% weekly PWC's to keep a lid on the nitrate and add some minerals that your plants will need like magnesium, potassium, iron, etc.

I wouldn't change the filter foam so frequently. Let it gunk up with nitrifying bacteria, it won't harm a thing. Also, if you're using carbon in your filter, throw that stuff out - it filters minerals and other particulates out of the water that your plants need, and your plants will do the filtering themselves. I only use foam and ceramic bio-media in all my filters, never change the bio media, and don't change the foam until it's falling apart.

Also, do you know if your municipal water source adds anything like fluoride or chlorine to the water? Mine does, and I have to treat any new tap water with tap water conditioner to neutralize the harmful stuff.

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Officially fishless until after the move....tune in later for details!

Well as far as the vallisneria which is the most abundant, I wouldn't know how "heavily" planted my tank is, but ok I'm gonna change my regular 25% and let the foams alone to see what happens. I'll keep you guys posted.

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200 Lt Planted tank

Valisnera spiralis
Hygrophila polysperma
Cryptocorine becketii petchi
Amazone swords (3 different varieties)
Hygrophila polysperma (a giant variety)
Corkscrew valisneria
Rotala
Hygrophila difformis
Hygrophila angustifolia
Java moss
Java fern


Population:
30 Tetra cardinals
5 Swordtails
2 Mollies
4 Zebras
2 Plecos
6 Black dot tetras.

Hello Nappy...

Here's the skinny on water changes. It's the most important thing you can do for your fish and plants. Water changes should be large and frequent. 50 percent weekly isn't too much. The more water you change and the more often you change it, the better.

Think of your fish tank as an unflushed toilet. That's what your fish and plants live in, so it needs to be flushed often, so pollutants don't build up in the water and make your fish and plants sick.

Many tank keepers believe if they over filter their tanks, the water will be clean. To a point yes, but filter equipment simply takes in very toxic water and replaces it with water that's a little less toxic.

The dirty water must be removed. By flushing a lot of pure, treated tap water through your tank weekly, you guarantee your fish and plants have a stable environment at all times.

Do your fish and plants a favor and don't be a "water change slacker". If you get the equipment out to do a water change, then make the effort worth it and replace at least half the water in the tank, it really doesn't take that much longer to remove 50 to 60 percent of the water than it does 20 to 25 percent. Your fish and plants will thank you with bright colors and long lives!!!

B

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Low Tech Water Building Keeper

Allright people, here's the update:

Changed the water. The plecos, the mollies and the swordtails are 3/4 of the way through the algae (almost gone). The water change without changing the foams took about an hour to clear up.

Seems that without changing the foams the water change is more efficient.

I have no option but to continue changing the water every week he-he-he.

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200 Lt Planted tank

Valisnera spiralis
Hygrophila polysperma
Cryptocorine becketii petchi
Amazone swords (3 different varieties)
Hygrophila polysperma (a giant variety)
Corkscrew valisneria
Rotala
Hygrophila difformis
Hygrophila angustifolia
Java moss
Java fern


Population:
30 Tetra cardinals
5 Swordtails
2 Mollies
4 Zebras
2 Plecos
6 Black dot tetras.

Sorry I can't help.

I use no mechanical filters nor water changes in my FW tanks which are balanced out and stabilized with plants.

sound like your tank is doing very well.

So I would hate to change much.

But I can't really help as I don't use those things.


my .02



ps (perhaps that does help LOL)

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden