Changing the water in the aquarium: rules and frequency

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-01 17:06

Changing the water in the aquarium is an integral part of the care of an artificial reservoir. In this case, it is said “substitution”, and not “replacement”, since only part of the liquid is updated. That is, the aquarium is simply supplemented with fresh water, and part of the old is removed. This method allows you to save the microflora created inside the aquarium and not harm the fish, as well as plants. The system for changing the water in an aquarium does not cause difficulties for experienced aquarists, but for beginner fish lovers it is not always clear how to do it correctly and in general whether it should be done.

Someone even prefers to do only a complete water change, while others say that the aquarium will not live long without a change. There are many conflicting factors. This is due to the fact that each aquarium is almost unique. It is difficult to predict which algae and earth a person will choose. As a result, the procedure may vary. Let's look at the standard ways to do a water change in an aquarium, as well as the main questions that beginners may have.

Full water change

If we talk about completely replacing all the water in the aquarium, then you need to be prepared for the fact that you will cause very strong stress to all the inhabitants of the artificial reservoir. Some fish may not bring such serious changes at all. You need to understand that a complete replacement is required only in special situations.

As a rule, the basis for such drastic measures is heavily polluted soil, the appearance of fungal plaque on the walls of the aquarium itself, the reproduction of green algae, and blooming water. Replacement is a necessary measure if the plant or aquarium inhabitants are sick with an infectious disease.

Why do you need a water change

The procedure is very important, as it affects the he alth of the entire aquatic environment, and hence the inhabitants. Thanks to the timely water change in the aquarium, you can maintain the level of nitrates, which means you can be sure that the fish are safe. If the water stands for too long and is not renewed in any way, then minerals that are necessary to maintain normal acidity in the environment completely evaporate from it. The fewer minerals, the higher this parameter rises.

Everyone knows that if the water meets too high acidity, it can lead to the death of all life in the aquarium. Thanks to the replacement of water, it is possible to reduce some indicators, as well as get rid of algae spores. By changing the water in the aquarium, it is possible to solve the problem of instability in the level of CO_{2. In addition, oftenfilter performance leaves much to be desired. In this case, the substitution also solves this problem.}

Among other things, such an event is recommended if the fish are undergoing a treatment process. If you know how to do a water change in an aquarium, then at such moments it is possible to remove drugs from the liquid. This will avoid poisoning the inhabitants of the artificial reservoir. Thus, such a procedure is necessary.

Changing the water in the aquarium: how often is the procedure done

This is a standard question that any beginner aquarist has. If we talk about the opinion of experts, they are inclined to believe that the underwater world goes through several stages of development. The water itself can be new, mature, young or old. Each type requires a specific approach to the procedure.

Water change in a new aquarium is carried out only 2-3 months after the start of the artificial reservoir. The fact is that it is required to wait some time for the necessary microclimate to form in the aquatic environment. This is necessary for the full existence of all inhabitants. Therefore, after starting the aquarium, water changes are not carried out immediately. It is better not to change anything in the composition of the water. Accordingly, a complete replacement and substitution is excluded.

After 60-90 days, the aquarium receives the status of a young artificial reservoir. Aqua system is fully formed. In this case, over the next 6 months, the water in the tank must be changed at intervals not more than once every 30 days. Howas a rule, substitution most often represents the selection of 1/5 of the liquid, which is replaced with a new one. Accordingly, if you have an aquarium with a volume of 200 liters, then in this case you will need to replace about 40 liters of water. Six months after starting the aquarium, it becomes mature. The aquatic environment is completely stabilized, so it is undesirable to disturb it once again. If we talk about how often to do water changes in the aquarium during this period, then the procedure is performed at the same frequency as for a young aquarium.

After 20 months, only the old aquatic system remains in the artificial reservoir. This means that the content in the aquarium is completely aging and, accordingly, the water should be changed no more than once every 60-80 days. It is very important to maintain the integrity of the aquatic environment and in no way disturb the biological balance that has already formed inside. Therefore, it is recommended to replace no more than 20% of the water at a time. Full replacement is possible only if there is no other choice.

Water change recommendations

Indeed, many believe that about 1/5 of the total water needs to be replaced. However, experts also pay attention to the fact that it all depends on how often you end up changing the water in an artificial pond. After all, some make a substitution once a week. In this case, it is not recommended to drain more than 10% of the total volume.

If you change the fluid according to the recommendations that were described above, then in this case, as a rule, no more than 20% of the water is replaced. It is also important to remember that any living organism prefers regularity and stability. Therefore, you need to adhere to only one mode. This also applies to water changes after starting the aquarium, as well as cases with a young or more mature artificial reservoir.

If you decide to change the water once every 2 weeks, then try to stick to this schedule. If the regime is constantly changing, this will lead to a serious imbalance in the microclimate in the aquarium. Animals and plants will take much longer to recover. Some do not recommend changing the water less than once every 2 weeks. However, you need to understand that everything again depends on the volume of the aquarium and the adopted regime.

It is also worth paying attention to the soil, the plants themselves and much more. If there is something in the aquarium that releases a large amount of tannins, then in this case it is necessary to change the water more often. Therefore, it is not possible to accurately describe a clear schedule. That is, it is difficult to predict what exactly is inside a particular aquarium.

If in addition the aquarist actively stimulates the growth of plants, that is, uses a huge amount of top dressing and additional light, then in this case it is recommended to replace about 30%. These manipulations must be performed at least twice a month.

If the fish are undergoing treatment, then, firstly, you need to read the annotation of the specific drug that is being used. If there are no recommendations in the documents, then, as a rule, in this case it is necessary to replaceabout 50%.

Water changes in the new aquarium are not done for several months anyway. Even if we are talking about a variety of varieties of soil and plants.

Much depends on the size of the aquarium itself. If it is small (for example, up to 50 liters), then, as a rule, the water is changed no more than once every 7 days.

Water preparation

Before you perform a water change in the aquarium, you need to pay attention to several very important nuances. First of all, you need to figure out how to properly prepare the liquid. Of course, the water that comes from the tap is absolutely not suitable for this. It has a lot of chlorine and various other microorganisms that can simply kill all the inhabitants of an artificial reservoir.

In this case, you can go two ways. Some use special reagents. They are called dechlorinators. These substances dissolve in the liquid and are left for several hours. Thanks to the active ingredients, all harmful substances simply evaporate from the liquid.

Dechlorinator is sold in almost all pet stores. However, it must be used correctly. Such funds allow you to quickly purify water from unwanted inclusions and dangerous microorganisms that can adversely affect the condition of all the inhabitants of an artificial reservoir. To quickly remove bleach, you can use sodium thiosulfate (30%). It is added to water at the rate of 1 drop per 10 liters. Also often this drug can be purchased in the form of a powder. In this case, for 1 liter of liquid, it is necessary notmore than 15 g of the component.

Water treatment without dechlorinator

If there is no opportunity to purchase such a tool, then in this case you can resort to simple settling. However, it should be borne in mind that chlorine disappears from the water after at least 1 day. However, tap water contains many other harmful substances, so 24 hours is not enough. If we talk about how much to defend the water for the replacement aquarium, then in this case, in order to get rid of all unwanted components, it is recommended to prepare the water for at least a week. After the water is purified, it is necessary to remove part of the contaminated liquid and replace it with settled one.

Thus, you need to think about the procedure in advance. If you do not use dechlorinators, then you need to plan a water change at least 7 days before carrying out these manipulations with an artificial reservoir.

Changing the water in the aquarium: how to properly perform the procedure

Some aquarists turn such an action into a huge show, which in its scale even overlaps with repairs in the apartment. In fact, there is nothing complicated. After you have calculated how much water you need to remove, you need to prepare a hose, a bucket, a siphon with a pear, and a ball valve. If there is no siphon, then you can make it yourself. To do this, cut off the bottom of a plastic liter bottle and attach an existing hose to the neck. The pear, in fact, is a rubber valve that will release air when pressure is applied. If the pear was not at hand either, then in this case you needturn off the tap at the opposite end of the hose and scoop up water with a siphon. After that, the screen opens, and the water is drained into a bucket. This procedure is repeated several times. After that, fresh water is poured up with the help of a bucket.

This is a very simple procedure that does not require any specialized equipment or long preparatory work.

And if the aquarium is big

Don't panic in this case either. The procedure will look even simpler. First of all, you don't have to rush around with buckets. To work, you will need a siphon and a hose that will reach the sewer. One side of the hose is lowered into the sink and pressed to a level below the water mark, after which water is scooped up by the upper part. To collect tap water, it is most convenient to use a fitting that will be connected to a tap.

What to look out for

It is also worth paying attention to a few recommendations from experienced aquarists. If no additional components are used for water purification, then it is necessary to defend the water for a longer time. During a water change, it is also recommended to clean the windows, the soil, wash the filters, and thin out the plants. If the water evaporates, then you can't just add more water. The same goes for the reverse situation.

If you never remove at least part of the stagnant water, then it is very harmful for all the inhabitants of the artificial reservoir. If you do not want to wait about a week until the water isit is infused under the tap, you can buy a standard household filter that will allow you to clean the liquid immediately. In this case, you will not have to spend money on dechlorinators.

It is also worth paying attention to the fact that the temperature of the water that is removed from the aquarium and the one that is added should be at the same level. A deviation of no more than 2 degrees is allowed. In addition, you need to monitor the condition of the water. If it is too soft, it requires the use of additional additives that will bring it back to normal.

Is it possible to refuse water changes

If we talk about the microclimate, which has long been formed, it is not surprising that a beginner has a question, why then do these manipulations at all. Is it possible to do without the first water change after starting the aquarium and subsequent manipulations with an artificial reservoir?

Yes, of course, you can install an expensive water filtration system that will automatically keep a certain concentration of toxins and other compounds that can harm the fish. Of course, such protection is the best. However, you need to understand that filters are very expensive, although they provide the best water quality.

Of course, if what equipment is installed, then you do not need to fill your head with water changes. Filters will maintain the microclimate at the proper level, so the water will not be polluted. Also, plant spores and much more will not appear. Accordingly, this is the best option in order not to worry aboutaquarium. However, if there is no money to buy expensive equipment, then you have to cope on your own. In this case, a replacement is mandatory.

What to do if after replacing the aquarium began to grow cloudy

Don't panic. If the water in the aquarium becomes cloudy after the change, then this is completely normal. First, you need to wait a few days and do not touch the aquarium. If there was a sudden turbidity, then this indicates that a shift in biological balance has occurred. As a rule, situations are corrected in a few hours, but sometimes it takes up to two or three days to restore the microclimate.