The Puffer Forum

Actually, they don't really care if the water is soft or not. Most of my discus were bred right here in Chicago in tap water. They always seem much happier after their WC.

genetao wrote:Lil Green Puffer, I haven't really heard anything about fish hormones stunting plants. And even so, I don't think I've got anything to worry about. I've got HM and Bacopa coming out of my ears. I keep having to pluck out the clovers because they spread everywhere.

Oh, that's not what I meant. I meant that although plants reduce nitrates, they don't reduce hormones.

Yes, I think what she was worried about the all to common problem of well planted tanks keeping the nitrates down so much that fish owners see almost no need for water changes, stunting their fish unintentionally because although the levels of the waste products they can easily measure are low(and this IS a good thing for the fish) other wastes build up to dangerous levels.

I have a very heavily planted tank with high nitrate still, w/o these WC.

Wow, PP, I can only imagine how much money you have wrapped up in all your tanks. Your discus tank is beautiful; thanks for posting a pic of it. What do you keep the temps in that tank at?

Temp is around 84-86.

Nick wrote:Yes, I think what she was worried about the all to common problem of well planted tanks keeping the nitrates down so much that fish owners see almost no need for water changes, stunting their fish unintentionally because although the levels of the waste products they can easily measure are low(and this IS a good thing for the fish) other wastes build up to dangerous levels.

Yes I can definitely understand the dangers of organic build up. Just because nitrates show as being low on a test kit doesn't necessarily mean that there aren't other organics building up in the tank. The only reason I question doing weekly water changes FOR MY PARTICULAR SETUP is because the bioload seems extremely low. Peanut is literally the size of, well....a peanut. He's so small, that often times it's like playing "Where's Waldo". Coupled with a high plant mass, compressed CO2 and lots of lighting, the plants literally starve if I don't dose more nitrogen and other ferts on a regular basis.

You'll still have to do water changes even in a planted tank. If your Nitrates are running that low you are probably deficient in other minerals also that would be replenished via water changes as well as taking out the unwanted dissolved solids.

Have a Magnesium or Iron test kit handy? no = water change. There are too many things we can't test for (unless we had unlimited funds and a CSI type lab).

Someone, RTR I think, said that nitrates aren't toxic themselves; they're an indicator of other toxins that can be/are building up. At least, I think that's what this person said...

I still get plenty of nitrate build up at the end of every week in that tank.

J-P wrote:You'll still have to do water changes even in a planted tank. If your Nitrates are running that low you are probably deficient in other minerals also that would be replenished via water changes as well as taking out the unwanted dissolved solids.

Have a Magnesium or Iron test kit handy? no = water change. There are too many things we can't test for (unless we had unlimited funds and a CSI type lab).

J-P, I'm not saying to never to do a water change mind you. I'm just saying to do them less frequently, in this once every two weeks for Peanut's tank. I seriously doubt I'll be running low on magnesium or calcium as I live in an area where liquid rock is good and plentiful. I just finished taking a shower, and can prove just how MUCH minerals are in my tap water by looking at the fine white powder on my arm Believe me, my plants are not lacking in any minerals. Besides if they do, just look at the plant leaves and they'll tell you what they are deficient in.

Puffer Punk, what are your nitrate levels at the end of the week before a water change? What do you do if you wanna go on a two week vacation?

Lil Green puffer, I know RTR to be very knowledgeable. I've read some of his very informative postings. But I do know that nitrates are bad for fish and invertebrates. I have raised and bred Crystal Red Shrimp in the past. Once when the nitrate level was only at 15ppm, one of the adults actually died! Regardless of which, rather than debate the point, I'd just do a water change.

For all of my tanks, the maximum I'll stock my tanks is if the the bioload creates NO MORE than 10 PPM of nitrates per week. (That gives me a margin of error if I should ever skip a week / go on vacation) Any more than that and I'd consider going to a larger tank or moving some of the inhabitants to a new tank. That's just my own personal rule though. YMMV

I have a friend who watches my tanks & if I'm gone over a week, he does a WC for me.

Pufferpunk wrote:I have a friend who watches my tanks & if I'm gone over a week, he does a WC for me.

Wow. Sounds like a really nice friend. Especially if you have several tanks that require a water change. Must be a nail biter for you when you're gone.

He is a fellow reef keeper & I do know how lucky I am to have him! I actually don't worry at all, knowing he's here to take care of my tanks.

You definitely are lucky to have such a friend like that. I am envious