The Puffer Forum

I planted my main Fig 8 tank a few months ago and my need for water changes has dramatically dropped off. The longest ive gone without a change has been 3 weeks and even then, nitrates were only at 5 ppm.

My question is, am i doing harm to my puffer by not keeping up weekly water changes, even if nitrates, nitrites and ammonia are in acceptable levels. Are there other nutrients that i may be denying him of?

My original goal of less changes has come true, and now that it has, im scared. Ha!

IMO, yes, you still need to do water changes even if your ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are under control. There are more things in the water that need to be removed/diluted that we can't measure for in home aquaria. I wouldn't recommend going more than a week between changes in a puffer tank.

thanks, ill go back to my weekly regimen

Yeah I would keep to weekely changes

Out of curiosity, what types of plants do you have in there?

java fern, java moss, cambomba (sp?), crypt ciliata, hornwort and moss balls ---

i had water sprite for a while, but i dont think i acclimated it slow enough and it rotted away

the hornwort grows like a weed. i suspect that's what sucks up all the nitrates

Yes, everything you have is a slow grower other the hornwort and cambomba.

Keep up those water changes, nitrates are just there as a guideline and when the plants are using them up, you have no idea how high other levels are building up to.

gottcha-- thanks for the advice

just out of curosity, what other stuff builds up ???

Most importantly, hormones the fish release into the water, the buildup of which will put inhibit their proper growth, but proteins, fats, and even cellulose from the plants as well. It's a shame protein skimmers don't work in FW, or the proper plants combined with one would seriously reduce water changes, like LR and a skimmer do in SW.

that makes a lot of sense -- thanks