POLL sorta

[zoboo2]

Just wondering what people do on here as far as water changes. How often and what percentage?
Part 2 Which water test brand do you find most easy to read? NOT MOST ACCURATE but easy to read? I have a really hard time reading my tests. I have 4 different brands and they all give different results and are equally hard to read!

 

[sinner's girl]

for it depends. I've gone months without doing water changes without a problem, but I have a good fliter, lr and a lot bio load. Now that I'm not in school I have more time, I was doing monthly. However, lately I had a problem with ph, so I'm doing weekly 15% before it was about 10%. My nitrates stay under 20 for the most part. I also haven't had fish in the past two years so that lessen my bio load.
However, how often and what percent is different for every tank, it depends on your bioload and filtration and age of tank and size of clean up crew. If it's new tank, you'll want more wc, if it's established and you're not adding any new live stock, then less. It also depends on your bio load. if you have a high bioload you'll need more.
Water test, never met one I liked. It's all about matching colors and guessing, or so it seems to me. The liquid never seemed any easier than the strips.

 

[lionfish1]

I do 15% every week, and I use salifert tests. :happyfish

 

[nm reef]

Originally Posted by zoboo2
Just wondering what people do on here as far as water changes. How often and what percentage?
Part 2 Which water test brand do you find most easy to read? NOT MOST ACCURATE but easy to read? I have a really hard time reading my tests. I have 4 different brands and they all give different results and are equally hard to read!
I try to do about a 10% water change monthly....lately I've been doing them weekly on my ststem due to a persistent algae problem...but normally I try to stay with 10% monthly on my system and the other systems I maintain for clients.
I've had the best luck with salifert tests...reliable...dependable...accurate...easy to use...and readily available from on-line sources.

 

[zoboo2]

Thanks for the responses. Wow NM 10% monthly?! That is what my LFS recommends but it seems so small! I always thought it was 10% weekly. Maybe I am messing up my levels with that much of a water change.
I do use the salifert but I find them just as hard to read as the others, I do agree they are reliable, I just wish someone could make a test that was unmistakable to read.