Quarantine question

[raptor72]

While reading an internet fish supply website, I came across the following statement. "Make sure to do 10-15% water changes every other day to keep the tank healthy". ??
Does this seem like too much too frequently?

 

[meowzer]

wow.....as long as you are testing...and as long as the water parameters are stable..YES..IMO that is too much
I am going thru this now.....all water parameters are excellent, so I only did a maintenance w/c today....10 days ago was my last one

 

[tangs rule]

It depends on how heavily stocked the tank is....Meow has 1 little goby in a 20 or so tank - so her maintenance is pretty low.. I'm running 1 little tang, 5 b/g chromis, 1 little wrasse, and 1 clown in a 20g so YES I have to do partial waterchanges/vaccumming about every day - - everyother day MAX. It all depends on much bioload you run.

 

[al&burke]

I am running a QT right now as well 2 anthias and a wrasse in a 25 gallon, I put a 1/8 cap of prime in everyday - I figured it wouldn't hurt. With prime 1 cap treats 50 gallons of water. Today I am going to do a 5 gallon change just to be safe.

 

[mr. limpid]

I agree with everyone comment except Al&Burk everyday with prime (if you test ammonia you may not need to add everyday). Once your tank is setup, done adding fish, corals and inverts then only 20% a month is norm. (I do 10% every 2 weeks). Test on the off weeks, water change if needed.

 

[al&burke]

You are probably right about the prime, it just makes me feel better for some reason.

 

[mr. limpid]

If you didn't live so far away I would give you my prime, i have the large bottle that i haven't even opened. I design my filtration on my QT to 3 times larger than i need, was tired of adding prime and 50% water changes and still having ammonia readings of .25.

 

[btldreef]

Al, don't feel bad, I use Prime on my QT tank, about 1/2 - 1/3 of what's recommended, along with a 20-30% weekly water change. Prime is not only used for ammonia removal/absorbing, it's also used for a stress coat, and that's more what I'm using it for in a QT. I use it at very small amounts when moving fish from one tank to another during acclimations as well. A lot of people are afraid of Prime because it lowers O2 levels, but that's only when you don't use it properly.

 

[mr. limpid]

Good point BTLDreef its been awhile since I read the label forgot it also was used for stress coat. Al&Burke I take back my offer I going to start adding it to my QT the first week with new fish.