Changing the water in the aquarium: how to change it correctly?

It takes more than just feeding your fish and appreciating their beauty to keep an aquarium in good condition. Regularly changing the water in the tank is one of the most important things you can do to keep it healthy. It may seem easy, but doing it right is essential to the happiness and well-being of your aquatic friends.

Water changes aid in the removal of toxins, waste, and excess nutrients that may accumulate over time. These contaminants can damage your fish and plants if you don’t change the water. However, what is the ideal method for changing the water and how often should you do it? This article will guide you through the process of making sure your aquarium will benefit from and be effectively conditioned by your water changes.

We’ll go over the fundamentals of water changes, such as how much water needs to be replaced, how to prepare fresh water, and helpful hints for a stress-free and easy process that benefits both you and your aquatic pets. No matter how experienced you are with aquariums, knowing these fundamentals will help you keep a healthy, attractive tank.

Step Description
1. Prepare Equipment Get a clean bucket, a water conditioner, and a siphon or aquarium vacuum.
2. Turn Off Equipment Turn off the filter and heater to avoid damage during the process.
3. Siphon Water Use the siphon to remove water from the aquarium, cleaning debris from the gravel as you go.
4. Dispose of Old Water Empty the old water into a sink or garden; don’t pour it down the toilet to avoid any plumbing issues.
5. Prepare New Water Fill a clean bucket with fresh water, and treat it with a water conditioner to remove harmful chemicals.
6. Add New Water Slowly pour the treated water into the aquarium, being careful not to disturb the substrate.
7. Restart Equipment Turn the filter and heater back on and check that everything is working properly.
8. Monitor Water Quality Keep an eye on the water quality over the next few days to ensure everything is stable.

A little theory: why change the water

The aquarium needs its water changed immediately for a variety of reasons, so this is not a matter of taste:

  • The presence of organic matter in the water is accompanied by its chemical transformation – decay. At the first stage of this process, ammonia is formed – a nitrogen compound, which in its pure form in high concentrations is dangerous for the aquarium population. Bacteria convert it into nitrites, and then into nitrates that are consumed by plants for the reproduction of the nitrogen cycle. Over time, the level of nitrates exceeds the possibilities of plants in their assimilation, there is a poisoning of the environment.
  • Natural pollution over time. Like any biotope inhabited by living organisms, the aquarium is gradually polluted by the life of its inhabitants: plants give rise to dead and rotten fragments of stem and leafy mass, fish, mollusks and crustaceans discard scales, I highlight the bowel movements into the water. In addition, at the bottom the remains of food accumulate, which does not have time to eat up with the inhabitants.
  • Aquarium biotope tends to shift the acid-base balance in the direction of pH reduction. For many tropical fish and plants, a slightly acidic environment is optimal for development, especially since minerals dissolved in water neutralize acids. Over time, the amount of these substances decreases, and further growth of water acidity can exceed the comfortable limits for the inhabitants.
  • Imbalance in water leads to a decrease in the immunity of fish, even if they adapt to the current conditions. This entails morbidity, since the development of unwanted bacteria and harmful fungi is observed in parallel.

Given that plants require nitrogen, minerals, and an appropriate level of acidity to survive, an aquarist should choose a water change schedule that best suits the requirements of the fish, shrimp, and aquatic plants that have established themselves in the aquarium.

Full and partial water change

Every aquarium may occasionally need to have its entire water changed. It’s not for nothing that seasoned owners refer to this as a reboot—this is a serious issue that could result in a total biotope change.

There are good reasons to change the water completely because this is causing the fish a lot of stress:

  • an infectious disease has been detected in the aquarium;
  • the tank has been attacked by fungus or there has been a severe algae outbreak, and no other means help;
  • there is a mass death of fish or shrimp.
  • siltation has reached a critical level, so siphoning the soil is clearly not enough.

The aquarium can function for years without a complete replacement if there are no obvious indicators that a replacement is necessary. In this instance, periodic partial substitutions play a crucial role.

The main rules for correct water changes

The majority of aquarists change water in accordance with certain general principles. They aim to provide the greatest amount of benefit and are universal:

  • You need to fill no more than 25% of the total volume. A larger amount of water will already be felt by the fish as a noticeable change in balance, and therefore, can lead to stress and illness.
  • Water must be prepared in a certain way. For most regions, ordinary cold tap water is suitable, pre-settled or otherwise purified. In case of extreme hardness, it must be mixed with filtered or distilled water to reduce the hardness.
  • The temperature of the water supplied to the aquarium should be the same as the main mass. This will help to avoid discomfort for the inhabitants, especially capricious fish from South America, which react sharply to a change in the parameter even by a couple of degrees.

Water that has been purified using ion-exchange and silver-containing filters should not be added to the aquarium. Reverse osmosis purification is the most effective method. Such water has no foreign impurities and is perfectly neutral. But you also shouldn’t pour it pure because that will result in a lack of salts and a decrease in hardness, both of which are detrimental to plants. It works best when combined in the appropriate ratios with tap water, with the latter’s hardness (Gh) measured.

Maintaining the health of your fish and plants in your aquarium depends on regular water changes, but proper maintenance makes all the difference. We’ll walk you through the best practices for changing the water in your aquarium in this article, including how often to do it, what to do, and common mistakes to avoid. You can contribute to keeping your aquatic friends’ environment clean, balanced, and healthy by using these tips to maintain a healthy tank.

How to determine the amount and frequency of water changes

The parameters are predominantly contingent upon the combination of living organisms in the "jar" in terms of both quantity and quality. As a result, the water in an aquarium with a lot of fish—which is prone to overcrowding—is changed more frequently than it would be in one with few fish. Many plants participate in the nitrogen cycle by balancing the amount of biological waste produced by animals. This does not imply, however, that an aquarium filled with herbs can be left entirely unchanged.

The age of the biotope formed in the aquatic environment behind the glass determines a lot of things:

  • In a new aquarium water changes are not required for 3 or even more months, since during this time the formation of the ecosystem occurs.
  • Young aquarium (up to 1 year) rarely requires more frequent replacement than once a month, and its amount can be 10% of the total volume.
  • In a mature aquarium, which was launched a year or two ago, replacement is required about twice a month.
  • Old aquarium, in which the ecosystem is fully formed and established, replacements are made often, but in small portions – about 15 – 20%, but every week.

The volume of the aquarium has a significant impact on how often replacements are needed. The tank’s inertia increases with the amount of water in it, so the buildup of dangerous materials happens more slowly. Therefore, replacement should be done at least once a week for an aquarium with 20 to 30 liters; twice as often for a tank with 50 to 100 liters; and once a month for an aquarium with 200 liters, as long as the replacement volume is no more than 25% of the total.

About water preparation

For the majority of owners, the water supply system—which provides drinking water—is the source of fresh water.

It is not recommended for topping up when freshly poured from the tap for several reasons:

  1. High concentration of chlorine. Chlorination of water kills microbes, but is no less harmful to fish, snails and shrimp. Chlorine has the property of evaporating, therefore, in the process of settling, the danger of poisoning can be avoided.
  2. Saturation of water with gas bubbles. Most often, this is ordinary atmospheric air, which is in the water in the form of tiny bubbles. You can verify this by pouring water into a container and leaving it for several hours: the walls of the vessel will be covered with many bubbles. During settling, the bubbles stick together, increase and burst, rising to the surface.

Fish that experience an excessive amount of air bubble saturation in their water may experience gas embolism, which is characterized by tiny bubbles covering their body, restless behavior, falling to one side, and covered gill covers. When blood vessels become clogged by bubbles, death is inevitable. Consequently, settling the water is merely required. There is a two-day to two-week settling period.

Lifehack

It is not hard to stand 20–30 liters of water if the tank is small. However, 200–300 liter aquarium owners struggle. In this instance, pour fresh tap water into the aquarium right away and give it a few days to settle. Plastic barrels, both horizontal and vertical, make excellent replacement containers on a periodic basis. It makes sense to invest in a small submersible pump with a polymer hose if the aquarium is very big.

Other methods of preparation include boiling and freezing, but they are rarely used because they require a lot of labor when dealing with large amounts of water.

The health and happiness of your fish and plants depend on the cleanliness and quality of the water in your aquarium. Frequent water changes aid in the removal of pollutants, stop the growth of algae, and preserve the proper ratio of nutrients. To prevent stressing your aquatic life, adding fresh water is not as simple as doing it correctly.

It’s crucial to use dechlorinated water that is roughly the same temperature as the water in the tank when replacing the water. For your fish and plants, abrupt changes in water temperature or chemistry can be dangerous. Try to replace roughly 10–20% of the water every week, or as often as your tank requires it, depending on its particular needs.

Make sure to use a gentle cleaning method when cleaning your substrate and equipment to prevent damaging bacteria from being disrupted. Since these microorganisms are essential to preserving a healthy atmosphere, excessively harsh cleaning methods should be avoided.

An aquarium that is healthier and more vibrant can be achieved by adhering to these easy steps and keeping up a regular schedule. In a balanced tank, your plants and fish will flourish, and you’ll be able to enjoy a lovely aquatic environment with little effort.

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Anton Popov

A professional aquarist with over 15 years of experience. Main specialization - marine aquariums and creating optimal conditions for keeping rare species of fish and corals. I am fond of aquascaping, actively participate in international competitions. I love to share knowledge and experience to help others create the beauty of the underwater world at home.

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