Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Water changes

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 2
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous 1 2 template Next
  • #1

    Water changes

    Hi there - new here. I have seen this issue being discussed in a few other threads but I thought I'd start a separate debate about it - what does everyone think about water changes for bettas in small (<5 gal) tanks? Full or partial? Please let me know what you do and specifics about your tank (filtered/not, number of fish, etc)

    I had always done 100% water changes, as I thought such small tanks were too small to cycle. However, I recently took my little guy to an exotics vet that recommended I do more frequent partial water changes, so I could keep in the good bacteria, which I have started to do. Fred (my little dude) doesn't seem to mind at all. I think he *may* like it better. My tank is a two gal. hex, undergravel filter, and I currently do 1/2 gal. partial changes twice a week.

    Thanks in advance!
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Water changes

    IMO, with bettas they breath air through the surface unlike normal fish so a lot of the problems with the cycle aren't as detrimental.

    But I would do 50% weekly.



    Maybe phishphreek can chime in since he's a hardcore betta person.
    700g Mini-Monster tank

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Water changes

      I've usually done 50% weekly water changes, as well. However, I have also usually kept my bettas in a small planted tank. It would be a bit cumbersome for me to do 100% changes on such tanks.  :)  

      I have 2 female bettas right now - one in a 2.5g planted tank and another in an 18g planted tank. The 2.5 gets 50% water changes every week. The 18g gets about 25% changes every other week.
      "Millennium hand and shrimp!"

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Water changes

        We have 2 bettas.  They live in bowls at the moment (however, they are large bowls so they do have room to swim) and I do 100% water change about every 10 days.  I'm with EK in that I'm less concerned about the bacteria/cycle since they breath air, and their water is kept so clean all the time.  I'm not relying on a filter to do anything, it's all about the clean water.  But all the talk about bettas and water quality lately has prompted me to do an experiment.  Today, I am going to clean their bowls.  Then I'm going to test the water each day until Ammonia shows up.  I'll report back how long that takes.
        Our Fishhouse
        Sleep: A completely inadequate substitute for caffeine.

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Water changes

          Frequent partial changes would be best to keep water parameters steady, but it seems like bettas are hardy enough to take 100% water changes.
          I do 100% every week.
          www.ventralfins.com

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Water changes

            Thanks everyone! Sounds like the partial changes couldn't be hurting anything as long as they're kept frequent, so I'll keep it up. I'm interested to see the results of your experiment, girlgeek!

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Water changes

              Okay.  

              Day 1 - 100% water change on both Betta bowls.  Ammonia = 0
              Our Fishhouse
              Sleep: A completely inadequate substitute for caffeine.

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Water changes

                I have a 1G bowl that my betta lives in.
                Every other week 100% water change.  I wash his pink gravel too  -- yes my roomates daughter is the owner, but since I am the "adult" in the house, I am the one who does tank maintenance.

                What fish do Jesper have
                180 WC T. Moorii Chilambo +1 Petro trewavasae.
                110                 Cyps, WC Xeno Spilopterus Kipili WC/F1/F2 T. sp red Kiku
                58 S. Decorus
                "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." -Margaret Thatcher

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: Water changes

                  I agree ^^^ the gravel NEEDS to be washed.  I have had to treat bettas at school when the other teachers just thought they could sit there forever without water changes.  IT is not a good sign when the gravel stinks to high heaven as you wash it out.  Before I put mine into regular planted tanks here at the house, it was every Saturday... 100% empty, a little stress coat, a few pieces of aquarium salt and VIOLA! my bettas did great.  Now in the tanks, they survive very well with mates and with others
                  5.5 fw fluval chi - class N top bar snake chested endlers/ red marble bn/ 4 stripe RCS/ pumpkin shrimp
                  20 sw cube - a few damsels and a colony of bristleworms
                  29 fw - self cloning crayfish..which can't seem to clone haha
                  29 fw - mollies / albino bristlenose / ghost shrimp and snowball shrimp/ glo danios
                  29 fw - crs/ amano/tiger shrimp /assassins/ whiptails/ plants/ 3 emerald cories
                  55 fw - steatocranus casaurius (20ish)/ tetras/ rainbows/large Jack Dempsey
                  75 fw - large Jack Dempseys / pictus cat/ yoyo loach/ Red gippicep                  / 10+" oscar/ parrot

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Water changes

                    First of all, you need to understand the nitrogen cycle  

                    If you do not have a bio-filter system, then you will need to do water changes. The smaller the tank and the more fish in it, the more often you will need to do water changes.   For 1 betta, I use a bare 1g jar and and do a 100% water change weekly.   The larger the container, the longer it takes for the fish to polute it and the more time you can wait between water changes.  Doing 2 partial water changes is better than doing one complete water change because it keeps the polution level lower.

                    If you have an UG filter (or other bio-filter) you will need to go through a complete cycle to establish the beneficial bacteria.  This can be done with a few fish in the tank but should not be done with many or large fish as the spikes may kill them.  Once you have a cycled container with beneficial bacteria, you no longer need to do frequent water changes.   A 100% water change will cause your tank to start the cycle all over again and the spikes may kill your fish.  However, to avoid a buildup of nitrates, partial water changes should be done when your water tests high for nitrates.(or live plants added)
                    'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
                    He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Water changes

                      ^^ this sounds complicated  8O  i'm going to study it tonight and see if i can understand it  :?

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Water changes

                        I'm close enough to give tutoring lessions and I only charge a bottle of Rum  
                        'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
                        He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: Water changes

                          Originally posted by PhishPhreek";p="
                          First of all, you need to understand the nitrogen cycle  

                          If you do not have a bio-filter system, then you will need to do water changes. The smaller the tank and the more fish in it, the more often you will need to do water changes.   For 1 betta, I use a bare 1g jar and and do a 100% water change weekly.   The larger the container, the longer it takes for the fish to polute it and the more time you can wait between water changes.  Doing 2 partial water changes is better than doing one complete water change because it keeps the polution level lower.

                          If you have an UG filter (or other bio-filter) you will need to go through a complete cycle to establish the beneficial bacteria.  This can be done with a few fish in the tank but should not be done with many or large fish as the spikes may kill them.  Once you have a cycled container with beneficial bacteria, you no longer need to do frequent water changes.   A 100% water change will cause your tank to start the cycle all over again and the spikes may kill your fish.  However, to avoid a buildup of nitrates, partial water changes should be done when your water tests high for nitrates.(or live plants added)
                          I have some issues with this, Bob. If the bacteria are established in the UGF and the OP dechlorinates the new water, why would a 100% water change cause the tank to cycle again?

                          Mark
                          What are the facts? Again and again and again--what are the facts? Shun wishful thinking, ignore devine revelation, forget what "the stars foretell", avoid opinion, care not what the neighbors think, never mind the unguessable "verdict of history"--what are the facts, and to how many decimal places? You pilot always into an unknown future; facts are your only clue.

                          Robert Anson Heinlein

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Re: Water changes

                            I am assuming that a 100% water change would include rincing the substrate to get all the collected filth out of it.  And ofcourse with the dirt & filth, goes the bacteria.  If not, maybe we should call it a 95% water change.  
                            'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
                            He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Re: Water changes

                              Sounds like you are doing the right thing. I have a 20 gallon fish tank and I do water changes once every week. I drain about 50% of the water.

                              Comment

                              Previous 1 2 template Next
                              Working...
                              X