# Can you change water too often?



## jimsz (Oct 11, 2011)

Is there any harm from changing too much water in the weekly water changes?

I usually change 40 gallons a week from a 55 gallon tank in two consecutive day water changes of 20 gallons each? It is done in stages since I have to have a warming tank to bring the water up to temp as we do not have a large enough how water tank in the building.

The tank is well established 55gal, adequately+ filtered, live plants, eco complete substrate.

The aquarium is in my office where I oversee a boys group that I run similar to scouts. I try and keep the tank as clean since I want to show the boys how an aquarium should look. In the last 4 years or so a half dozen boys have taken up the hobby as a result of the aquarium. Webcam image below.


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

jimsz said:


> Is there any hard from changing too much water in the weekly water changes?
> 
> I usually change 40 gallons a week from a 55 gallon tank in two consecutive day water changes of 20 gallons each? It is done in stages since I have to have a warming tank to bring the water up to temp as we do not have a large enough how water tank in the building.
> 
> ...


Hello jim...

For my tanks, the more water I change and the more often I change it, the better the environment for the tank inhabitants.

I do one larger water change per tank every week. I think it's better than several smaller changes. I just get out the gear for the water change once a week, so I change out at least half the water per tank.

B


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## Protues55 (Dec 26, 2013)

I cahnge out one-third of my 55's water each week without fail. It is heavily planted but sparsely populated at the moment. With more fish and less plants, I would make it 50% per week.


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## L.West (Apr 26, 2013)

I also do large water changes on my tanks each week. I do more like 60/70% changes each week.


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## Botiadancer (Dec 30, 2013)

If you consistently change a lot of water, you can get away with 100% water changes - just look at Discus breeders. The key is for the new water to have the same common parameters as the old water -- hardness, tds, pH. Otherwise, on really old bad water, the new clean water can kill the fish due to large differences in pH or tds.


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## jimsz (Oct 11, 2011)

Botiadancer said:


> If you consistently change a lot of water, you can get away with 100% water changes - just look at Discus breeders. The key is for the new water to have the same common parameters as the old water -- hardness, tds, pH. Otherwise, on really old bad water, the new clean water can kill the fish due to large differences in pH or tds.


Thanks for the info! That's about what I thought. Since I do the changes over 2-3 days than it should not be a problem.


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