Water changes

[DreamEssence]

I have a 1.5g filtered tank with a heater, gravel, and one silk plant holding a single male betta. How often should I change the water and how much water should be changed? Any input?

[dramaqueen]

Hello and welcome to the forum. A 1.5 gallon should be changed at least once a week, 100%.

[doggyhog]

I would personally change it 100% twice a week. But, I'm a clean freak.

[BettaxFishxCrazy]

I clean my 1G twice a week and my 2.5G's once a week, 100%.

[kelly528]

Before we jump into numbers, is it cycled?


Uncycled: Doggyhog's advice... 100% twice or even 3 times a week.
Cycled: 50% once a week.

[DreamEssence]

Cycled? ...meaning? (sorry, I'm new at this)

[dramaqueen]

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/f...ium-cycle-252/ Here is an article on cycling.

[Romad]

I have two of those up and running at the moment (until I make more space for the 2.5 gals.)

Ammonia tends to build up pretty quickly in the small amount of water so I do 100% change each week. Good luck

[DreamEssence]

Thanks for the input, guys. 100% water changes, by the way, are not harmful to the fish in a 1.5g tank with a filter, right? Aren't 50-75% changes healthier?

[kelly528]

Originally Posted by DreamEssence

Thanks for the input, guys. 100% water changes, by the way, are not harmful to the fish in a 1.5g tank with a filter, right? Aren't 50-75% changes healthier?

That's if the tank is cycled.


For an uncycled 1.5, I would recommend 100% twice a week. Just make sure the new water has the same temperature and pH of the old water.

You can match the temp by adjusting the tap. I know a lot of people are hung up on aging their water for 24 hours, but unlike using water conditioner this will not remove the chloramines and heavy metals from the water. So provided that you have to condition the water whether you age it or not, you might as well just pour it out of the tap and condition after.

Older fishkeeping methods advise against 100% wcs, but the bottom line is that with the technology we have today, there shouldn't be anything stressful about 100% water changes if you are doing it right.