Make sure to follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/Tazawa_Tanks Thank you to my channel sponsors and supporters, Aquarium Co-op, Xtreme Aquatic Foods and Fritz Aquatics. Shop for Fritz and Xtreme here: www.aquariumcoop.com Also, thank you to my Patreon supporters! John Skoglund Graham Penn Jessica Headley Kerry Pitt Daniel Scerri Brendan Holthaus Rebecca Bacon Pedro Santos Mark Mclenaghan Antonio Mendoza Lance Waldrop If you would also like to support this channel, please click on this link: www.patreon.com/tazawatanks
I don't know how, but I just have to look at my aquarium and I can tell if it needs a water change. The closest thing I can associate with it is that it looks sad or not as vibrant. Thanks Zenzo.
I totally get what you mean. It sounds weird but my plants tell me when they need watering and food. I dont know how or why but I just get a gut feeling, check the plant and its clear the soil is dry. Probably intuition & experience. Been a while since I've had an aquarium but I am getting a new one now so I will see if it 'talks' to me too! : )
Haha i was just telling my friend whos new to the hobby this today because now that his tank is cycled he offered to return my test kit and diddnt udnerstand why i diddnt need it. I can tell. Lol
Iv seen alot of these videos and this 1 is by far the best! Straight and to the point, and well spoken for beginners to not be overwhelmed. Great job Zenzo! Thanks for the post 🖤🤘🤘
I just subscribed, I have seen so many videos where someone just says, do a 50 percent water change once a week with no real explanation as to why you should do so, this video made so much more sense to me, thank you!
With my 55 gallon Mbuna tank, I’ve got 15 fish, more females with males, with two marineland 350 penguin HOB filters running and a 550gph Powerhead that I like to run for a few hours every other day. So with all of that running I like to change 40-50% of the water once a week with a good gravel vac and it’s worked very well for me. Tanks been running for 8 months and I’ve yet to have a water parameter issue or spike. Hoping it still goes strong! Great video!
Another fantastic video. The misconception is that people don't understand why the are changing water. How often are you seeing the chemical properties of you water go outside the safe parameters of the species you keep? How often are you testing to see those levels? How many ecological niches does your tank have? Do you have annoxic zones or DOSing systems? The technical answer is that you may never have to change your water if your background in biology is deep enough, and you test enough differing nutrients. Established planted systems with low load and the marine Triton method are prominent examples where you can go months and years without needing a change. However, you will always need to provide input. And the system will always need conversion and output. Understand those and you understand the system. Sorry to interject, this is by far my favorite topic in the hobby
hi zenzo, my fav tanks mud skippers and the tank with the yellow fish. Love those. Wanted to do a tank like that but before I knew it, no more room. So I'll just admire yours.
Exactly the information I was after. Thanks heaps for easy instructions and explanations. Writing the date on the glass is a brilliant idea, Thank you. 👍🏼
My tanks are heavily planted . In the 20 I change once a month but that’s because my plants like the minerals in my hard water, in my 45 I change the water every 3 or 4 months. Fish are breeding plants look great
I’m in the process of testing my water parameters every two weeks. Haven’t changed the water in a full month. I’ve got a 10gallon tank with about 20 habitants and well planted. So far the testing shows 10/20ppm of nitrates, 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites and the Ph sitting around 7.0-7.2. My filter is made for a 20gallon tank but I switched out the internals and added my own bio filter. So far everything still looks good. What I’m waiting to see before I do another 50% or more but definitely not 100% is a change in parameters. Higher ammonia, nitrites, nitrates definitely need a water change and lower Ph or extremely high Ph another yes for water change. But so far it’s been a little over a month now tomorrow will be the day to see how long I can go before it needs maintenance!
While I agree 100% with the information, I feel it’s still a little ambiguous for the newer aquarists. I think touching on concrete signs your aquarium may need a water change such as specific nitrate levels or notable detritus at the bottom of the tank would be helpful as well.
In nitrite cycle after 4 weeks of NH3 spike. NH3 declining, nitrates increasing. When will they crest and begin to be converted to nitrates? I'm having trouble with my 55g brackish, and I think I'm getting false positive NH3 readings. New water of the same SG was used to calibrate with, and I got just below 0.25ppm using distilled water and sea salt. Is this common with ammonia test kits, and what about nitrite and nitrate test kits? Note: I got a true negative using distilled water alone.
I got a 55 gallon with mubna and peacocks a total of 50 plus fish and i do water charges only twice a week, i use a aqua clear 110 with coarse medium and fine filter pads plus polly fill then on the other end of my 55 i use a Aqua clear 70 with ammonia remover and carbon plus polly fill, I've been run a crystal clear tank for 5 years no problem so explain why water charges are need so often when i had days where i did water charges once a week p.s. i enjoy listen to your video BIG fan of yours
I have a 100g tank with 11 tiger barb, 2 silver dollar, 1 red Severum, 2 jewel cichlid, 1 rainbow cichlid, 3 corydora cats... running aqua top cannisters filter...how often would you recommend water changes?
My tank is a (300litre) Cichlid tank, mostly Peacocks, fairly heavily stocked with 3 large Java ferns and very well filtrated. I am currently doing a weekly water change of 100litres. I'd like to do a little more litres but because logistics of my set-up this is the easiest way I've found. My levels are pretty good. Just before a water change I get only a very small reading of Nitrates. But my water isn't as clear as it was in the early days. I have recently purchased a uv steriliser. But I'm waiting on its arrival, due to covid 19 this is delayed a little. Am I doing enough water changes and /or is there something else I should be doing? PS - mty tank is only about 2 months old.
Hey, I just discovered your channel and I love it. I want to ask you, I want to make 75 gallon peacock/hap tank and I want only male tank, the question is can I trust professional breeder that he can safely tell If the juvenile fish is male or female? Thanks for answer.
So I have about 5 chiclids and an algae eater with no real plants in about a 30 to 40 gallon tank how often should I do water changes I have had the aquarium for about 3 days
Hi I have 300leters aquarium and I have 15 African malawis. I'm charged water every day 40% dut nitrite level is not going down. How to get down nitrite levels
@@chaga6776 Yes after water change you see your fishes even more happy , so you will feel the happiness as well with crystal clear waters :D "D cheers anyone else do 2 times or more water changes per week ||:?D
Zenzo, to say the truth I just follow my nose. If it doesn’t smell „proper“ I do a water change (community tanks, planted). It takes a while to know when it’s still ok and when it is jus changing but it really works well. PS: don’t use strips. They are very unreliable. I have started with liquids as they are mir reliable.
I have a 75 gallon tank that just cycled but my water is cloudy. I have two Oscar’s about 3-4 inches and 5 medium Danios. Tell me what the problem is please
I have a ton of filtration and my levels were always perfect with weekly water changes of about 50 percent for close to 5 years then I checked one night and my Nitrate level was super high with religious water changes so just be careful and monitor it from time to time. I was unpleasantly surprised. I also keep Africans and have several tanks. This was my 125.
I have a 36 gallon Aquarium with 2 sponge filters and 8 juvenile angels and no plants and I feed twice a day flake food how often should I water change
Long story short, only thing I'm religious about is doing my weekly water changes lol. Any longer it bugs the hell out of me and makes me worry about my aquatic babies.
Me too!! Small tanks on Wed, big tank on Thurs. I dont do a deep cleaning unless my water test indicates need but a 25%water change and glass cleaning on schedule... OCD. 😉
I have a 10 gallon tank with a orange African chiclid and a spotted Raphael catfish how often should i change my water I clean the filters about once a week
No. A filter does a couple of things. 1 - it can remove particulates from the water. 2 - It helps to convert ammonia and nitrite into nitrates. Filters do not remove nitrates. Too much nitrates can harm and even kill fish.
I like telling people to feed less as well since the mass majority of fish owners over feed. If you feed less you can get away with less water changes.
mew12459 IL resident. Would love to win these rocks to start my first African American or south American cichlid tank. Thank you for your informative videos, much appreciated!
![3 Tips for New Tank Water Changes [Don't Make this Common Fatal Mistake - Watch This!]](/img/1.gif)
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Thank you to my channel sponsors and supporters, Aquarium Co-op, Xtreme Aquatic Foods and Fritz Aquatics.
Shop for Fritz and Xtreme here: www.aquariumcoop.com
Also, thank you to my Patreon supporters!
John Skoglund
Graham Penn
Jessica Headley
Kerry Pitt
Daniel Scerri
Brendan Holthaus
Rebecca Bacon
Pedro Santos
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If you would also like to support this channel, please click on this link: www.patreon.com/tazawatanks
Love your videos my friend -From Canada
Home Aquatic Hobbyist Thank you!
Tazawa Tanks Anytime thanks for helping me learn. Anyway you ship shirts to Canada ?
Mate thanks for the info it helped me very much, im only new to the this hobby.
@@homeaquatichobbyist8177 Sorry, only doing US shipping right now. I am looking at different options in the near future.
This dude is one of the coolest cats I met in the industry. I got to chat with him a bit last year in Washington state at a aquarium convention.
I don't know how, but I just have to look at my aquarium and I can tell if it needs a water change. The closest thing I can associate with it is that it looks sad or not as vibrant. Thanks Zenzo.
I totally get what you mean. It sounds weird but my plants tell me when they need watering and food. I dont know how or why but I just get a gut feeling, check the plant and its clear the soil is dry. Probably intuition & experience.
Been a while since I've had an aquarium but I am getting a new one now so I will see if it 'talks' to me too! : )
That’s experience talking. :)
@@fishandfloral thanks Sharon.
Haha i was just telling my friend whos new to the hobby this today because now that his tank is cycled he offered to return my test kit and diddnt udnerstand why i diddnt need it. I can tell. Lol
Same. When I think my aquarium water almost dirty or even more cloudy, that's where you should do water changes lol
Awesome info, guess we all need a refresher course on stuff we got use to an let go. Well done.
Iv seen alot of these videos and this 1 is by far the best! Straight and to the point, and well spoken for beginners to not be overwhelmed. Great job Zenzo! Thanks for the post 🖤🤘🤘
I just subscribed, I have seen so many videos where someone just says, do a 50 percent water change once a week with no real explanation as to why you should do so, this video made so much more sense to me, thank you!
With my 55 gallon Mbuna tank, I’ve got 15 fish, more females with males, with two marineland 350 penguin HOB filters running and a 550gph Powerhead that I like to run for a few hours every other day. So with all of that running I like to change 40-50% of the water once a week with a good gravel vac and it’s worked very well for me. Tanks been running for 8 months and I’ve yet to have a water parameter issue or spike. Hoping it still goes strong! Great video!
Brilliant videos, really informative and interesting. Thank you.
Gotta love some on point water change information ...fish room looks fabulous!
Love the date on the glass idea!! I have a messy calendar, what tank.... water, filter, total.... I'm switching to your method! Clever
Very good video. You covered a lot of variable situations that would affect the frequency of water changes
Just subscribed. Good information. I am New to the hobby this year and appreciate all the fish channels that RUclips has.
Another fantastic video. The misconception is that people don't understand why the are changing water.
How often are you seeing the chemical properties of you water go outside the safe parameters of the species you keep? How often are you testing to see those levels?
How many ecological niches does your tank have? Do you have annoxic zones or DOSing systems?
The technical answer is that you may never have to change your water if your background in biology is deep enough, and you test enough differing nutrients.
Established planted systems with low load and the marine Triton method are prominent examples where you can go months and years without needing a change.
However, you will always need to provide input. And the system will always need conversion and output. Understand those and you understand the system.
Sorry to interject, this is by far my favorite topic in the hobby
hi zenzo, my fav tanks mud skippers and the tank with the yellow fish. Love those. Wanted to do a tank like that but before I knew it, no more room. So I'll just admire yours.
I just absolutely love your videos....
Thank you for all your time and effort...
Your knowledge has helped me so much!
Exactly the information I was after. Thanks heaps for easy instructions and explanations. Writing the date on the glass is a brilliant idea, Thank you. 👍🏼
Excellent video. You get to the point and explain it well.
Very helpful video. The mangroves behind you look like they’re doing well 🤓
Great video with good information.
Excellent, informative video! I love your Congo Tetras!!😁😁
Thank you! 😁
Beard is on point! I over do it because I love gravel vacuuming and water changing, but I guess the best reason is when your nitrates start creeping.
Thank you. Very helpful info.
Hey Zenzo, it’s Alicia from R.P. Fish room is looking great! Gonna start writing the date of the water changes on the tanks too, brilliant!
Hey Alicia! I hope all is well!
Thank you! Helpful and informative information!
Beautiful tanks, love your first heavily planted one. How much water do you change on it every 2 months? I do 25% water change every weekend.
Love your free flow speaking style...hopefully some day I get that good lol
My tanks are heavily planted . In the 20 I change once a month but that’s because my plants like the minerals in my hard water, in my 45 I change the water every 3 or 4 months. Fish are breeding plants look great
Nice Vid info. What pump do you recommend for removing water from tank?
I like this video a lot Zenzo 👍🏼
Love your informative videos!! 😊😊😊
nice informative video tazawa make a v-log how to get rid of anchor worm after spawning guppies.
Good info, thanks for clarifying on when to do awater change. What music is played at the end of the video?
It’s called “Welcome”. It’s in RUclips’s Creator Studio.
@@TazawaTanks Mahalo 🐠👍
Love ur content Zenzo had a question it’s my second week with my 20 long planted how long til they start growing ?
That plant in the background is moving a lot for a plant 😂
It’s dancing!
@@TazawaTanks cute answer. 😄👍
Very good video 👍
I’m in the process of testing my water parameters every two weeks. Haven’t changed the water in a full month. I’ve got a 10gallon tank with about 20 habitants and well planted. So far the testing shows 10/20ppm of nitrates, 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites and the Ph sitting around 7.0-7.2. My filter is made for a 20gallon tank but I switched out the internals and added my own bio filter. So far everything still looks good. What I’m waiting to see before I do another 50% or more but definitely not 100% is a change in parameters. Higher ammonia, nitrites, nitrates definitely need a water change and lower Ph or extremely high Ph another yes for water change. But so far it’s been a little over a month now tomorrow will be the day to see how long I can go before it needs maintenance!
Subscribed🙌😃
While I agree 100% with the information, I feel it’s still a little ambiguous for the newer aquarists. I think touching on concrete signs your aquarium may need a water change such as specific nitrate levels or notable detritus at the bottom of the tank would be helpful as well.
Noted. 👍🏾
Great content🔥
What are the plants that are floating in the tanks behind you and where can I get them? I have been looking for something like that.
In nitrite cycle after 4 weeks of NH3 spike. NH3 declining, nitrates increasing. When will they crest and begin to be converted to nitrates?
I'm having trouble with my 55g brackish, and I think I'm getting false positive NH3 readings.
New water of the same SG was used to calibrate with, and I got just below 0.25ppm using distilled water and sea salt.
Is this common with ammonia test kits, and what about nitrite and nitrate test kits?
Note: I got a true negative using distilled water alone.
I got a 55 gallon with mubna and peacocks a total of 50 plus fish and i do water charges only twice a week, i use a aqua clear 110 with coarse medium and fine filter pads plus polly fill then on the other end of my 55 i use a Aqua clear 70 with ammonia remover and carbon plus polly fill, I've been run a crystal clear tank for 5 years no problem so explain why water charges are need so often when i had days where i did water charges once a week p.s. i enjoy listen to your video BIG fan of yours
I have a 100g tank with 11 tiger barb, 2 silver dollar, 1 red Severum, 2 jewel cichlid, 1 rainbow cichlid, 3 corydora cats... running aqua top cannisters filter...how often would you recommend water changes?
3.5 gallon with 2 african dwarf frogs 3 cory catfish and one betta how often do you recommend i also have 2 plants
I use chemipure blue and it helps between changes I think..👍
My tank is a (300litre) Cichlid tank, mostly Peacocks, fairly heavily stocked with 3 large Java ferns and very well filtrated. I am currently doing a weekly water change of 100litres. I'd like to do a little more litres but because logistics of my set-up this is the easiest way I've found. My levels are pretty good. Just before a water change I get only a very small reading of Nitrates. But my water isn't as clear as it was in the early days. I have recently purchased a uv steriliser. But I'm waiting on its arrival, due to covid 19 this is delayed a little. Am I doing enough water changes and /or is there something else I should be doing? PS - mty tank is only about 2 months old.
Hey, I just discovered your channel and I love it. I want to ask you, I want to make 75 gallon peacock/hap tank and I want only male tank, the question is can I trust professional breeder that he can safely tell If the juvenile fish is male or female? Thanks for answer.
From my recent experience, no you cant
The only way to be sure when buying young is to vent them. I wouldn’t count on them all being males if juveniles.
So I have about 5 chiclids and an algae eater with no real plants in about a 30 to 40 gallon tank how often should I do water changes I have had the aquarium for about 3 days
Every week, not more than 40%
I had 6 red parrot with ich treatment now for 4days now if all recovery should I clean the whole 20 gallon tank and change all the water thanks
Your test kit will tell you when to change water until you become experienced...its all about Nitrates :)
Hi I have 300leters aquarium and I have 15 African malawis. I'm charged water every day 40% dut nitrite level is not going down. How to get down nitrite levels
yes this is important and also based on filter as well also :D "D cheers, who else change water 1 to 2 times a week?:D
I do water changes twice a week on my mbuna and american cichlid tanks. The other tanks once a week. Call me weird but i enjoy doing water changes
@@chaga6776 Yes after water change you see your fishes even more happy , so you will feel the happiness as well with crystal clear waters :D "D cheers anyone else do 2 times or more water changes per week ||:?D
@@chaga6776 If you're weird then so am I. I like doing water changes too.
I do a 50% water change every Saturday. I have 125g overstocked African Cichlid tank.
I have 29 gal tank 9 fish 3 platy's 3 Mollies & 3 tetras . I feed them twice a day for 6 days & fast them on 7th day when should I do water change?
Zenzo, to say the truth I just follow my nose. If it doesn’t smell „proper“ I do a water change (community tanks, planted). It takes a while to know when it’s still ok and when it is jus changing but it really works well.
PS: don’t use strips. They are very unreliable. I have started with liquids as they are mir reliable.
I have a 75 gallon tank that just cycled but my water is cloudy. I have two Oscar’s about 3-4 inches and 5 medium Danios. Tell me what the problem is please
When you do a water change are you also cleaning your tank or just changing the water
Usually just a partial water changes, with deeper cleanings more infrequently (filters, glass, algae, etc.).
I have a 90 gal w 18 4-6” peacocks/haps & 4 3” clown loaches 2 eheim filters pro3&4 i change out 12-13 gals every two weeks
I have a ton of filtration and my levels were always perfect with weekly water changes of about 50 percent for close to 5 years then I checked one night and my Nitrate level was super high with religious water changes so just be careful and monitor it from time to time. I was unpleasantly surprised. I also keep Africans and have several tanks. This was my 125.
What trace minerals you put in your tanks that you don’t do a lot of water changes to?
A tiny bit of reef salt, which has a ton of different minerals.
What do you use to remineralize your fresh water tanks after a water change?
The water itself has minerals, but I will also use a touch of reef salt.
I have a 36 gallon Aquarium with 2 sponge filters and 8 juvenile angels and no plants and I feed twice a day flake food how often should I water change
I would suggest testing the water and changing it when the nitrates approach 30-40ppm. I’m going to guess every 5-6 days.
@@TazawaTanks currently I'm doing 25% / 30%every week . here in Tanzania test kits aren't available easily
I have 29gallon tank with 10barb and 3 honey gourami without plant
Feed 1 or 2 times a day
How often should i do a water change
Long story short, only thing I'm religious about is doing my weekly water changes lol. Any longer it bugs the hell out of me and makes me worry about my aquatic babies.
Me too!! Small tanks on Wed, big tank on Thurs. I dont do a deep cleaning unless my water test indicates need but a 25%water change and glass cleaning on schedule... OCD. 😉
I have a 10 gallon tank with a orange African chiclid and a spotted Raphael catfish how often should i change my water I clean the filters about once a week
Doesn’t a filter cover all of that
No. A filter does a couple of things. 1 - it can remove particulates from the water. 2 - It helps to convert ammonia and nitrite into nitrates. Filters do not remove nitrates. Too much nitrates can harm and even kill fish.
Well you got another sub from me haha
This may be a silly question but what does he mean every other day
For my peacocks and haps I do a 50 percent once a week.
I like telling people to feed less as well since the mass majority of fish owners over feed. If you feed less you can get away with less water changes.
First comment
Uh....yes to every other day? O.O
How often do you change water?
mew12459 IL resident. Would love to win these rocks to start my first African American or south American cichlid tank. Thank you for your informative videos, much appreciated!
Haha, yes!
I have five fishes in a 10 lt water tank.