On Thu, 22 Jan 2004 04:36:45 GMT, Karen Garza
wrote:



Rick wrote:

it is likely that your weekly 30% water changes reduce your nitrate below
measurable levels. I do weekly 50% water changes in my heavily planted 77g
tank and dry dose ferts twice a week including a 1/2 tsp of KN03 (nitrate)
and I still don't measure much nitrate. Your plants will also be using up
nitrate. I wouldn't worry about it, seems everything is running o.k for you.
As far as daily 50% water changes are concerned you could do that if you had
the time but why bother.

Thanks for the info :-) I had read that there should be some nitrate in
the water, so I was a bit concerned that there isn't any nitrate in my
tanks. But if it doesn't matter then I won't worry about it.
I don't plan on doing daily 50% water changes. I was just wondering if
that was possible. I thought it was. I'll stick to my once or twice per
week water changes.
Thanks
Karen


I make weekly 20% water changes. I have 5 tanks: 75,29 and 3 10s.
Rather than rely on test kits, I keep watch on my fish. I can always
make extra water changes or run tests, but when the water quality is
getting iffy, my fish seem less active, tend to stay on the bottom or
top, color is off, plants wilt. I rarely have had a problem. Mostly
early on in setting up the tanks and then due to over feeding or too
much light.

Now I control my light with a timer and have become stingy with the
food. I only feed flake food to my fish. My tanks are heavilly
populated with a wide variety of fish.

I know there are a lot of folks that run a chemistry lab and more
power to you all. I don't enjoy nor trust the results and am a bit
lazy. I like to pop in to remind those less endowed that life can
continue without chemistry or excessive water changes.