# water change during photoperiod!



## bazz (2 Jan 2010)

hi all
i was just wondering what the general consensus is regarding doing water changes during the photoperiod. stands to reason that frequently (once every 7 days) the vast majority of us probably drastically alter the co2 level in our aquariums mid photoperiod, risking the obvious. i just wondered how other people get around this as i like to do other tank and plant maintenance while the aquarium is half empty and lit, especially with it being 55 cm's deep. or am i worrying too much?
cheers and thanx in advance,
bazz!


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## AdAndrews (2 Jan 2010)

I now do my waterchanges a good few hours before lights on to minimise the co2 fulctuations during the photoperiod.


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (2 Jan 2010)

bazz said:
			
		

> hi all
> i was just wondering what the general consensus is regarding doing water changes during the photoperiod. stands to reason that frequently (once every 7 days) the vast majority of us probably drastically alter the co2 level in our aquariums mid photoperiod, risking the obvious. i just wondered how other people get around this as i like to do other tank and plant maintenance while the aquarium is half empty and lit, especially with it being 55 cm's deep. or am i worrying too much?
> cheers and thanx in advance,
> bazz!




I always do my water change Saturday morning - everything is back to normal prior to the co2 / lights switching on. As for when is filter / pipe cleaning day + water change - I empty the tank (50%), then I remove all the pipes / filter and then refill the tank with fresh water, this ensure that none of the leafs are left high and dry and there is plenty of fresh o2 within the water column even though there is no water movement. Then I clean the filter / pipes and refit once clean, my water level does drop (approx 7 ltr) when I refill the filter unit, but I just top it back up again.

Regards
Paul.


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## CeeJay (3 Jan 2010)

Hi bazz

I'm like the others too   .
I always make sure my water change is complete before CO2 comes on. 
If I'm tight for time on the day, I'll leave it till the next day.
I sometimes have to override the lighting timer whilst carrying out essential tasks that need light, but I try to keep this lighting period as short as possible.


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## Jase (3 Jan 2010)

I do mine Sunday afternoon when lights are on and it doesn't seem to affect anything.


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## aaronnorth (3 Jan 2010)

Whenever I have time


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## Jase (3 Jan 2010)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> Whenever I have time



Exactly


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## a1Matt (3 Jan 2010)

bazz said:
			
		

> or am i worrying too much?



yep. definitely worrying too much


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## chris1004 (6 Jan 2010)

a1Matt said:
			
		

> bazz said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'm not so certain. I think its good practice to avoid subjecting your fish to any kind of stress which a rapid change in PH and disolved o2 levels certainly is. Having said that I have done water changes mid photoperiod and not had any problems at all.

I like to do my water changes now late sunday evening or early monday morning, mostly because I don't want to upset the plants co2/light cycle rather than the fishes.

Regards, Chris.


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## James Marshall (6 Jan 2010)

In my 20 litre tank (which recieves a 35% water change each day) changing the water before the photoperiod has definately reduced algae issues. Perhaps, in larger tanks where water is changed only once a week, the benefits are less pronounced.

Cheers,
James


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## a1Matt (6 Jan 2010)

Here is a bit more detial and abit less flippant repsonse than my last post   ...

Basically, I think it all hangs on CO2 levels.
In a non CO2\carbon enriched tank then I think timing of water changes are probably important.

I would go as far to say that if you can induce algae in a CO2 injected tank by carrying out a water change then your CO2 is probably sub optimum (too low, poorly circulated, etc). I'd stand by that.

My understanding, and I am not scientific so it is gathered purely from reading other posts by people whose knowledge I trust, and then piecing things together is...

when you carry out a water change you are likely raising the levels of CO2 available to the plant.
the plant says - ooh lovely CO2 I will stop\slow down producing the enzyme (rubisco I think) that helps them create\utilise carbon as it is here already in abundance.
Then they use up the CO2.
Then they start producing the enzyme again.
but! there is a delay between the co2 running out and the enzyme production getting back up to full speed. - and this adjustment period is when algae can germinate.

So, if you have high co2 enrichment in your tank your plants can just keep having a perpetual enzyme holiday and put there energy into growing like crazy.
DIY co2 done badly will probably cause algae problems from these fluctuating CO2 levels disrupting the plants cycle.
water changes on low or no co2 will probably do the same to a certain extent.
I have no idea where carbon liquids fit in this model.

I do not think that is the be all and end all for algae, it is likely just a small part of how the plants\algae interact and react relative to fluctuating co2 levels.

What do you guys think, total crap or am I onto something


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## chris1004 (6 Jan 2010)

Hi Matt,



			
				a1Matt said:
			
		

> My understanding, and I am not scientific so it is gathered purely from reading other posts by people whose knowledge I trust, and then piecing things together is...



I think that plus a little first hand experience goes for most of us here. Or as Clive would probably put it if he were around (I miss his brand of humor) we have been assimilated into the collective.  




			
				a1Matt said:
			
		

> DIY co2 done badly will probably cause algae problems from these fluctuating CO2 levels disrupting the plants cycle.



Not probably mate it *WILL* cause algae to bloom.




			
				a1Matt said:
			
		

> What do you guys think, total crap or am I onto something



I think you probably are right but I don't worry to much about the technicalities of what happens inside the plants themselves. Truth is I have/do try to understand these things but I tend to get a headache and struggle, get frustrated with myself and then give up. Thats probably cause I'm not the sharpest needle in the pack, i'll admit, although conversly I'd always like to think that I wasn't the bluntest either :? . That said I do look to simplify things on more practical levels which assist me to achieve my goals i.e. having nice fish, tanks, plants etc.etc. 

The level of logic that I try to boil things down to is that if I replace as near as I practically can water with like for like values then this can only be a good thing. Thats not to say necessarily that its a bad thing to do them differently just that it can't possibly be bad to do things the best that you can.

Regards, Chris.


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## chris1004 (6 Jan 2010)

James Marshall said:
			
		

> In my 20 litre tank (which recieves a 35% water change each day) changing the water before the photoperiod has definately reduced algae issues. Perhaps, in larger tanks where water is changed only once a week, the benefits are less pronounced.
> 
> Cheers,
> James



Hi James,

I suspect that the reduction in algae in your case doesn't actually have anything to do with your water change timing. Probably the main reason that you were getting less algae is that because of the frequent water changes you were removing the algae spores from the water and reducing your chances of any that were left being triggered into blooming by reducing the ammonia concentration drastically (Ammonia + Light = Algae, everytime). Indeed doing frequent water changes like this is a very successfull method of fighting algae in its own right for the reasons given.

Regards, Chris.


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