We don't need no stinking water changes!!

[hewhoisatpeace]

I haven't changed my water yet, or cleaned my filter, from being set up in March of this year. I have 35 fish about 3" average, 2 softshell turtles, about 1000 minnows in various sizes, and lots and lots of snails. Just tested, Ph is 7.5, nitrites, nitrates, and ammonia undetectable, water hardness is mid range, carbonate hardness is "ideal" by the test strip's measure.

I have a 32 g rain barrel I use to dechlorinate for top offs, so only good water going in, plus when it goes in, it runs through the filter first, to get the same temp and conditions as the pond water.

I do clean my prefilters daily, my skimmer is one prefilter, and the filter basket on my pump. I often find trapdoor snails and tadpoles or goldfish in the filter basket from the bottom drain.

Anyway, am I doing something wrong?

 

[hewhoisatpeace]

Oh, yeah, when I set up the pond, I added 3000 gallons tap water, a few pounds of baking soda, about 100 pounds of cat litter, and 1/2 gallon ammonia to cycle the filter. When I could detect no ammonia, I added test fish. Those test fish are doing great now, beautiful feeder goldfish.

 

[addy1]

It doesn't sound like it to me if your water is that good. But I will defer to the water experts on this site. I never have tested any of my ponds..........figured if the fishies were happy I was happy.

 

[bsr8129]

if your water is clear and conditions good, then why do it. In my moms pond she never does water changes has clear water and good conditions, plus is over stocked, if it works for you then keep on going.

 

[DrDave]

I must admit that I do not do as many water changes as some folks here profess you need to do. As long as my Koi are happy, I just top off as needed. About once a month, I'll dump a few hundred gallons at most. That is about 10% of the total volume. I attribute my water quality to the plants and Doc Bio Filter.

 

[Oldhead]

I must admit that I do not do as many water changes as some folks here profess you need to do. As long as my Koi are happy, I just top off as needed. About once a month, I'll dump a few hundred gallons at most. That is about 10% of the total volume. I attribute my water quality to the plants and Doc Bio Filter.

Kinda what I do

 

[DrCase]

I'm guilty to
I drain my filters each week ...So i add 250 to 300 gal of fresh water each week
Some times more ...Big rains do my major changes ..

 

[addy1]

We most likely will not drain our bog filter for years, if it works as we are planning it.
Only time will tell. Rain will flush the pond and bog. Well water if we have to top it off. This year we are so dry any water in it is well water.

 

[hewhoisatpeace]

Wish I had a well

 

[addy1]

We love it, cold, no smell, no taste wonderful water. We are so dry this year, was a little worried about it, but have been watering a lot of plants to try and save them. It appears we have a very good well. The amount of water we draw out does not appear to bother it. But we are careful too, don't run the water continuously for hours, water different sections at different times.
On septic too, saving money both ways!

 

[Fishfinder]

When someone says water changes, how is that done? Pump it out?

 

[Mmathis]

When someone says water changes, how is that done? Pump it out?

Fishfinder, this is an old post. Why not start a new thread....

 

[Fishfinder]

Oh ok. Thanks.