Clown Loach Size and Age and When do I need to upgrade?

[chefkeith]

Sorry Dennis. My intent wasn't to anger you, but this isn't the place to promote unhealthy fish keeping practices either. Most people here, or at any fish forum for that matter, are religious about water changes and keeping the nitrate levels low. If you can keep the nitrate levels low, without frequent water changes, then my apologies. Perhaps your tank is understocked and large enough to support infrequent water changes. Perhaps you can enlighten us on that matter by letting us know what the water parameters are before and after a water change.

[DennisCraig]

Maybe those are questions you should have asked before you got all religous? Instead of just telling me I was wrong. I have a 140 u.s. Gallon tank with 12 clowns, 6 corydoras cats, and 1 albino redtail-shark. Understocked enough for the filtration and turnover rate in my tank? I think so. Like I said I do water changes on a regular schedule just not as frequent as "everyone" else, maybe I'm no professional, but I know what I'm doin thanx.

[newshound]

hey I been on this site long enough to know that whatever chefkeith says is gold!
suck it up buttercup

[chefkeith]

Dennis, I've heard too many horror stories about old tank syndrome to take these matter lightly. I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings, I'm just looking out for what's best for your fish. I like to see that fish are living the best they possibly can while in captivity.

Even if you can avoid nitrate build-up, evaporation loss alone, over a few months time without water changes can make the water chemistry and quality of an aquarium change significantly. I simply won't agree with people who would rather top-off the tank instead of doing a proper water change.

Sorry again. I tried to be as courteous as possible with the limited amount of information I was given. I'm still very skeptical because you said you've been doing things the same way since you were in kindergarten. I hope you at least gain something from this forum. Even if it's just learning about quarantining new fish.

[NancyD]

I'm not trying to pick a fight but 2 useful items an API aquarium test kit & maybe a TDS (total dissolved solids) meter. That way you can measure & really know more of what's going on in your tank.

I know there are different ways of fish keeping. Many years ago we only tested pH, changed water every 2 weeks & used undergravel & HOB filters. We had 7+ inch clowns that seemed healthy & happy.

Just today after missing a water change (or maybe 2) due to entertaining house guests I checked & my nitrates had jumped to 40ppm in 1 tank, twice the usual highest level I allow, most tanks are 10ppm at most. That's after usually at least weekly WCs, it doesn't take long.

Don't think we're picking on you, there's always room for learning & improvement, things have changed a lot in my 30 years of fish keeping. Chefkeith was the 1 who convinced me to get a TDS meter though I use the thermometer feature every WC, much more than I check TDS. Join a discus board if you want more fanatical input, lol. We're very tame in comparison.

[bookpage]

To show that we are not the only ones that care about water changes, read these posts.

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/sh ... p?t=230799

[DennisCraig]

Wow!......for the last time...I know "everyone" cares about water changes! Do you even read my post? Drop it already I said I am done with it. You do what you do I'll talk to someone else about my fish, no big deal.