Weekly water change?

[Lilibugz]

I’ve had my newts for around a year and have always done a weekly water change. My tank is heavily planted with a small clean up crew (3 snails, daphnia, detritus worms). I’ve added more plants over the last few months too and have noticed my nitrates along with everything else are always 0 and I’m testing 1-2 times a week.
So I’m wondering if a weekly water change is really necessary? I tried cutting back to 2 weeks and it’s still 0 but I don’t wanna continue to do this if it’s unsafe- thanks!

 

[Lilibugz]

For reference I top off what’s evaporated every few days so they’re still getting a bit of new water, just not a full 15-25%

 

[JM29]

In a heavily planted tank, with fast-growing plants, and with light of course, the plants uptake directly ammonium, so that there is nothing to generate nitrates (and the plants can also uptake the small amount of nitrates).

 

[minorhero]

The problem with not doing water changes is that we only test parameters for a few things and you can definitely have other elements/chemicals building up that we have no tests for and those could potentially cause problems. Additionally, you make it easier to have algae problems when you don't do water changes.

I keep my tanks at a very high standard. They are fully aquascaped tanks with a variety of plants. I do 70+% water changes weekly. I always recommend people do at least 50% weekly. The results I get show the extra effort. I also inject small amounts of co2 and use aquarium fertilizer (nilocg thrive or aquarium co-op easy green). Been doing this for years now with my newts breeding readily for me. I try to pull the eggs, but I miss some and the larva hatch out, grow up and eventually morph with no issues.

So in my opinion, you should keep doing water changes. If you stop, everything will probably be fine.....until its not. And when its not, you will be in the situation of wishing you did more water changes. Just my 2 cents.

 

[JM29]

A massive water change following a long period with scarse or little water changes can also trigger breeding, whatever the nitrates level is.