# How do i change the water for my 2.5 gallon tank unfiltered?



## Butterboy (Apr 7, 2015)

So i just upgraded from a 1 gallon bowl to a 2.5 gallon tank and since i'm new to tanks how should i change the water? When i had my bowl all i did was change about 20 percent everyday and 100 percent every week, now that i have a 2.5 gallon tank how should i change the water? i know for a fact that i have to do 100 percent changes at somepoint but when? keep in mind that i don't have a filter but i do have a heater


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## shooter (Dec 25, 2014)

I personally would let the water test results show when and how much, but I would start with two 50% water changes a week unless test results show different.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Actually so long as you are vacuuming (picking up poop and uneaten food), you likely wont need to do 100%. Feel free to do 80% but try to leave your betta in so it's not as stressful having to cup them for changes. I'd also follow Shooter's advice. Testing your water is the best way to judge when and how much of a water change to do.


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## peeptoad (Jul 19, 2013)

My fish is in a 3 gallon glass cube (not actually a "tank") that is heated but not filtered and I do 1 100% change/week and he seems fine. I suck up his waste with a turkey baster and freshen up his water (removed 2-4 cups and replace with same or a little more) a couple of times during the week as well.


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## EvaJupiterSkies (Oct 25, 2013)

I have 2.5's, and I tend to go how Tress and shooter do. Twice a week, a 50% and a 75% WC. Every other month they get a 100%, simply so I can give the whole tank a thorough cleaning, but I keep half of their old tank water to put back in when they go back in, so they aren't completely shocked by new water. 

Testing your water and doing changes that way is probably the most surefire way to figure out when to do WC's if you're not sure. The water here is really stable, and I do have some live plants (mostly floaters) in each tank also that help me out.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

if the tank is unfiltered then I would do one 50% and one 100% water change every week.


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## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

For an unfiltered 2.5 gallon with no live plants, I'd be doing 2 50% changes and 1 100% change per week. This advice is based on the rate of ammonia accumulation that I've observed in my uncycled 5 gal QT tank when it was set up (I also removed feces daily with a turkey baster and ensured that all food was eaten). Any fewer water changes and I expect you would have a constant level of ammonia in the tank, which is very detrimental to the fish.


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## TerriGtoo (Jul 2, 2013)

When I had unfiltered 3g tanks I did 50% daily and 100% once a week on weekends. I siphoned waste when doing the water changes.(I am fastidious about water quality). But trust me it's much easier if you add a filter to it and get it cycled. Your water changes will be easier and no 100% changes to worry about.


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## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

TerriGtoo said:


> When I had unfiltered 3g tanks I did 50% daily and 100% once a week on weekends. I siphoned waste when doing the water changes.(I am fastidious about water quality). But trust me it's much easier if you add a filter to it and get it cycled. Your water changes will be easier and no 100% changes to worry about.


I'm glad to see this post! This was actually more like what I was going to recommend (the 2 50% changes and 1 100% change worked fine for a 5 gallon but a 2.5 gallon....), but I'm also very persnickety about water quality 

To the OP: basically, you want ammonia to remain at 0 ppm at all times. Ammonia is toxic to your fish, so you really don't want any detectible levels in your water. The best way to determine your water change schedule is to test the water daily and make sure your schedule is sufficient to keep the ammonia at 0 ppm.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

EIGHT advisory posts by some of the most experienced members of this forum and NOBODY has mentioned Prime --- which changes all of the advice given above.

I think I'm going to go somewhere and have a good cry.


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## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

I like Prime, I really do, but I strongly believe in maintaining ammonia at 0 ppm with regular maintenance and not having to rely on the ammonia detox function of prime, especially since this is a question about long-term tank maintenance. I would use it in an uncycled tank as an added level of protection, but my water change recommendations wouldn't change. I do think it is an excellent product to have on hand though, and I use it for my water conditioner.


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## shooter (Dec 25, 2014)

I always use Prime when doing water changes on my 3 gallon tanks. I don't use it in between though. IMO if my ammonia actually ever had a reading other than zero (which it never has) I would do a water change which always includes Prime in the fresh water, but I wouldn't JUST add Prime.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

I would never suggest that Prime is a substitute for water changes. But, in an uncycled tank, the ammonia is never 0.0ppm, regardless of the reading on the hobby-quality API test. Ammonia at 0.0ppm is only achievable in a cycled tank.

For me, adding Prime between changes is a compromise between stressing the livestock with many large-scale water changes and maintaining the equivalent of 0.0ppm ammonia. Dosing Prime with water changes is to lock up the ammonia released with the breaking of the chlorine/ammonia bond in chloramine.

Again, this only applies to small, uncycled tanks.


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## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

Hallyx said:


> I would never suggest that Prime is a substitute for water changes. But, in an uncycled tank, the ammonia is never 0.0ppm, regardless of the reading on the hobby-quality API test. Ammonia at 0.0ppm is only achievable in a cycled tank.
> 
> For me, adding Prime between changes is a compromise between stressing the livestock with many large-scale water changes and maintaining the equivalent of 0.0ppm ammonia. Dosing Prime with water changes is to lock up the ammonia released with the breaking of the chlorine/ammonia bond in chloramine.
> 
> Again, this only applies to small, uncycled tanks.


I absolutely agree, and I didn't think you would suggest using Prime in place of water changes ;-). That is why I said it wouldn't change my water change schedule recommendations though. I like Prime as a safety net, but I'm always going to do a water change before my tank reads any ammonia.


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## Checkmark (Feb 25, 2015)

Hallyx said:


> Again, this only applies to small, uncycled tanks.


Define small, please. I have my VT, Chill, in an unfiltered 2.5 and suspect a cycle crash on a 5.5. Thinking filterless is where I might go next.


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## Checkmark (Feb 25, 2015)

Butterboy - any advice you get here or any forum or expert or whatever should only be taken "with a grain of salt". Different water conditions in different areas and different climates all affect your required schedule. Same goes for the individual fish itself - more energetic fish may produce more ammonia, necessitating more frequent changes. Let's not forget the tank and it's contents itself, which chemicals are being used, what food(s) are fed, along with tank water temperature, ambient room temperature, etc etc. 

Please go get yourself a good quality water test kit. For your BEST answer you need to find it out for yourself. 

Don't get me wrong - all the info in the thread is good from one perspective or another, but you need to know what YOUR situation needs.


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

The way I see it, for Betta, small is anything below 2-gallons. Any tank above 2g can and should be cycled. Using Prime, you can easily and safely run a 5g without a filter. But, without Prime or lots of plants, there will be a daily_ unlocked_ ammonia buildup. Why would you want to run an uncycled 5g tank? 

I honestly feel that ANY tank should be cycled. The problem with cycling tanks smaller than 2g is the equipment is not easily available --- lack of small adjustable heaters and small filters. And the novice keeper may not have expertise.




Checkmark said:


> Please go get yourself a good quality water test kit. For your BEST answer you need to find it out for yourself.


I couldn't agree more.



Checkmark said:


> Don't get me wrong - all the info in the thread is good from one perspective or another, but you need to know what YOUR situation needs.


If Butterboy knew what his situation needed, he probably wouldn't have asked the question.

As Kim, Terri, Shooter and I know, part of being an "expert" is figuring out what a novice needs to know, and explaining it in a clear, understandable fashion.


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## Checkmark (Feb 25, 2015)

Hallyx said:


> If Butterboy knew what his situation needed, he probably wouldn't have asked the question.
> 
> As Kim, Terri, Shooter and I know, part of being an "expert" is figuring out what a novice needs to know, and explaining it in a clear, understandable fashion.


Sorry, that simply didn't come out right. Apologies. Don't know how to phrase what I meant properly. :-?


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

NBD, CM. Didn't mean to be snotty back at you.


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## webhusky67 (Mar 20, 2015)

You can get a filter for your tank if you don't already have one and do a 25% water change once week. I use a turkey basted also when cleaning my 5 gallon to get rid of any left over food and waste at the bottom.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

webhusky67 said:


> You can get a filter for your tank if you don't already have one and do a 25% water change once week. I use a turkey basted also when cleaning my 5 gallon to get rid of any left over food and waste at the bottom.


A filtered and cycled 2.5 gallon tank needs two 50% water changes a week. not one 25%.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

When I had 2.5 _filtered and cycled_ Betta-only tanks a 25% water change per week kept parameters at 0 Ammonia and Nitrites and under 15 Nitrates.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> When I had 2.5 _filtered and cycled_ Betta-only tanks a 25% water change per week kept parameters at 0 Ammonia and Nitrites and under 15 Nitrates.


Its personal preference. 

I like to keep my nitrates under 5 or as close to zero as possible


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I think it's your use of the word 'needs' that indicates it might not just be based on personal preference. 

There's no argument that ammonia and nitrite should remain at 0ppm. However, there is definitely more leeway with nitrates.


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