Fast and furious water changes!!!!!!!!

reeferdc

reeferdc

Member
Ok I have asked similar questions on this board before but I never really got a good answer.
But anyways here is the deal. I started my tank up about 6 months ago and filled it with TAP WATER. Now 6 months later I have ALOT of algea I just started useing RO water and my plan is to do weekly 50% water changes.. My tank is FO with no live rock.. Will changeing this much water hurt my tank??? Will it make my water clear and my algea go away??? If so how long will it take??
Any help would be auesome!!!!
Thanks,
 
C

civileng68

Guest
I am by no means an expert but I will tell you what others told me when I started.
I never used tap water but I dont know if that's all of your problem.
Do you have proper filtration and water movement?
Also, how long do you keep your lights on? I had an algae outbreak, BIG TIME and reduced the time the lights were on an WHOOLAAA! HUGE reduction in algae!
Also they said to me not to change 50% at one time. That's too much. They said do a max of 25% change (and you can do that daily if you like). That way you are not removing too many of the good bacteria and replacing it with empty water.
Basically I was told if you remove TOO much water from a cured tank at one time, you are nearly starting all cycles over again.
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
Bacteria is growing on the surfaces in your tank, not really floating around... water changes won't make your tank cycle.
Tap water could definitely be the cause of algae due to phosphate levels.
Pre-mix your saltwater, aerate it and let it sit overnight, and make sure that it is at proper temp and pH. Then you could do 25-30% changes every 3 or 4 days for a few changes.
 
dogstar

dogstar

Active Member
If PH and temp and SG. is very close then you can do up to 100 %. Unless you have really high levels when testing then worry about shocking the fish instead of a cycle.
 
mikeyjer

mikeyjer

Active Member
Originally Posted by Dogstar
If PH and temp and SG. is very close then you can do up to 100 %. Unless you have really high levels when testing then worry about shocking the fish instead of a cycle.
IMO I wouldn't suggest doing that much water change at once!
 
reeferdc

reeferdc

Member
will doing this many water changes with RO water almost surley solve my problem with algea??
Also what does airrateing the wter do?? I just let the salt water mix sit for like an hour. But I let the freshwater sit for like 2 days...
 
airforceb2

airforceb2

Active Member
It will help. What kind of livestock do you have? How long are your lights on and how much water flow do you have?
 
reeferdc

reeferdc

Member
I am also not useing carbon but I have no where to put it... This is not the cause of algea or coudy water right??
 
reeferdc

reeferdc

Member
I do not have great water flow. My lights are on for about 7 hours a day. I have a 110g tank with a blue striped trigger a picasso trigger a porcupine puffer and a panther grouper. All of these fish are about 2-4 inches. I will upgrade my tank when they get bigger.
 
sw65galma

sw65galma

Active Member
Just take a blanket and cover you tank for about a week or till the alage goes away.
Fish can live without the light for that time...
After the alage is gone, THEN do a water change..
What will happen is as the the alage dies, all the nutrients that they have will be released back into the water, messing up all your nice new water you put in..
So better off to let it die first then do a water change and take all the nutrients out with it.
 
airforceb2

airforceb2

Active Member
I would take the fish out and put them in another tank or see if a friend can watch them while you put the blanket over the tank.
Do you have a clean-up crew? Certh snails thrive on algae.
 
reeferdc

reeferdc

Member
If I pu some live rock in a sump and just got a very strong mechanicle filter.. Like one that just holds carbon would this be enough filtration along with a protein skimmer??
 
reeferdc

reeferdc

Member
a better question yet is what filtration would all of you recommend?? Even though i dont think this is my problem.
 
airforceb2

airforceb2

Active Member
Filtration will not remove the algae. It may prevent it in the future but it wont kill it. Do you have a phosphorus test kit?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top