Advice?
- Thread starter camfish
- Start date
camfish
Active Member
It took some doing, but I figured out a way to get 25 gallons of water to change. But I still need help. Firstly WALMART is stupid as heck. I was able to get 3 five gallon jugs taht cost 13 dollars a piece for free. Anyway, I now have 25 gallons and I want to do a complete water change. I have 2 powerheads to work with and I am thinking that I can use the buckets to mix the water and the jugs to store it until tomorrow when I do the change. I want to do this right, so IN DETAIL can somebody tell me how to do this?
nordy
Active Member
You should have one powerhead and one heater for each jug of stored water.
Even if you mix the water up real good in the buckets, when storing water in the jugs, you should have circulation and heat so that the jug water is well mixed and as close to your desired dt temp as possible. I have a couple of cheapo small heaters i use soley for warming up water cahange buskets. Even after mixing water in your buckets to the point where the water looks clear, it should still be circulating for a day before placing it in your tank.
Home Depot sells 5 gal buckets made for measuring and I use them when removing watewr when I do changes so I have a good idea just how much I actually have removed, keeping in mind how much I have on hand, mixed up and ready to go in.
So, Step 1: mix your water in the buckets. I like to put just a little less than the standard 1/2 cup per gallon so that I can add salt to the water if needed to bring salinity up instead of having to remove water then add fresh water to balance it. Again, those marked buckets from HD are great for this purpose.
Step 2: Once the water is mixed to the proper salinity level, place in the jugs w/a powerhead and a heater for a day, or at least overnight. Check calcium and alk levels for the new salt you are using so you know just what it is.
Step 3: Drain out as much water as needed by a siphon. Suggest using a small utility pump if you have one to pump it back into your tank. Also, suggest removing your fish when draining the tank down and placing them in a bucket of the old water while you are doing the change. Using a utility pump to place the new water in the tank is better than just pouring/dumping water back into the tank as it will stir up your substrate.
Step 4: When your new water is in the tank and the level is where you want it, let it circulate for a few minutes and check your Ca, NaCl, and alk levels so you have a baseline for futire reference.
Step 5: Put the fish in and you are good to go!
As noted by others, consistent and proper temp and salinity levels are key to doing a successful water change, whether minor weekly changes or major ones as you are planning on.
Keep us posted on what happens, and good luck! Actually though, luck doesn't have anythiong to do with it, just follow everybodies helpful hints and it will work out for you.
Even if you mix the water up real good in the buckets, when storing water in the jugs, you should have circulation and heat so that the jug water is well mixed and as close to your desired dt temp as possible. I have a couple of cheapo small heaters i use soley for warming up water cahange buskets. Even after mixing water in your buckets to the point where the water looks clear, it should still be circulating for a day before placing it in your tank.
Home Depot sells 5 gal buckets made for measuring and I use them when removing watewr when I do changes so I have a good idea just how much I actually have removed, keeping in mind how much I have on hand, mixed up and ready to go in.
So, Step 1: mix your water in the buckets. I like to put just a little less than the standard 1/2 cup per gallon so that I can add salt to the water if needed to bring salinity up instead of having to remove water then add fresh water to balance it. Again, those marked buckets from HD are great for this purpose.
Step 2: Once the water is mixed to the proper salinity level, place in the jugs w/a powerhead and a heater for a day, or at least overnight. Check calcium and alk levels for the new salt you are using so you know just what it is.
Step 3: Drain out as much water as needed by a siphon. Suggest using a small utility pump if you have one to pump it back into your tank. Also, suggest removing your fish when draining the tank down and placing them in a bucket of the old water while you are doing the change. Using a utility pump to place the new water in the tank is better than just pouring/dumping water back into the tank as it will stir up your substrate.
Step 4: When your new water is in the tank and the level is where you want it, let it circulate for a few minutes and check your Ca, NaCl, and alk levels so you have a baseline for futire reference.
Step 5: Put the fish in and you are good to go!
As noted by others, consistent and proper temp and salinity levels are key to doing a successful water change, whether minor weekly changes or major ones as you are planning on.
Keep us posted on what happens, and good luck! Actually though, luck doesn't have anythiong to do with it, just follow everybodies helpful hints and it will work out for you.
camfish
Active Member
Originally Posted by Nordy
http:///forum/post/2650895
You should have one powerhead and one heater for each jug of stored water.
Even if you mix the water up real good in the buckets, when storing water in the jugs, you should have circulation and heat so that the jug water is well mixed and as close to your desired dt temp as possible. I have a couple of cheapo small heaters i use soley for warming up water cahange buskets. Even after mixing water in your buckets to the point where the water looks clear, it should still be circulating for a day before placing it in your tank.
Home Depot sells 5 gal buckets made for measuring and I use them when removing watewr when I do changes so I have a good idea just how much I actually have removed, keeping in mind how much I have on hand, mixed up and ready to go in.
So, Step 1: mix your water in the buckets. I like to put just a little less than the standard 1/2 cup per gallon so that I can add salt to the water if needed to bring salinity up instead of having to remove water then add fresh water to balance it. Again, those marked buckets from HD are great for this purpose.
Step 2: Once the water is mixed to the proper salinity level, place in the jugs w/a powerhead and a heater for a day, or at least overnight. Check calcium and alk levels for the new salt you are using so you know just what it is.
Step 3: Drain out as much water as needed by a siphon. Suggest using a small utility pump if you have one to pump it back into your tank. Also, suggest removing your fish when draining the tank down and placing them in a bucket of the old water while you are doing the change. Using a utility pump to place the new water in the tank is better than just pouring/dumping water back into the tank as it will stir up your substrate.
Step 4: When your new water is in the tank and the level is where you want it, let it circulate for a few minutes and check your Ca, NaCl, and alk levels so you have a baseline for futire reference.
Step 5: Put the fish in and you are good to go!
As noted by others, consistent and proper temp and salinity levels are key to doing a successful water change, whether minor weekly changes or major ones as you are planning on.
Keep us posted on what happens, and good luck! Actually though, luck doesn't have anythiong to do with it, just follow everybodies helpful hints and it will work out for you.
You have no idea how helpful this is. I would however like to add one step in there. I am going to acclimate my fish when putting them back, just for an hour or so because I will have the salinity and temp exactly the same. I know it isn't necessary, but it will ease my mind.
http:///forum/post/2650895
You should have one powerhead and one heater for each jug of stored water.
Even if you mix the water up real good in the buckets, when storing water in the jugs, you should have circulation and heat so that the jug water is well mixed and as close to your desired dt temp as possible. I have a couple of cheapo small heaters i use soley for warming up water cahange buskets. Even after mixing water in your buckets to the point where the water looks clear, it should still be circulating for a day before placing it in your tank.
Home Depot sells 5 gal buckets made for measuring and I use them when removing watewr when I do changes so I have a good idea just how much I actually have removed, keeping in mind how much I have on hand, mixed up and ready to go in.
So, Step 1: mix your water in the buckets. I like to put just a little less than the standard 1/2 cup per gallon so that I can add salt to the water if needed to bring salinity up instead of having to remove water then add fresh water to balance it. Again, those marked buckets from HD are great for this purpose.
Step 2: Once the water is mixed to the proper salinity level, place in the jugs w/a powerhead and a heater for a day, or at least overnight. Check calcium and alk levels for the new salt you are using so you know just what it is.
Step 3: Drain out as much water as needed by a siphon. Suggest using a small utility pump if you have one to pump it back into your tank. Also, suggest removing your fish when draining the tank down and placing them in a bucket of the old water while you are doing the change. Using a utility pump to place the new water in the tank is better than just pouring/dumping water back into the tank as it will stir up your substrate.
Step 4: When your new water is in the tank and the level is where you want it, let it circulate for a few minutes and check your Ca, NaCl, and alk levels so you have a baseline for futire reference.
Step 5: Put the fish in and you are good to go!
As noted by others, consistent and proper temp and salinity levels are key to doing a successful water change, whether minor weekly changes or major ones as you are planning on.
Keep us posted on what happens, and good luck! Actually though, luck doesn't have anythiong to do with it, just follow everybodies helpful hints and it will work out for you.
You have no idea how helpful this is. I would however like to add one step in there. I am going to acclimate my fish when putting them back, just for an hour or so because I will have the salinity and temp exactly the same. I know it isn't necessary, but it will ease my mind.
camfish
Active Member
I do have a question, though. So my light keeps my water at 78 degrees and I adjusted my heater so that it would too keep it at 78...when I turn the heatere and lights off, it goes to 76 degrees (room temp.) So instead of heating the water, i am keeping it at room temp (76) and letting my tank temp fall to 76, is this okay?
nordy
Active Member
Is that your new salt mix testing at 7.5? It doesn't seem right that freshly mixed SW would test that low. How old is your test kit and do you have a high range PH test solution? ? Do you have access to a LFS that could check the PH for you to confirm or refute that low reading?
If your room temp is indeed 76 I think it is OK to let your mixed water come to that temp before putting it in the tank. The temp changes resulting from the light going on and off are pretty gradual and shouldn't be a problem. That being said, I think stable temps are pretty important in the long term for the health of your tank. You mention turning off your heater-if the heater temp control works (and that is a bif if-temp regulation is the main failure mode for heaters) it should be left on at all times for stability.
If your room temp is indeed 76 I think it is OK to let your mixed water come to that temp before putting it in the tank. The temp changes resulting from the light going on and off are pretty gradual and shouldn't be a problem. That being said, I think stable temps are pretty important in the long term for the health of your tank. You mention turning off your heater-if the heater temp control works (and that is a bif if-temp regulation is the main failure mode for heaters) it should be left on at all times for stability.
nordy
Active Member
I always do a couple of extra tests when getting results out of range from what is expected just to be sure I didn't make a mistake when testing. I have read, but can't confirm, that the test strips are not very accurate. Are the dip strips made for SW testing? Your Ca and alk levels seem good-are they for your freshly mixed water?
nordy
Active Member
Here's what I suggest-go ahead and mix up your new water for the change. If you have mixed it properly (salinity) you should be OK for PH, even though you are getting those funky readings. I know it can be confusing, but if you have mixed your new water properly, and have tested salinity and gotten good results, then it should be entirely safe to go ahead and do the water change with your new water, regardless of the way out of range PH results you are getting.
Next step, get a new good high range (important!) SW ph test kit as soon as you can. I bet that your test results will be close to what you want!
P.S. You absolutely can not use pool water PH test kits for SW! Get that thought out of your mind! Better not to test, at least in your particular situation, than to even think about using a pool PH test kit. As to Po-lice would say, put the test kit down, step back, and put your hands on your head
Seriously though, they are designed for a "low range" PH, normally between 7.0 and 7.8. They just will not work in the range that SW water will test at. My SW PH test kit color chart ranges from 7.4 to 8.8. It would be best to just forget about those low ph readings you are getting until you get a new "High Range PH Saltwater Test Kit".
I bet that once you get one of those test kits, you will find that your newly mixed water is pretty close to where you want it to be!
Next step, get a new good high range (important!) SW ph test kit as soon as you can. I bet that your test results will be close to what you want!
P.S. You absolutely can not use pool water PH test kits for SW! Get that thought out of your mind! Better not to test, at least in your particular situation, than to even think about using a pool PH test kit. As to Po-lice would say, put the test kit down, step back, and put your hands on your head
Seriously though, they are designed for a "low range" PH, normally between 7.0 and 7.8. They just will not work in the range that SW water will test at. My SW PH test kit color chart ranges from 7.4 to 8.8. It would be best to just forget about those low ph readings you are getting until you get a new "High Range PH Saltwater Test Kit".
I bet that once you get one of those test kits, you will find that your newly mixed water is pretty close to where you want it to be!
camfish
Active Member
Originally Posted by Nordy
http:///forum/post/2651119
Here's what I suggest-go ahead and mix up your new water for the change. If you have mixed it properly (salinity) you should be OK for PH, even though you are getting those funky readings. I know it can be confusing, but if you have mixed your new water properly, and have tested salinity and gotten good results, then it should be entirely safe to go ahead and do the water change with your new water, regardless of the way out of range PH results you are getting.
Next step, get a new good high range (important!) SW ph test kit as soon as you can. I bet that your test results will be close to what you want!
P.S. You absolutely can not use pool water PH test kits for SW! Get that thought out of your mind! Better not to test, at least in your particular situation, than to even think about using a pool PH test kit. As to Po-lice would say, put the test kit down, step back, and put your hands on your head
Seriously though, they are designed for a "low range" PH, normally between 7.0 and 7.8. They just will not work in the range that SW water will test at. My SW PH test kit color chart ranges from 7.4 to 8.8. It would be best to just forget about those low ph readings you are getting until you get a new "High Range PH Saltwater Test Kit".
I bet that once you get one of those test kits, you will find that your newly mixed water is pretty close to where you want it to be!
I hope you are right about that. I mean, how can my alkalinity and calcium be that high and the pH be that low? Come to think of it, I was surprised that when my alkalinity was super high and my pH was in the norm...maybe, it was never in the norm. Thanks for all of the help. I will make sure to get a better test in the future. I'll keep you posted on it.
http:///forum/post/2651119
Here's what I suggest-go ahead and mix up your new water for the change. If you have mixed it properly (salinity) you should be OK for PH, even though you are getting those funky readings. I know it can be confusing, but if you have mixed your new water properly, and have tested salinity and gotten good results, then it should be entirely safe to go ahead and do the water change with your new water, regardless of the way out of range PH results you are getting.
Next step, get a new good high range (important!) SW ph test kit as soon as you can. I bet that your test results will be close to what you want!
P.S. You absolutely can not use pool water PH test kits for SW! Get that thought out of your mind! Better not to test, at least in your particular situation, than to even think about using a pool PH test kit. As to Po-lice would say, put the test kit down, step back, and put your hands on your head
Seriously though, they are designed for a "low range" PH, normally between 7.0 and 7.8. They just will not work in the range that SW water will test at. My SW PH test kit color chart ranges from 7.4 to 8.8. It would be best to just forget about those low ph readings you are getting until you get a new "High Range PH Saltwater Test Kit".
I bet that once you get one of those test kits, you will find that your newly mixed water is pretty close to where you want it to be!
I hope you are right about that. I mean, how can my alkalinity and calcium be that high and the pH be that low? Come to think of it, I was surprised that when my alkalinity was super high and my pH was in the norm...maybe, it was never in the norm. Thanks for all of the help. I will make sure to get a better test in the future. I'll keep you posted on it.
camfish
Active Member
Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2651484
it will take some time before the water is completely mixed and stabil that why its recomended to mix it overnight so that PH and everything can stabilize to what the end reading is going to be.
I would test tomorrow and see what you come up with.
Mike
I am going to take the water to my lfs to get it tested there.
http:///forum/post/2651484
it will take some time before the water is completely mixed and stabil that why its recomended to mix it overnight so that PH and everything can stabilize to what the end reading is going to be.
I would test tomorrow and see what you come up with.
Mike
I am going to take the water to my lfs to get it tested there.
nordy
Active Member
Originally Posted by camfish
http:///forum/post/2651877
I am going to take the water to my lfs to get it tested there.
Good idea!
Let us know what they find out.
http:///forum/post/2651877
I am going to take the water to my lfs to get it tested there.
Good idea!
camfish
Active Member
Originally Posted by Nordy
http:///forum/post/2651929
Good idea!
Let us know what they find out.
You guys were right. My test sucked. They tested it and got a nice round 8
I know that it isn't exactly where I want it to be, but the argonite and LR will raise it a bit. I am going to start mixing (yeah, I didn't want to waste all that water if my salt was tainted). I will get that mixed today and do the change tomorrow. I appreciate your help. I will tell you how my fish do later.
http:///forum/post/2651929
Good idea!
You guys were right. My test sucked. They tested it and got a nice round 8
camfish
Active Member
I do have a quick question...a little strayed from the subject, but whatever. I noticed today that there are little buglike things crawling on my tank glass and in the aquarium a bit. Are these copepods? I have researched a lot about aquariums (haven't we all?) and I remember reading about these before. They aren't on my fish and my fish seems well, but these are harmless right?