Best way to do a water change?

[myrtle beach]

I have been putting off doing a water change because my numbers are good (pH a bit low 8.0), and my fish are doing well and water is crystal, but now I've heard from everyone that it must be done once a month.
How much should be drained from a 55g?
Can I use tap water if I have an addative to remove chlorine?
I've read that you should prepare water a day in advance to allow things to mix and settle, is this necessary?
I plan on adding a gallon or two at a time because I don't have an extra heater and I want to keep powerhead and filter circulating, can I do five gallons each day for a few days so as not to cause a drastic change in temp,pH,or salinity?
My equipment includes, five gallon bucket, syphon tube, salt, dechlorinate solution, and that's about it. Is there anything that is necessary that I am forgetting? Do I have to use RO water? Are the distilled gallons of water from Walmart the same? Will running tap water through a Brita filter help?
:help:

 

[reefkprz]

the problem with doing only 1 gallon at a time is once you do one gallon it mixes with all the water in the tank, the next gallon your removing some of the water yo just added, so the percentage of waste dilution drops dramaticly. you really want to remove all the water for your water change at once, then top back off slowly. most HOB filters can lift water almost the full length of their tubes so you shouldnt have to shut it off.

 

[geridoc]

You are adequately equipped to do weekly changes of 5 gallons. You should make up 5 gal of fresh sea water the day before your planned water change using RODI water. You can get this water from a number of places, but tap-filtered water is not sufficiently pure imho. Siphon 5 gal out of your tank and add the replacement water. You will need a small powerhead and heater.

 

[myrtle beach]

I wasn't planning on shutting anything off, I just don't want to drain it below my powerheads which are about 1/3 of the way down. I figure this is a good area to stop. Also, I was going to add the water a gallon at a time every ten minutes or so, as not to shock the livestock. I didn't want to remove too much water.
Any help on the other questions? Using brita filtered water vs. store bought distilled, adding stuff to remove chlorine, letting it settle after mixing salt, etc? Any other advice or equipment I might use/need? :help:

 

[myrtle beach]

Geri Doc,
Thanks for answering my questions, what if I don't have an extra powerhead or heater? Should I even use the stuff to remove chlorine? I have NitroMax bateria stuff with oxygen booster that I used to cycle tank, it says to add this when doing water changes, is this OK or a waste of time? Are the distilled water gallons from Walmart (60cents) comparable to RO or DI water?

 

[joncat24]

the water from walmart in the green lable or purple lable are both ro/di water. Just mix it up in the jugs a day ahead, or a few hours. shake it up in the jugs really well until it is all disolved. syphon out 5 gallons and then put the new 5 gallons back in. As long as the water is somewhat close to tank temp, you should be fine.
It is not the recommended method, but I did it that way on my 72 gallon for about a year with no problems at all.

 

[geridoc]

Originally Posted by Myrtle Beach
Geri Doc,
Thanks for answering my questions, what if I don't have an extra powerhead or heater? Should I even use the stuff to remove chlorine? I have NitroMax bateria stuff with oxygen booster that I used to cycle tank, it says to add this when doing water changes, is this OK or a waste of time? Are the distilled water gallons from Walmart (60cents) comparable to RO or DI water?
Small powerheads and heaters are pretty cheap. No matter what, you are going to need them, so bite the bullet and delay buying one organism for awhile. I'm not sure about the Walmart water, but others here have mentioned getting RODI at Walmart. Ditch the NitroMax!