Water Change?

S

shrimpy brains

Guest
Do you premix your water?? You need to do this in a seperate container at least 24 hours prior to change. You can use any (new) rubbermaid container. (most people use trash plastic cans) Mix it up and drop in a powerhhead for circulation. Also, only change about 20% of tank water. Is this helpful?? If not, tell us how you do it, and maybe we can help more.
 

brokendeck

Active Member
Originally Posted by Tbonesteak1020
http:///forum/post/3047666
What is the best way to change water? My tank seems to mildly crash after a water change and every thing gets all stressed!
Siphon out water into a 5 gallon bucket. Keep doing it until you get the amount of water you want to change out.
To add the new water, buy a small pump, and pump your new saltwater into the tank.
 

don trinko

Member
When you add the new water do it slowly. The fish will "aclimate" to any small differences.. Pumping it in from a heated storage tank at a rate that takes 10 to 20 minutes to refill is what I do.
Make sure your new water is premixed a day or two and at the correct SG and temperature. All of this IMO; Don T.
 

al mc

Active Member
If you start with good quality water (RO/DI preferably); mix the salt into the water well (aerator and/or pump) and make sure it is the same temperature, pH and Specific gravity as your DT water you should be able to change out as much water as you want with minimal stress to the DT inhabitants.
 

monalisa

Active Member
Like everyone has already said, premix and preheat a day or 2 ahead of time. I've never heard of even a mild crash from a water change. My tank inhabitants LOVE cleaning day!! What makes you think your tank is having a "mini crash"?
Lisa
 

jackri

Active Member
Originally Posted by Tbonesteak1020
http:///forum/post/3051002
ok premix got it thanks!
I premix 5 gallons of new mix with a small pump while I do my cleaning of 5 gallons.. then dump it in slowly with a pitcher... never had a problem but its in a 100g system.
 

jonjpl

Member
If you have a really good filter system and great clean up crew and your water test are all good, how often do you Really need to change water and why?
 
S

shrimpy brains

Guest
I think the biggest reason people think of water changes is for waste removal...reduce nitrates and phospates etc... but another important reason for this is to replenish essential elements such as calcim, strontium, molybdenum etc. There is a very interesting discussion thread on this in the advances in the hobby section of this site. However, I don't think there are too many people who are successful in this hobby, who don't do regular water changes. (which is however they break it up, roughly 20-30% every 3 weeks to a month)
 

don trinko

Member
I'm no expert but I think once a month is the minimum I would change 20% min for a light bioload. (few fish) and 35% for a "normal" load. Heavily loaded I would change 40 to 50%.
Heavy loading is not a good idea with salt water unless you are willing to do water changes more than once a month. All of this IMO; Don T.
 
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