Water Changes

[maddest]

I wanted to know if anyone can describe me how they do their water changes. I am going to do one this coming month on the first and I wanted to know how. What I just know right now is that it has to be same temperature and salt, and has to be setup before 3 days. When I take out the water do I just take it out of I have to use those things that it sucks the gravel with water and takes out the dirty stuff from the gravel.?

 

[gilpil]

Do you have crushed coral or sand?

 

[maddest]

i think its sand, on the bag it said for reef tanks with bacterias

 

[gilpil]

is it small grains like sand? Crushed coral has chuncks the size of like peas.

 

[maddest]

its black and white, white is like sand and blacks is like the normal freshwater sand

 

[maddest]

my brother says its sand

 

[gilpil]

You are right about getting the salinity and temp as close as possible to your tank, but you need it to sit for at least 24 hours. Most people take out 10% of their water a week, some do 25% every month. I prefer 10% a week. Since you have sand, you will want to stir up just a portion of your sand bed before you take the water out. Do not stir too much up or it may cause you tank to go into another cycle. Also do not use a tube like you would if you had gravel or crushed coral, since if you stick it in the sand and syphon, the sand will just go with the water. Replace the water slowly. Even though it is really close to your tanks water, it still may be slightly off, so take and hour or two to put the water back in. Well thats all for now, unless you have more questions.

 

[maddest]

ok, another question, can I still use the tube just to take the water out? Just to get it right, I have to like move the gravel a little bit right so the dirt would flow around the water and like that when I take the water out it would take some of the dirt that is on the gravel, am I right?

 

[gilpil]

Yeah, you can use the tube, and that is exactly what moving the substrate would do. Sometimes it is good to get a fish or invertebrate in your tank that naturally will move the sand around.

 

[mscoral21]

About how many gallons is 10% roughly? in a 55

 

[gilpil]

I put 5 gallons into a rubbermaid container, then add roughly 2.5 cups of instant ocean (1/2 cup per gallon). I will let it sit awhile and then check the salinity. I then add more salt or more water slowly to get the correct salinity. When I add I usually never go over a sixth gallon. Then I have an exact duplicate container that I put the water that I am taking out into. I fill it up to the same level that is in the new water so that the same amount that is coming out is going in. You may want to make a little extra new water if you are going to let it sit for 3 days, because there will be some evaporation.

 

[aannddyy]

what do u have to do with crushed corals?

 

[gilpil]

Do the same thing, only us the tube that you can place down in the CC and it will bring up excess food, and fish waste, but the CC will be to heavy, so that it won't go with the water. I do this everyweek, because unfortunately I have CC. It does add an extra step when you have CC, but it does not take up that much more time in my opinion. These tubes can be found at almost any lfs.