Water Changes
- Thread starter kiriokool
- Start date
granny
Member
I dont have an RO unit so use distilled water (it would be cheaper in the long run to buy the unit-on my list) and have great results. I also use reef crystals 1/2 cup to each gallon of water. Lowes has these great rubber trash cans you can use to mix your salt up at least a day ahead of time, add a heater and powerhead. Make sure the specific gravity and temp are the same as the water in your tank now.
Siphon out at least 20% if this is your first water change. I do 20% a week, just because it keeps my tank looking so fresh and clean!! Then if I ever have to m iss a week, I dont worry about it.
Take this opportunity to change/clean filters-use your siphoned out water to clean out the pads so you dont lose your good bacteria you have worked so hard to gain. clean your skimmer, rinse everything-clean thetops and glass and 3 hours later, your tank will look great and your fish/inver will be thanking you.
Siphon out at least 20% if this is your first water change. I do 20% a week, just because it keeps my tank looking so fresh and clean!! Then if I ever have to m iss a week, I dont worry about it.
Take this opportunity to change/clean filters-use your siphoned out water to clean out the pads so you dont lose your good bacteria you have worked so hard to gain. clean your skimmer, rinse everything-clean thetops and glass and 3 hours later, your tank will look great and your fish/inver will be thanking you.
agent707
Member
So I've got to spend ANOTHER couple hundred $$$...??? Man, this is becoming a money pit.
OK, let me see if I have this straight. In order to do water changes (Which I should do about every other week), I need to change out roughly 15 gals of water (20% of my 75 gal) and I need.
- 2 big garbage cans (one to siphon and one to mix new water)
- RO Unit
- Keep big bucket of Instant Ocean on hand.
- And probably some tubing.
For this kind of maintenance, what price range RO should I consider. Looks like they run from $150-$250. And, is a 2 stage plenty sufficient? Or should I get a 3 stage if i could afford it?
Shesh, next time I build a house, I am just going to build an "area" specifically for an aquarium and have all this stuff (pluming, drains and all) built into the house.
OK, let me see if I have this straight. In order to do water changes (Which I should do about every other week), I need to change out roughly 15 gals of water (20% of my 75 gal) and I need.
- 2 big garbage cans (one to siphon and one to mix new water)
- RO Unit
- Keep big bucket of Instant Ocean on hand.
- And probably some tubing.
For this kind of maintenance, what price range RO should I consider. Looks like they run from $150-$250. And, is a 2 stage plenty sufficient? Or should I get a 3 stage if i could afford it?
Shesh, next time I build a house, I am just going to build an "area" specifically for an aquarium and have all this stuff (pluming, drains and all) built into the house.
jerth6932
Active Member
Money is probably an issue for 90% of SWF keepers, but they shouldn't just "NOT DO IT" because of money issues. That is why we are lucky that we have to "Take it SLOW", so if we can afford things in the future, we can get it done then! I don't know too many people who could just go out and buy the "whole" set up on a whim!!! Most people have to save, and then find out they need more, and save again! This isn't a millionair's Hobby, I don't get my credentials checked on my bank account to sign in to by stuff off line or from my LFS!
granny
Member
Good Idea!-building A Special Room For Fish Stuff. Wish I Had Thought Of That. The Garage Is Full Now But Its Good Exercise For Me Carrying All This Stuff Back And Forth.
For Now, Just Buy 20 Bottles Of Distilled Water At Your Local Store, A Small Submersible Heater And One Bag Of Salt. The Trash Can From Lowes Isnt Too Bad And You Can Use Existing Buckets If You Have Them For Now To Drain Your Water.
Put The Ro On Your Wish List-thats Where Mine Is-and Yes, The Three Stage Unit Is Better. Funny Thing Is, In Almost Every Case, We Regret Skimping, Becuase We Just Have To Replace Things Later.
For Now, Just Buy 20 Bottles Of Distilled Water At Your Local Store, A Small Submersible Heater And One Bag Of Salt. The Trash Can From Lowes Isnt Too Bad And You Can Use Existing Buckets If You Have Them For Now To Drain Your Water.
Put The Ro On Your Wish List-thats Where Mine Is-and Yes, The Three Stage Unit Is Better. Funny Thing Is, In Almost Every Case, We Regret Skimping, Becuase We Just Have To Replace Things Later.
agent707
Member
Originally Posted by archon210
if money is an issue, this hobby is not for you
If money is an issue then
- this hobby is not for you
Else
- Don't listen to archon210's advice, because it's pretty much worthless
End If
Originally Posted by Granny
Put The Ro On Your Wish List-thats Where Mine Is-and Yes, The Three Stage Unit Is Better. Funny Thing Is, In Almost Every Case, We Regret Skimping, Becuase We Just Have To Replace Things Later.
Lug dozens of gallons of water from the LFS every time I want to change water? Forget that. I'm going to get a water purifier setup and be done with it.
What I'm trying to determine is "IF" I just get a smaller 2 stage RO is it going to do the job... for the long haul? Sure, a 3 or 4 stage $300 model would be the "best", but do I "really need" it?
I don't want to buy anything that I will "just have to replace later". But if I "really don't need" it, then I'm not going to waste extra money on it. It's like 93 octane. If you can doesn't need it, you don't have to buy it.
e.g. My car has a Supercharged V6 in it. It runs just fine on 87 octane and I never put anything else in it.
I'm just trying to determine what I really need.
if money is an issue, this hobby is not for you
If money is an issue then
- this hobby is not for you
Else
- Don't listen to archon210's advice, because it's pretty much worthless
End If
Originally Posted by Granny
Put The Ro On Your Wish List-thats Where Mine Is-and Yes, The Three Stage Unit Is Better. Funny Thing Is, In Almost Every Case, We Regret Skimping, Becuase We Just Have To Replace Things Later.
Lug dozens of gallons of water from the LFS every time I want to change water? Forget that. I'm going to get a water purifier setup and be done with it.
What I'm trying to determine is "IF" I just get a smaller 2 stage RO is it going to do the job... for the long haul? Sure, a 3 or 4 stage $300 model would be the "best", but do I "really need" it?
I don't want to buy anything that I will "just have to replace later". But if I "really don't need" it, then I'm not going to waste extra money on it. It's like 93 octane. If you can doesn't need it, you don't have to buy it.
e.g. My car has a Supercharged V6 in it. It runs just fine on 87 octane and I never put anything else in it.
I'm just trying to determine what I really need.
yimmy
Active Member
Everyone has pretty much covered it. Money's an issue for me in this hobby cuz I'm 14. I just have to save up and do things a bit slower. The thing which I have noticed if you think your making a bargain, chances are you aren't. I got a cheap heater for like 6$. I said this is great, the heater shattered and I had to drain my hole tank to get the stuff out. Thank god this happened when there was no LR. If you buy something cheap your gonig to have to replace it with something better down the road. Good Luck
Jimmy
Jimmy
O
oreo12
Guest
I use two ruber totes from walmart around $5.00 a peace In my 75 gal tank I change 10 gals a week I mix 10 gals 24 hour or more in advance in one tote then I drain 10 gals in the other tote I have a spare power head to mix the water i have a hose from manards $5.00 I put on the power head and pump the new water from the tote into the tank. I then drag the old water tote to bath room lift it into bath tub and dump it out. If it is to heavy you could pump it out insteed of dumping it. I am looking for a cart with wheels that a tote would fit on then I could roll it into the other room. salt around here is $15.00 for 50 gal size. You can buy water at wall mart for 33 cent a gal so for each water change water and salt cost $8.33 one time buy items power head $30 2 totes $10 Hose $5 So $45 tool cost that realy is not all that bad for all the enjoyment the tank can give you. I purchased a ro water filter off that action site for $60 so I do not buy the water any longer I use 15 gals a week between both my tank so it paid for itself ina little over 12 weeks good luck to you