dkpate
Aquarium Advice Addict
Why don't you just use water the same temp as the tank?
Neon Tetra just died please help me
- Thread starter Tsukiko-pyon
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
TROPICALFISHAUCTION
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2008
- Messages
- 39
Even with small traces of ammonia, nitrate etc. can kill. Some animals are very sensitive to water conditions.
7Enigma
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'd get a larger container unless you are uncomfortable lifting heavier buckets. The easiest way to not hate larger water changes are to go to bigger containers. Less trips, less time, it's a win/win for everyone. I personally like to add my dechlor prior to adding to the tank. It gives me assurance that any chlorine present is neutralized before adding to the tank. It's also easy to do since I use a 5 gallon bucket so while the water is pouring in from my tub I add the dechlor near the beginning of the fill so I know it's mixed well by the time the water is turned off.
Temperature is very important. You don't need it to be exact, but within about 2F. The smaller the amount of water you add the less vital the temp difference, but it's better to be close. When I first started the hobby I had a digital thermometer I used to check the temp of the bucket water before adding it to the tank. What I found is that, even for a novice, it is very easy to tell temp differences with your hand (clean hand that didn't get washed in antibacterial soap!!!). If you dip your hand in the tank and then quickly dip it in the bucket you can accurately tell which is hotter/colder than the other. Once I can't readily tell a difference I know I'm close enough that the fish won't mind. When I used to measure temp and started this method I was normally off by 1/2-1F. The key is to have the bucket next to the tank. Once you wait a couple seconds or walk to another room it is much more difficult to "remember" what the temp of the other container was.
With this method and the 5 gallon bucket I can do a 10 gallon water change on my 20 gallon in about 15-20 minutes. Most of that time is from carefully siphoning the substrate to avoid sucking up fish (my tank is horribly overstocked with platy/guppy/oto's and they just love to make a mad dash for the hose at random times).
I actually now have three 5 gallon buckets for water changes (since I have 2 cats I use the thick litter buckets that have handles). 2 of the buckets stay next to the tank to remove the old water, and the remaining bucket is what I fill with new water. I first fill the bucket with new water, dechlor, and match the temp as close as possible, then go and siphon. When I'm done removing the 10 gallons I bring the 5 gallon in and test the temp. Normally I have to add 1/2 gallon or so of colder/hotter water, but within 30seconds am ready to add fresh water in. I have a suction cup breeder box that sticks to the inside of the tank. This has slits in the side that allow the water to gently spread out over the surface of the tank instead of messing up the sand/plants when I dump the bucket.
HTH
Temperature is very important. You don't need it to be exact, but within about 2F. The smaller the amount of water you add the less vital the temp difference, but it's better to be close. When I first started the hobby I had a digital thermometer I used to check the temp of the bucket water before adding it to the tank. What I found is that, even for a novice, it is very easy to tell temp differences with your hand (clean hand that didn't get washed in antibacterial soap!!!). If you dip your hand in the tank and then quickly dip it in the bucket you can accurately tell which is hotter/colder than the other. Once I can't readily tell a difference I know I'm close enough that the fish won't mind. When I used to measure temp and started this method I was normally off by 1/2-1F. The key is to have the bucket next to the tank. Once you wait a couple seconds or walk to another room it is much more difficult to "remember" what the temp of the other container was.
With this method and the 5 gallon bucket I can do a 10 gallon water change on my 20 gallon in about 15-20 minutes. Most of that time is from carefully siphoning the substrate to avoid sucking up fish (my tank is horribly overstocked with platy/guppy/oto's and they just love to make a mad dash for the hose at random times).
I actually now have three 5 gallon buckets for water changes (since I have 2 cats I use the thick litter buckets that have handles). 2 of the buckets stay next to the tank to remove the old water, and the remaining bucket is what I fill with new water. I first fill the bucket with new water, dechlor, and match the temp as close as possible, then go and siphon. When I'm done removing the 10 gallons I bring the 5 gallon in and test the temp. Normally I have to add 1/2 gallon or so of colder/hotter water, but within 30seconds am ready to add fresh water in. I have a suction cup breeder box that sticks to the inside of the tank. This has slits in the side that allow the water to gently spread out over the surface of the tank instead of messing up the sand/plants when I dump the bucket.
HTH
