*Urgent* 100% water change.

[molliwopp]

Want some opinions. My fish come tomorrow in less than 12hrs. My tanks been cycled for weeks to a high ammonia ppm of 4. I want to change 100% of the water now, so its slightly aged and dechlorinated for when they arrive,
What would you do? A) wait and do it an hour before i add them or B) or now? I know bacteria can live for days when oxygenated.

 

[trkchezz]

What are your water test results?

 

[molliwopp]

What are your water test results?

I appreciate your post but im not a novice.. my parameters are fine and isnt the question i asked.

 

[molliwopp]

I should make the question more clear, they are my first mail order fish, i usually do it before i go to the lfs. Im thinking i would want them out of those bags as quick as possible and 30mins off the drip acclimatisation is a chunk out of that time.

So, now? Or when they arrive?

 

[Sillyfishies]

I should make the question more clear, they are my first mail order fish, i usually do it before i go to the lfs. Im thinking i would want them out of those bags as quick as possible and 30mins off the drip acclimatisation is a chunk out of that time.

I'd do it right before getting them

 

[bribo12]

I should make the question more clear, they are my first mail order fish, i usually do it before i go to the lfs. Im thinking i would want them out of those bags as quick as possible and 30mins off the drip acclimatisation is a chunk out of that time.

I'm confused why do you need to do the 100% water change if your tank is cycled and showing no ammonia or trites? Also why drip acclimate freshwater. Fish being shipped overnight usually do fine. Upon arrival just make sure the water doesn't look bad or smell and the fish look ok. If they look fine I don't see the point in changing 100% of your water. Maybe I'm just confused though.

 

[molliwopp]

I'm confused why do you need to do the 100% water change if your tank is cycled and showing no ammonia or trites? Also why drip acclimate freshwater. Fish being shipped overnight usually do fine. Upon arrival just make sure the water doesn't look bad or smell and the fish look ok. If they look fine I don't see the point in changing 100% of your water. Maybe I'm just confused though.

Nitrates from the cycle, drip acclimate incase the water in the bags differ from tank water.. its a standard practice. Maybe 100% isnt needed to cut the nitrates down to a suitable level but why not.

 

[bshenanagins]

Yeah I'm not understanding either. 100% WC could possibly inhibit a mini cycle. If your parameters are fine then why the worry? Just drip acclimate and all should be well

 

[Andy Sager]

I'd be putting new fish, from a new source, into a quarantine tank with new water before I would put them into your main tank. Fish go under some stressful situations when being shipped so you don't know what you are adding to your tank along with the fish. By using a QT, you have the time to watch for disease outbreaks and you give your new fish a chance to settle down from the transit and eat without being harassed by the existing fish. Once you have made the determination that they are okay, I would then add them after your routine water change.

Hope this helps.

 

[bshenanagins]

Well what's your nitrate reading? If they are below 20 I wouldn't be overly concerned but a 50% would be good.

 

[molliwopp]

I'd be putting new fish, from a new source, into a quarantine tank with new water before I would put them into your main tank. Fish go under some stressful situations when being shipped so you don't know what you are adding to your tank along with the fish. By using a QT, you have the time to watch for disease outbreaks and you give your new fish a chance to settle down from the transit and eat without being harassed by the existing fish. Once you have made the determination that they are okay, I would then add them after your routine water change.

Hope this helps.

There will be no existing fish, this is a species tank. Not to be rude(and i mean that)but i dont need to know about QT. This is a question about cutting down the time the fish are bagged. Water changing 12hr before or when they arrive.

 

[bribo12]

Nitrates from the cycle, drip acclimate incase the water in the bags differ from tank water.. its a standard practice. Maybe 100% isnt needed to cut the nitrates down to a suitable level but why not.

Maybe cause I'm a salty I don't see the necessity of fw drip acclimation but to all their own methods. I'd say do a 50-75% change to get trates down not 100.

 

[molliwopp]

Well what's your nitrate reading? If they are below 20 I wouldn't be overly concerned but a 50% would be good.

Theyre at 40. A 100% shall have no effect on the bacteria as the water is identical to the water coming out of my tap. And why not do 90-100% while im there.

 

[molliwopp]

I'd do it right before getting them

Thank you. Thats what ill do.

 

[jlk]

Unless its a bare bottom tank and your emptying the filters/canisters of the water they contain, a 100% wc is not possible. Change 90%/as much as possible now and let it run overnight. If your nitrates are extremely high, you may need to do more than one big wc. This way the temperature is stable and any dissolved gasses will have left and your ph will be where you expect it to be normally by tomorrow. You can always double check your numbers in the morning in case something is off that needs to be furthered addressed.

 

[molliwopp]

Ok, 90% coming up and 50% tomorrow. Want them nitrates looow.

 

[bshenanagins]

I understand what your saying, but anytime I've done a WC like that I disrupt my cycle. Just recently it happened with my turtle tank. I needed to empty it to move the tank (long story) and refilled it within minutes. Right now I'm staring through a cloudy tank. Just my $.02

 

[20cc]

first off you should never do a 100% water change.. fish like aged water . and second why you worried about nitrates its ammonia and nitrites you should worry about.

 

[jlk]

I understand what your saying, but anytime I've done a WC like that I disrupt my cycle. Just recently it happened with my turtle tank. I needed to empty it to move the tank (long story) and refilled it within minutes. Right now I'm staring through a cloudy tank. Just my $.02

I do as close to 100% wcs on my tanks 1-3x a week without it ever affecting a cycle but everyone's circumstances and water are different.

 

[bshenanagins]

I do as close to 100% wcs on my tanks 1-3x a week without it ever affecting a cycle but everyone's circumstances and water are different.

Yeah I'm not sure what does it. I also have a bare tank