what is the procedure for changing water??

[nosebleed]

how do you go about changing water without stressing the fish. My water is really yellow.

[lyquidphyre]

welcome to AA!!!

Do you have a gravel vac? If not I suggest getting one because that makes things SO much easier
Once you have a gravel vac and a bucket... empty 25% of ur water (since its yellow) and refill it with water that is dechlorenated

From then on do 10-20% weekly water changes

[Jchillin]

Welcome to AA!

I agree with Lyquidphyre. The gravel vac is a wonderful piece of equipment. One question, do you know why your water is yellow?

[QTOFFER]

Welcome to AA, nosebleed!

Waterchanges are a pretty simple operation - like liquidphyre said, remove 10 - 25% every week with a gravel vac, and replace with dechlorinated water. Just wondering how big the tank is, and if you have a Python gravel vac. Also, do you have dechlorinator/water conditioner?

The yellow color could be caused by tannins leaching out of real driftwood in the tank, or peat in your filter. If this is the case, rest assured it's not harmful to the fish.

[carpediem]

get a gravel vac, a clean bucket (large enough to handle your water change amount). Have a towel ready just in case.
Fill the large syphon part of your assembled gravel vac by holding it partly below the surface until it fills without with aquarium water and while holding your finger almost completely covering the other tube end of your vac. (both ends are at this point at equal level). Now here it goes.
Slowly (!) lift up the big end out of the water and you will feel air pushing out the other end past your finger. Watch until the water almost reaches your finger blocking the tube. Be fast and block off the tube now, or you will have a mess.
Now keep the end blocked and dip your large end back into the aquarium opening pointing higher up until air is all out and the big end entirely filled with water.
Now tilt the big opening down to your gravel. Make sure no fish are around the immediate area,
guide your hand holding the other end of the tube still blocked over the bucket.
Check for fish again and then release your finger from the tube. Water will start flowing until you lift the big end out of the water. (Tip: check your bucket every once in a while, lol).
Now you can either just suck out the water or "dust" the top of your gravel or "deep-clean" by pushing the big part into the gravel.
If you only do small water changes, you can pinch the tube to stop the flow, move to the next area, release the tube and water will be sucked again, and so on.

[lyquidphyre]

I always just syphon it with my mouth.................
I just make sure to spit it out before the water comes

is that bad/gross?

[carpediem]

totally gross and not exactly healthy for you either. chemicals, bacteries,....
You should even wash your hands before and after you handle the water. I know most people do not do it.
Try the method out and you can refill it the same way by putting the bucket with fresh water higher than your aquarium (my tank size allows me to put the square bucket across the top of the tank) and you can suck it out of the bucket back into the aquarium with minimal disturbance. (point it to an ornament, for example).

[Biznatch]

I recently bought a gravel vac and it has a ball valve in it at the top of the large tube. This allows you to just shake it left and right at an angle untill the water begins to syphon itself and you start vaccuuming.

[malkore]

Its really not hard to start a gravel vac siphon. Fill the big end with water from the tank, then hold both ends up, like a big U
Water will fill the hose...lower the 'suction' end until the entire hose fills with water, then insert the suction end back into the tank, keeping the other end plugged with your thumb. once the suction end fills with water, the whole thing should be full...so just remove your thumb and let it drain.

(i need to make a video of this for people)

[nosebleed]

I think the reason why my tank is yellow is because i havent change water in 3 years and there is a lot of waste build up.