First time water change.

[ddeans]

It is that time where I think I need to do my first partial water change. I have never done one on a salt water tank, and I read where some have actually vacuumed the bottom, and some just siphoned water out. I have a little over 150lbs of live rock rock on a crushed coral bottom, so I am worried that vacuuming will be more fun then I can stand. So vacuum, or siphon..?

 

[melosu58]

If you have CC I would suggest you vacuum the substrate. If it was sand then let your clean uo crew do the job. CC usually get food and waste trapped in it.

 

[ddeans]

If you have CC I would suggest you vacuum the substrate. If it was sand then let your clean uo crew do the job. CC usually get food and waste trapped in it.

Mike, Do I really have to move all that rock out? Will it damage the corals? I have bristle worms, alot of them don't they clean up the stuff that's between the crushed coral bottom?

 

[GhostKnife]

So you do have a crushed coral bottom... Use a gravel vac on it then as you would pebble substrate in a fresh water aquarium.

 

[ddeans]

So you do have a crushed coral bottom... Use a gravel vac on it then as you would pebble substrate in a fresh water aquarium.

If I don't move the live rock and vacuum under them will it cause a problem?

 

[GhostKnife]

I would not move your rock around at all. If you think about it no waste is really getting under there. All you are worried about is fish waste and uneaten food that falls in between your crushed coral. Just get close to the rocks and get that. What I would do is vacuum one side of your tank this time. Next time vacuum the other side and so on. How many gallons is your tank and how deep is your crushed coral bed?

 

[thincat]

Your first problem is your CC substrate. These are also know as Nitrate Factories. Crushed coral makes for a lousy substrate. First it's very hard for your cleanup crew to get between them to clean it up. Second, because of this you will start to get nitrate buildup due to this.
Well, you should try to remove this in the near future or you will have nothing but trouble with it.
Okay, for now you will have to be very diligent and vacume as much as you can. You can't be moving all of your LR every time you vacume and that's where the problem lays. with Aragonite sand your CUC can get under and between those rocks and clean them out for you.....You see where the problem lays.
I would vacume the best that you can without moving your LR and try to remove the CC and replace it with the Aragonite sand in the near future.
Are you going to be using RO/DI water?
To the container of RO/DI water mix in your salt, stir and get it as close to 1.025 SG as you can. Use a power head to mix the water. Add a small heater to get the water up to the temp. of your DT. Let this stir and mix over night. Measure SG again and add more water if it's Higher then 1.025 or add more salt if it's below that.
Do your syphoning out of water and crud and replace with the water you made up the night before.
I hope you have a Refractometer or at least for now a Hydrometer...

 

[ddeans]

I do have a refractometer. I am interested in replacing the crushed coral with the sandy stuff, but I have a few questions for that.

First, how would I get all of that crushed coral out without killing my fish, and secondly, how would I add all of the sand without making the water too cloudy?

How many pounds of that sand should I get?

Should I take all of the Live Rock out and then try to catch all the fish and put them in a bucket while I scoop out all of the coral?

Lastly, will my snails loose traction in the sand?

 

[ddeans]

I would not move your rock around at all. If you think about it no waste is really getting under there. All you are worried about is fish waste and uneaten food that falls in between your crushed coral. Just get close to the rocks and get that. What I would do is vacuum one side of your tank this time. Next time vacuum the other side and so on. How many gallons is your tank and how deep is your crushed coral bed?

There is about 3/4 inch of crushed coral, and the tank is 125 gallons.

 

[ddeans]

Bio-Activ Live Aragonite Natural White Reef Sand #0 - 20 lb. | Buffered Substrate | Gravel & Substrate | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com

Is this the sand that I should buy?

 

[thincat]

Okay, first off, you don't need livesand...More than likely the stuff has been on the shelf so long it's all dead. Your LR will make your sand live soon enough.
You may want to get something a little coarser then #0. Someone else will have to help you on the # of the sand.
Do the removal in steps. Do half and then do the other half.
You do not have to remove your LR or fish to do this. If the CC is small enough suck it out. Rinse out your new Aragonite well and then Make a funnel out of cardboard or something like that and pour the sand in slowly. The water will get a little cloudy but should clear overnight. When it's time to do another PWC repeat the process untill it's done to the depth that you want. I run a Deep sandbed ~4-6" and use that to help keep my nitrates down.
Good luck and take your time. It does not have to be done in a day.

 

[InfernoST]

To add to TC's instructions, you can use a length of PVC pipe (cut to a manageable size or course) to put the substrate in.

 

[ddeans]

TC, I was actually hoping you would say I could use something more coarse. I was wanting to use something that every time a fish got near the bottom it wouldn't create a dust cloud.The largest I can buy at my LFS is #1 though.

Marine Substrate - Aragonite Sand #1 - 20 lb. | Buffered Substrate | Gravel & Substrate | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com

That is what I think I would like to get.

However, the coral is way to big to suck up through the vacuum. I also have so much live rock in the tank that I don't think that I will be able to vacuum around it.

Here is a few pics of my tank. I have never done this picture thing before so hopefully it works:

s

 

[melosu58]

Sorry I did not get back sooner but no dont move the LR. Just vacuum CC that is accesible. You dont want to move LR. As mentioned above sand would be a better option. Then your clean up crew could do it for you.

 

[ddeans]

Sorry I did not get back sooner but no dont move the LR. Just vacuum CC that is accesible. You dont want to move LR. As mentioned above sand would be a better option. Then your clean up crew could do it for you.

No worries Mike. I appreciate everyones help on this so far. I am going to move the live rock to one side of the tank today and remove the coral. Then I am going to put in #1 sand in the bottom of the tank so that I won't have this headache any more.

 

[austinsdad]

You gotta QT tank? just wonderin' how if that'd help to move all the critters and do your thing with the substrate switch over a day or two and not worry about the fish or a mini cycle or something.

Maybe even a couple of new tupperware buckets could do the trick. Just keep a powerhead going in them and maintain temp.

P.S. - nice tank. Betcha you'd love it even more with a back on it - painted or otherwise.

 

[ddeans]

Ray, I have a back for it, but I've been having a little trouble with the protein skimmer so I haven't put it up yet because I don't want to tear it. The tank shouldn't cycle again should it?

 

[austinsdad]

Hol old is the tank? I've heard of mini cycles when disturbing the substrate bed deeply. Especially when older established tanks are involved. When you do the change, have a minimum 25% water change ready just in case and monitor the chemistry.

 

[ddeans]

Ray, the tank is about 7 weeks old.

 

[divedeep1689]

Wat type of fish do you have in there? just the damsels i agree with everyone else about that crushed coral i had a 29 gal tank when i first started and that cc was awful could not keep it clean for nothing if i was you i would change it before your tank gets any more mature as you will just have more work then i would just get a small tank put the fish in it with some tank water and a few handfulls of cc because its already seeded put your rocks in a rubber maid with tank water and filter drain the tank saving as much water as possible scoop out all the cc then replace with sand and your live rocks and old water later re aclimate your fish. like i said wait to long it will be more of a chore. i would go with the dry agronite sand.