Any tips or advice for doing a water change?

[ForestLazer]

I'm going to be doing my first water change today. Are there any tips for making sure I'll be putting minimal stress on the fish? I'll be using an Aqueon water changer and I have API stress coat. I'll be adding that to the water that will be going into the tank since I have tap water. Should I put some in the tank before I start to vacuum the gravel or would that be over kill? I'm honestly a bit nervous to do this, so any advice is much appreciated!

 

[ZxC]

Remove old water. Add conditioner (enough for the entire tank volumn), add water close to the same temp. Done. no long term stress on fish.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello For...

If you're getting out all the gear for a water change, then make it worth the effort and remove and replace most of the tank water. If you replace less than half, you're still leaving most of the waste material in the tank.

B

 

[drjallen3]

I'm going to be doing my first water change today. Are there any tips for making sure I'll be putting minimal stress on the fish? I'll be using an Aqueon water changer and I have API stress coat. I'll be adding that to the water that will be going into the tank since I have tap water. Should I put some in the tank before I start to vacuum the gravel or would that be over kill? I'm honestly a bit nervous to do this, so any advice is much appreciated!

As long as you dont completely pour three times the amount you should be fine. A little extra of most brands of water conditioners don't do any harm. Dont be nervous and don't change over 50 percent of your water at a time.

 

[Angellove78]

Yeah, don't vacuum up your fish. Lol! You'll be fine. Follow what everyone is saying. First time water change, remember this day and change again next wk or wk after, same day. Start keeping track. Stick to the same rutin and you'll have less problems. Have fun...

 

[drjallen3]

I personally do a 1/4 warer change everyday. It's not recommend nor necessary for everyone. But In addition to my canister filter, I have an undergravel filter. These are not used by many hoddiest these days because alot of them enjoy live plants and that's a no no with undergravel filters. Changing mine more often is because I have a gravel substrate instead of sand and my cory catfish are pygmies and the 6 of them can't get to eneaten food that gets too far down betreen the bits of gravel. Uneaten food decay can produce more toxins than fish waste. It's also easier to carry out 12 gallons of old water every day than 25 gallons once a week. Once a week is enough though as long as you check your water perameters...especially ammonia. Good luck. And Angelove's posts are good. Pay attention to them when I'm not available ! Lol

As long as you dont completely pour three times the amount you should be fine. A little extra of most brands of water conditioners don't do any harm. Dont be nervous and don't change over 50 percent of your water at a time.

 

[drjallen3]

Yeah, don't vacuum up your fish. Lol! You'll be fine. Follow what everyone is saying. First time water change, remember this day and change again next wk or wk after, same day. Start keeping track. Stick to the same rutin and you'll have less problems. Have fun...

Hey Angellove, I tried to send you a response about my vacuum system for my undergravel plates in the message you sent me, but I don't think it went through. Anyway message received and noted. I can explain it again in a new forum. And I do have live plants, they're just houseplants cuttings. The fesh love the roots.

 

[drjallen3]

Here's the back of my tank

Hey Angellove, I tried to send you a response about my vacuum system for my undergravel plates in the message you sent me, but I don't think it went through. Anyway message received and noted. I can explain it again in a new forum. And I do have live plants, they're just houseplants cuttings. The fesh love the roots.View attachment 308736

 

[Angellove78]

What ever works for ya. I just know them undergravel filters. They are useless, imo! You have to pull them up every so often and clean under them. Just makes no sense to me when they are suppose to filter out the bottom. Just more waste build up and problems. I understand some people don't mind it. I just find it more work compared to just vacuuming the bottom and a 50% water change once a wk. That's all.

 

[drjallen3]

What ever works for ya. I just know them undergravel filters. They are useless, imo! You have to pull them up every so often and clean under them. Just makes no sense to me when they are suppose to filter out the bottom. Just more waste build up and problems. I understand some people don't mind it. I just find it more work compared to just vacuuming the bottom and a 50% water change once a wk. That's all.

For me, the UG filters are great as a BB filtration system for when I do canister overhauls. Thanks to a vacuum cleaner I made from a fountain pump, a waterproof fiber optic camera, and the large openings of the lift tubes, I'm able (with a friend's help) to completely vacuum under the plates ever 3 months. I also covered thr plates with fiberglass window screen. There's less mess underneath because I do 1/4 vacuuming water changes everyday so the screen doesn't clog and I get most of the mess out of the gravel daily.

 

[drjallen3]

Water perameters are always fantastic.

For me, the UG filters are great as a BB filtration system for when I do canister overhauls. Thanks to a vacuum cleaner I made from a fountain pump, a waterproof fiber optic camera, and the large openings of the lift tubes, I'm able (with a friend's help) to completely vacuum under the plates ever 3 months. I also covered thr plates with fiberglass window screen. There's less mess underneath because I do 1/4 vacuuming water changes everyday so the screen doesn't clog and I get most of the mess out of the gravel daily.

 

[Angellove78]

So, in all reality your doing 3 1/2 water changes @50% plus vacuuming everyday, in a week compared to my 1, 50% a wk + my vacuuming. Plus every 3 months pulling your plates up to clean under them. Lol! Like I said too much work. Imo. ?

 

[drjallen3]

No. Not pulling my plates up. Turning off air pumps. Pulling out liftibes to expose openings in plates, and sticking vacuuming hose connected to fiberoptic camera cable underneath to vacuum. I just need the hepl of a friend to hold the monitor so I can see where vacuuming is needed. The substrate is kept so clean that there's not that much detritus under the plates to vacuum.

So, in all reality your doing 6 1/2 water changes @50% plus vacuuming everyday, in a week compared to my 1, 50% a wk + my vacuuming. Plus every 3 months pulling your plates up to clean under them. Lol! Like I said too much work. Imo. [emoji6]

 

[drjallen3]

No. Not pulling my plates up. Turning off air pumps. Pulling out liftibes to expose openings in plates, and sticking vacuuming hose connected to fiberoptic camera cable underneath to vacuum. I just need the hepl of a friend to hold the monitor so I can see where vacuuming is needed. The substrate is kept so clean that there's not that much detritus under the plates to vacuum.

My water changes are 25 percent a day. Takes 15 minutes.

 

[Angellove78]

Lol! Just taking a dig, while I state my point. Lol! But, anyways like I always say, what works for one don't always work for another. Sounds like it works for you. No harm meant.

 

[drjallen3]

Lol! Just taking a dig, while I state my point. Lol! But, anyways like I always say, what works for one don't always work for another. Sounds like it works for you. No harm meant.

No offense taken! I do what I do that works for me like you said. Thanks to technology, it is an easy and quick process for me. And having said that, I have not recommend undergravel filters to anyone in 25 years. Just because of the old maintenance rituals that had to be done that you described. I'm a retired Chemist so I have plenty of time to do 25 percent vacuum water changes daily. And...not everyone has access to fiber optic cameras to help them out. [emoji16]

 

[Mpwallace1]

Underground filters can also be referred to something called a plenum. I wish I laid one down before I aquascaped and filled my tank. Only good reviews about them, as per Dr Kevin Novak on you tube.
Stress and water changes? Don’t move the siphon around to fast at the beginning. They will get use to it and some of them will eventually follow it around. After months of it mine appear to get excited about it. I keep up on my water parameters, but I can tell you my fish appear to liven right up after ever 30% change and plant trimming.

 

[drjallen3]

My angelfish

Underground filters can also be referred to something called a plenum. I wish I laid one down before I aquascaped and filled my tank. Only good reviews about them, as per Dr Kevin Novak on you tube.
Stress and water changes? Don’t move the siphon around to fast at the beginning. They will get use to it and some of them will eventually follow it around. After months of it mine appear to get excited about it. I keep up on my water parameters, but I can tell you my fish appear to liven right up after ever 30% change and plant trimming.

I've used them im conjunction with other filters with fantastic results. With today's technology, they're a lot easier if you make yourself a vacuum cleaner with a small fountain pump so the hose will fit under the plates. And believe me, a fiber optic camera is a great help too. If my canister were to quit tonight. I know that my fish will be alive because I would still have sufficient biological filtration and water surface movement from the 3 airstones
They're a mess to clean under if you have to remove the plates, but I found a way arpund is. Plus, if I or a friend needed seeding for a tank cycle, a hand full of my gravel would work as well as a used filtet pad.