Cycling and water changes

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Yeah mine do seem to enjoy playing in the current when I do a water change.
One of the little ones I have has taken to swimming just in front of the intake for the internal filter, I guess he like the current there!
 
I suggest putting in your set-up at www.aqadvisor.com and finding out what it suggests as the amount of water you should change weekly. Take this as a ballpark number, and see how it works for you (how fast waste and nitrates build up). Then go according to what works.

I end up changing about 5-70% of my tank at a time – but my biggest tank is a 20g, and I have a 5-6 gallon bucket that I use (wine fermenter). What that means is that I generally change about 3 buckets full – but I measure the temperature and add conditioner on each bucket to match the tank before I replace it.

According to Aqadvisor, I need to change much less water, but I find that solid waste builds up fast, and that if I actually want to suck up a bunch of the waste with my water change, I need to change more water than they say.
 
Just add fish slowly and what the test readings. Your bacteria has to catch up with the load that you put in (fish and their waste). So add slowly and let the bacteria catch up to the load each time.
 
spoonman said:
Just add fish slowly and what the test readings. Your bacteria has to catch up with the load that you put in (fish and their waste). So add slowly and let the bacteria catch up to the load each time.
Click to expand...

I went into my lfs intending to follow this advice, but I ended up getting 8 cardinals (I asked for 6 and came home and found an error in my favor), a wide-mouth pleco, and an assassin snail. Not sure if that is too much or not, but I get a chance to go to the lfs so infrequently I gave in to temptation. But I'll continue to monitor the water to make sure nothing spikes.

By the way, what's an acceptable level of Nitrates in a tank? Or in other words, when should it be considered so high I should definitely do a water change? Mine is around 10-20ppm right now.
 
What temperature water do you use when doing a water change using a python? I have been using cold water in the past, but it drops my tank's temperature by about 8 to 10 degrees and it takes hours to warm back up. I'm thinking this my harm some more of the delicate fish.

I don't have the space/time to first put the water in buckets etc., so i'm resigned to using the tap.

Would using warm water from the tap really be bad for the fish?
 
Noooooo! Use warm water! I just make my tap water the same as the temp in the tank, and fill it up. Never put colder water in there in big amounts, because you can shock your fish to death.
 
I've heard there are issues with using hot water from the tap? I've been filling a bucket with cold water, then boiling a kettle and putting that in to warm it up a bit.
 
If you have copper pipes that might leach copper into your tank it could be an issue. That would be more of an issue depending on the PH of your incoming water.
 
i think thats the only reason people say not to use hot water is because of the copper... that being said, in a fw aquarium with no inverts, what little copper that may get in to the tank will not hurt anything
 
My hot water can also look a little cloudy, because of bubbles no doubt. It comes through a 'combi' boiler, rather than being supplied from a hot water tank.

Presumably water from an electric kettle is ok too?
 
mark, i think all hot water has kind of a white cloudiness to it. at least all the hot water ive seen. kinda weird, and ive wondered what it is, but bubbles makes sense
 
Just try and match the Water temp as close as you can. You can just do so by running the water on your hand and adjusting the Temp to your satisfaction. Add Dechlor to your tank, and fill it back up. Monitor the temp of the water going in while your hand is in the Tank. You'll notice right away if there is a big difference in water Temp.
 
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