Water changes and anding and removing plants

[flitabout]

I needed to do a water change on Monday but I knew I was going to removing several plants. Well a lot in the next few day to send out and move in to my daughters new tank. I also know you should do a water change anytime you mess with the adding or removing.
Here's my issue I had some brown algae build up. Not a clue why, so I got 4 more oto. It was an impulse buy. But now I don't want to stress the little guys too much with multiple water changes along with removing half of the plant in the tank So is it safe to wait on the water change. I have an overstocked tank.
Parameters are all good and the fish seem to be doing great.
Ammo 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5-10
pH 7.5

 

[BBradbury]

Water Change

I needed to do a water change on Monday but I knew I was going to removing several plants. Well a lot in the next few day to send out and move in to my daughters new tank. I also know you should do a water change anytime you mess with the adding or removing.
Here's my issue I had some brown algae build up. Not a clue why, so I got 4 more oto. It was an impulse buy. But now I don't want to stress the little guys too much with multiple water changes along with removing half of the plant in the tank So is it safe to wait on the water change. I have an overstocked tank.
Parameters are all good and the fish seem to be doing great.
Ammo 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5-10
pH 7.5

Hello flit...

If you change half the volume of the tank weekly, then the you can certainly make a few changes in that tank without there being a water chemistry problem. I've never heard of pure, treated tap water doing harm to fish. Any of the fish I have welcome large, frequent water changes.

If you feel better about waiting a day or two to do the weekly change, then I don't see a problem with that decision, just remove and replace a bit more than normal.

B

 

[Rivercats]

Truthfully it all depends on how big a mess you make in the tank while moving the plants. If your worried about stressing the new oto's with a large WC after moving all the plants why don't you do a couple smaller ones. Only 1/2 of what you would normally change one day and another 1/2 WC the day after. Then go back to your normal schedule the next week. I also don't like doing a WC right after adding new fish.

 

[flitabout]

I am taking out 1 sword, the wisteria some of the telanthera cardinalis, and some crypts. It's really the sword and the wisteria that have me worried. Some of the roots that I can see are about half way across the bottom of the tank. Should I just cut the really long roots? Rather than tearing up half of the tank? I also still have the nesasea that needs planted and has been in the "potatoes" LOL. So I have stuff coming in and stuff going out.

 

[Rivercats]

The sword and crypt removal is what will make the mess. Gently shake or wiggle them as you lift them out of the substrate then try to slowly lift them out or get a cup and actually slide the cup under them as soon as you pull them out and lift them out in the cup. It can be a bit messy but the cup will catch a lot of the detris making less tank mess.

 

[flitabout]

Will do. This is going to be an adventure!

 

[Rivercats]

Be sure to post pic's once your done!

 

[flitabout]

I still have 1 more batch to come out of my tank. But I am so happy that the wisteria is out and my daily trimming is finally over!


The girl's tank is coming along really nicely. I just ordered a quad t5ho fixture so it will be under high light and I am thinking about adding some mosses and maybe a few more plants to it.

 

[Rivercats]

Are you going to be using CO2 with the quad lights?

 

[flitabout]

DIY and glut just like the 37 until I can save to get some pressurized systems.

 

[Rivercats]

When you get the quads if possible I'd run 2 bulbs for 6 hour (maybe) and the run the other 2 bulbs maybe 2 or 3 hours during that 6 hour period. Even after getting pressurized CO2 you'll have to be careful with that high of light. Recently I had to drop my metal halides down to 4 hours on the 220g so I could run the T5HO's and BML fixture for 6 hours. That seems to be the trick since I added that Led fixture to the already high lighting. The lighting is the trickiest part IMO when getting up in the really high light area.

 

[flitabout]

I noticed that with the 37g. It took a good month for me to get the balance right so I didn't have an algae farm! I just wasn't sure with this tank being 3 inches shorter how much the intensity would go up.

 

[Rivercats]

I noticed that with the 37g. It took a good month for me to get the balance right so I didn't have an algae farm! I just wasn't sure with this tank being 3 inches shorter how much the intensity would go up.

It can go up a lot and especially just enough to throw things out of kilt! Drives me crazy when I mess with something and throw a tank off balance and then have to go through the process of getting it corrected again.

 

[flitabout]

My issue is I have just enough knowledge about doing this, to do everything right or to massively screw it up and there's a hairs difference between the two!