25% water changes?????

[HOLLIEO]

I am all new to this aquarium stuff. I just went to do a 25% water change yesterday and was told to condition the water that I am putting back into the tank. The instructions on the back of the water conditioner bottle say to add a teaspoon for every 10 gallons of water?!??! But I am only putting back in like 3 gallons. So, do I treat the 3 gallons like it were the total 20 gallons in my tank or treat the 3 gallons with the amount estimated to condition just 3 gallons of water?? I am a little confused. HELP!!!!

 

[shawmutt]

If you don't have them, get a set of measuring spoons--they're pretty cheap. They should have a 1/4 teaspoon on it.

Count the drops that it takes to fill a teaspoon, divide by 3.

OR...just give the new water a healthy squirt from the bottle.

By conditioning the water, you are neutralizing the chlorine, choramine, and other heavy metals that are harmful to the fish. So you only need to condition the new water you are putting into the tank. BTW...isn't 25% of 20 gallons 5 gallons?

 

[Guest]

Just treat for the 3 gallons of replacement water. The conditioner is primarily to get rid of chlorine/cloramine in your tap water. Your existing tank water has none of that so you just treat for the replacement water. Hope that clears up the issue.

 

[HOLLIEO]

25% water change ??

25% of 20 gallons is 5 gallons????? ha, ha Just kidding. Yes. I know. but I am really super bad with math and didn't know what the percentage for only replacing like 3 gallons.
Thanks a bunch for the help...
Another quick one.... What about replacing the water in the tank with Arrowhead bottled water? Do you have to treat that? I tested that water with a quick dip stick and it has absolutly nothing in it. Is this kind of water benificial to fish or do they need some of the stuff that is in regular water? Thanks again!!!

 

[Barney]

1 teaspoon to 10 gallon of water.... but you are doing a 3 gallon water change. And if you put a teaspoon of water conditioner in the 3 gallon of water, you will not do any harm. Some conditioners are good for the fish slime coat if it is included. In reality you cannot overdose with this specific water conditioner for removing chlorine, cloramine and other metals. 8)

 

[HOLLIEO]

Bottled water??

Thanks Barney!
So, what about Bottled water??? Do you have to treat that at all before adding to the tank??
Oh and once you treat tap water, can you add it immediately, or is there a standard set up time??

 

[Barney]

Bottled water is treated and safe to use. Are you going to have plants? I believe it helps to use tap water with plants, otherwise it should be ok. Will need to get other things to help the plants survive.
Anyway, is your tap water good? If so then use it and you can use it immediately after treating it with water conditioner. But before you pour water in the tank, make sure the temp is the same. otherwise you have to go real slow or you will have outbreak of ick.

 

[HOLLIEO]

ICk!?!??!

Thank you for the information. No plants in the tank and I don't really plan on it right now. Ick!?!?! I have heard of it and most likely my fish have had it at some point in my fish hobby, but don't really know much about it. Like how it is caused and if it can be prevented and how to treat? I guess I better get a book. Geez!!! Who has booka anymore?!??! Isn't it on the internet!?!?!? ah, ha

 

[Barney]

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hdwspot.htm

This is one site. There is plenty more here on AA. Browse some of our past forums or type in whatever info you looking for in AA search box.

 

[shawmutt]

IMO, a basic aquarium book is indespensable. The internet has a lot of infomation--unfortunately a great deal of it is unresearched opinion (see: Cycling a new tank with an old tennis shoe?), whereas an author of an aquarium book is a bit more accountable for the information he or she presents. I have two, one for identifying fish and another for common problems. This website suggests a few books that are excellent and relatively cheap through amazon.com (relative to the emotional and financial cost of dead fish).

If you just going to keep fish, tap water is fine...IMO bottled water is an unneccesary expense unless you have terrible tap water or are trying to replicate a certain environment for breeding, etc. I use distilled water in my tank only because my fish prefer soft, acidic water and my tap water is not either.

 

[Konrade]

All that I do is add a couple of drops. One time my mom added plain old tap water to my freshwater aquarium. 8O Luckily my fish didn't seem to mind, so I guess it didn't really matter.

 

[m249saw]

If you are adding water directly into the aquarium via hose (Python system) you should treat the WHOLE volume of the tank. This is due to the new water already mixing with the new water.

At least thats how Ive always done it. With the little amounts for Prime I have to use its no big deal to dose the whole tank.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Topping off a tank with tap water is fine, as long as you are not adding much water. If your water company uses chloramines instead of chlorine, I would use the dechlor, even when topping off.