Question about water changes

[Cherry Barb]

Okay, my cycling is going well for my 20g tank. I'm anticipating the day when I can add more fish. I've done a few small water changes and have to add more water than what I have had to change because the cycling is going so well.

Then I was reading an article in Tropical Fish Magazine and it hit me!....Do I know how to do a REAL water change? So, here's my quandry.

When I do a water change, do I vaccuum the gravel every time with my siphon to collect water from the bottom of the tank or do I just skim the water off the top? I'm asking now because I'm researching the little fellas I want on the bottom of my tank and so I worry I will disrupt them or remove their food source.

I don't know if anyone else has had this problem because I couldn't find a related question in aq advice archives. I'm sorry if this sounds stupid, but I've never done this before and I'd like to make sure I do it right.

Thanks in advance!

Rose

 

[Madame_X]

Actually, Rose, its a good question. I was wondering the same thing myself. I want to get some shrimp once my cycle is complete and they're good at hiding. I wondered how does one avoid sucking one up in the gravel vac?

I never considered removing their food source. Very good point as well.

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

It really depends on how often you need to vacuum the gravel. Some people only do it once a month; others have to do it every week. Your tank and the amount of waste in it will help you determine how often it needs to be done. I do water changes every week and just keep the end of the siphon close to the substrate to draw water from the bottom. When detritus builds up on the substrate (I have sand in all my tanks), I'll then pay more attention to removing it with the gravel vac. Just be careful that you don't accidently suck anybody up while doing this. I've had to net fry out of my water change bucket because I didn't see them near the vac!

No matter how frequently or infrequently you have to vacuum the gravel, a weekly water change will have great results with your new tank and your fish will thank you for it!

 

[Zic]

Usually fish will get as far away from the vaccum as possible. The only fish I've ever sucked up was a molly fry, two weeks old, and he, like the gravel, didn't go all the way up. He was swimming like mad to get back out, and now he's fine.

Usually I only vaccum half of the tank each week (I have two ten gallon tanks). I put the vaccum down in the area I am about to clean. If any fish are still in the area after that, I gently nudge them with the vaccum and they retreat to the other side of the tank. Then, I start the vaccum and clean away.

The half at a time thing has worked great for me. I have decorations in about half of the tank. I will clean the area with no decorations one week. Then the next week, I'll move the decorations out of the tank while I clean that side. This seems to work well. I remove 20% of the water in the amount of time it takes to do 1/2, so it works perfect!

And, yes, I always vaccum the gravel, and not skim the top. When you do it, you will see why (the gravel gets very dirty, that's where the fish poop goes)

 

[Allivymar]

I vaccum the entire bottom, or at least as much as I can get to. I have too. Too Much plec poo. I don't have cories, but I do have loaches. Fattest things you've ever seen, so I'm guessing they manage to find plenty of food *grin*

Plus I have bio-wheels on all my tanks, so I'm unconcerned about pulling up too much bacteria from the substrate.

I have shrimp in my 10g. They so far have managed to avoid the siphon; they tend to hide during the day and thats when I vacuum, so it hasn't been an issue. My fish however, think the vaccum is some sort of toy/food dispenser/rival, and the angels usually attack it while its in the tank. I think they see the debris moving up the tube and assume its something to eat LOL

 

[PrettyFishies]

I vacuum every other week. I have biofoam in my whisper so that's where the bacteria live. And I don't have anything small enough to get sucked up. The problem is you'll have detritus build up in teh gravel that leads to ammonia spikes... so... you have to get that stuff out eventually.

 

[shawmutt]

I have always vaccuumed as much debris off the bottom as possible. Like some said before, I make sure to get deep down in my gravel. The dirt and junk that come up are really gross! I have four corys, and they have been fine with it.

 

[wabyrd]

I only hit the gravel in spots occasionally. I let the plants do all the dirty work...

 

[tkos]

My tank is heavily planted except in the feeding area. So I just gravel vacuum in that area as most of the excess food and food tablets end up there. All of my fish get excited seeing all that old food and poop going up the tube, but can't figure out why they can't eat it.

Any other waste will get used by my plants or the snails will take care of it.