Water Changes

[Rjoepenk]

Please write up, in as much detail as possible please, how you personally complete your water changes (Specifically I need to know how you "prepare" the new water beforehand). I've done a lot of reading but I don't want to undertake one until I've had the lowdown from you lot

 

[Convict2161]

Please write up, in as much detail as possible please, how you personally complete your water changes (Specifically I need to know how you "prepare" the new water beforehand). I've done a lot of reading but I don't want to undertake one until I've had the lowdown from you lot

Great detail. Hmmm.... I hook my water changer up to the sink.

Water changer.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...itieCA&usg=AFQjCNEbxSHHk-6L1UoF_9yskeNU0v2W1g

Then I put siphon in tank after shutting the tank down completely. I take out about 50% then add Prime to the tank.

Prime

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4057

After adding Prime I temp match the tap water to the tank water and refill.

When it's full I power the tank up i.e. Filter, air pumps, lights, whatever...

And that's it. Pretty straight forward.

If I'm performing a gravel vac then I do a small section at a time due to the scape of my tank.

Hope this helps.

 

[xtra51]

Great detail. Hmmm.... I hook my water changer up to the sink.

Water changer.

Fish & Aquarium Supplies: Siphons, Water Changers & Gravel Cleaners - Python Supplies & Accesories

Then I put siphon in tank after shutting the tank down completely. I take out about 50% then add Prime to the tank.

Prime

Aquarium Water Quality & Conditioners: Seachem Prime Water Conditioner

After adding Prime I temp match the tap water to the tank water and refill.

When it's full I power the tank up i.e. Filter, air pumps, lights, whatever...

And that's it. Pretty straight forward.

If I'm performing a gravel vac then I do a small section at a time due to the scape of my tank.

Hope this helps.

This is exactly what I do. Along with this I usually do my maintenance on my pre filter and scrub my overflow's teeth. I also use stress coat instead of prime.

 

[LyndaB]

Yep, the above is pretty much it.

Without a water changer, you'd have to worry about getting buckets of water to the proper temp . That's too much of a hassle for me to even consider so I can't give instruction on how to do it.

What equipment do you have?

 

[xtra51]

Yep, the above is pretty much it.

Without a water changer, you'd have to worry about getting buckets of water to the proper temp . That's too much of a hassle for me to even consider so I can't give instruction on how to do it.

What equipment do you have?

I have done and am currently doing it because my dorm room doesn't connect to the faucet. It's a real pain. I vacuum all the tanks I have. Then take the vacuum and shove it on the faucet to direct the water in the bucket. After getting the right temperature in the buckets I add stress coat and swirl around for a bit. Then I take a pump I had laying around from a skimmer that I don't need and hook up a hose to it. I then add water to my sump and when the sump gets full I turn the system on and let the water into the DT. I do this until my operating level is at the right level that I have marked. I do this with the rest of my tanks. It is a real pain.

 

[LyndaB]

Yeah, it sure sounds like it's a pain......

 

[boadams87]

And all in a dorm room. You poor thing

 

[xtra51]

Yeah, it sure sounds like it's a pain......

Yah....it is pretty bad but I have the Aqueon Water Changer and my LFS has a shipment this Thursday so they should have what I need. It is a pain but when you love the hobby you do what you need to do.

 

[xtra51]

And all in a dorm room. You poor thing

Thank God I have a great roommate!

 

[boadams87]

Thank God I have a great roommate!

Lol. You must.

 

[blert]

Please write up, in as much detail as possible please, how you personally complete your water changes (Specifically I need to know how you "prepare" the new water beforehand). I've done a lot of reading but I don't want to undertake one until I've had the lowdown from you lot

The day before the PWC:
Add 1/4 tsp of bicarb to each of my five gallon jugs (4) -don't do this if you don't know why you are doing it.
Take them outside and fill halfway with water from my well.
Add dechlor juice to jugs.
Fill the jugs the rest of the way up.
Take back into garage, drop in my bubble stone rig and plug in the air pump.
Let it sit overnight.

Day of PWC:
Unplug air pump and store bubble stone rig.
Temp match the water, if necessary, using a large Pyrex measuring cup and the microwave.
Scrub glass.
Turn off filter, heater and CO2 rig.
Grab a five gallon bucket and vacuum out 20 gallons.
On the first bucket swish filter media (HOBs every PWC, canisters every month), repeat with second bucket.
Add root tabs if it is that time and prune/arrange/fix the plants if need be. (If this is my 75 gallon tank then at this time I am usually also fending off my Angelfish because the little bugger bites.)
Grab a ladder and put one of the five gallon jugs on the top.
Siphon water from jug to tank.
Turn filter, heater and CO2 rig back on.
Done.

There is usually a few cigarettes and some NSFK language involved also.

It is really not as bad as it seems.

 

[Rjoepenk]

This is great guys, keep it all coming. How am I supposed to adjust the temperature of the water before it goes in the tank, though?

 

[blert]

This is great guys, keep it all coming. How am I supposed to adjust the temperature of the water before it goes in the tank, though?

Depends how you do your water change. If you use a Python type thing then you just adjust it with your hot and cold water at the tap. If you use buckets/jugs then the easiest way I found is to put some of your treated water into a microwave safe container and nuke it for a few minutes (I use a large 2qt Pyrex measuring cup). Add it to your buckets/jugs and mix until you reach temp.

 

[College Kid]

I do PWCs once a week
I unplug my filter and heater (I leave the airstone on..... Dunno why really but it doesn't seem to harm.) Then I siphon out 25-30% water into a bucket while gravel vac'n. Then i rinse my filter media in the tank water and clean out my filter/intake tubes (i do this about once a month). Lug the bucket downstairs and drain (life in a loft apt IN the loft section......sucks for PWCs). I remove my thermometer from my tank after noting the temp in the tank and place it in the empty bucket. I fill the bucket in the sink while manually playing with the faucet to get the temp to match the tanks temp (I've gotten pretty good at temp matching through feel). I add dechlor as the bucket is being filled so the faucet does the mixing. lug the bucket back upstairs and refill tank gently so as not to disturb the substrate. Plug all appliances back in. Then I stare at fish for an hour while avoiding studying

 

[librarygirl]

If you use buckets you can just mix the hot/cold water until it feels about the same with your hand as the tank water. The temp doesn't have to be exact but it shouldn't be noticeably cooler or warmer than the tank.

Because the PH out of my tap is very high (8.4) before it falls to 7.2 after it gasses out I was afraid at first to use a water changer (I'm paranoid lol). So I would fill a large tub with 2.5 gal buckets of water, about 3-6 buckets depending on how much water I wanted to change. Then I'd add dechlorinator and Flourish (for plants) and add an air stone and let the water gas out for an hour or two to cause the PH to fall. Then I'd drain the tank with the buckets (using the same amount of buckes as I put into the tank) and then refill from the tub. Sort of a pain. I did this twice a week until recently.

I was then talking to a friend of mine about it and his tap water changed so that his PH is a lot higher than his tank and he used his Python a few times and it was fine so he suggested it was OK to use my water changer as long as I didn't change out too much water at once so as not to change the PH of the tank too fast. So now I get to drain and refill from the tap with the water changer (I drain, add the amount of dechlorinator for the whole volume of the tank to the tank, then refill). Much easier. I do this twice per week, about 25% each time.

 

[College Kid]

Since we're speaking great detail here, can some tell me how EXACTLY using a python works with adding dechlorinator and making sure temp is matched? Im still confused after reading sime posts. I use buckets and just do all that stuff before refilling, and I was wondering how that translates to a python exactly.

 

[paytertot]

I use a python (not that brand but whatever) and I just add the dechlor before I begin refilling. And temp match is much easier because you just fiddle with the faucet until it feels right.

 

[xtra51]

I use a python (not that brand but whatever) and I just add the dechlor before I begin refilling. And temp match is much easier because you just fiddle with the faucet until it feels right.

You add the amount of dechlorinator that is right for your tank.....10 gallon tank, 20 gallon....etc

 

[paytertot]

.Yeah.

 

[boadams87]

Since we're speaking great detail here, can some tell me how EXACTLY using a python works with adding dechlorinator and making sure temp is matched? Im still confused after reading sime posts. I use buckets and just do all that stuff before refilling, and I was wondering how that translates to a python exactly.

I just add the prime and turn the water on and keep feeling with my hand until im close to the temp. I've gone as far as to make marks on the wall to the exact point that the temp needs to be. Its almost idiot proof!!!!