Water replacement

[Ac30fan]

Ok this may be dumb, but I don't want to assume anything I was doing years ago was correct. So can I get some advise on what to do when adding water to my tank either due to evaporation or routine water change?

I'm using tap (not RO) and have prev treated water with chems before adding to tank: chlorine remover like API Stress Coat, and a bacterial supplement. The use of bio agent may not be as beneficial as I always thought (based on some recent forum feedback)

Also, Is water replacement regimen any different during my initial fishless cycling?

 

[Hholly]

During fishless cycling you only need to change water when pH drops too low(6.5 or below), or when nitrite and nitrates get sky high. Then, one large(90%) right before you add your fish.

When you have fish, you should be doing weekly 25-50% changes with gravel vacuuming. Always add a good dechlorinator/water conditioner to the tank before adding temperature matched water. Many people on here recommend Prime by Seachem. Dose the amount for the total tank volume. If you need to top off the water between changes, just be sure to add dechlorinator.

 

[Ac30fan]

During fishless cycling you only need to change water when pH drops too low(6.5 or below), or when nitrite and nitrates get sky high. Then, one large(90%) right before you add your fish.

When you have fish, you should be doing weekly 25-50% changes with gravel vacuuming. Always add a good dechlorinator/water conditioner to the tank before adding temperature matched water. Many people on here recommend Prime by Seachem. Dose the amount for the total tank volume. If you need to top off the water between changes, just be sure to add dechlorinator.

Thanks so much. Just what I needed.

One follow-up: I had always treated new water being added, not the tank water. Any known benefit of this?

 

[Hholly]

It depends on how you add it. If you use buckets, you can add it to them. If you use a water changer, you add it to the tank and swish it around before adding the water. Good luck!

 

[Ac30fan]

When you have fish, you should be doing weekly 25-50% changes with gravel vacuuming. Always add a good dechlorinator/water conditioner to the tank before adding temperature matched water. Many people on here recommend Prime by Seachem. Dose the amount for the total tank volume. If you need to top off the water between changes, just be sure to add dechlorinator.

Do you mean I should dose based on the full capacity of my 29 gallon tank? Even if I'm topping off, say, a gallon due to evaporation? Or, when I do a 20% water change I should always dose for 29 gallons tho I may only be replacing 10-15 gallons?

Thanks

 

[Hholly]

When you do a water change. For topping off you can probably just dose the container.

 

[librarygirl]

If you're just topping off you can just treat the amount of water that's in the bucket.

If you're doing a larger water change, you can do it one of two ways:

Treat each bucket for the amount that's in the bucket, then refill. OR dose the tank directly for the whole volume of the tank (not the water you are replacing) and then refill from the buckets. If you're using a water changer from your faucet and not buckets, dose the whole tank for the volume of the tank and refill.

 

[Ac30fan]

If you're just topping off you can just treat the amount of water that's in the bucket.

If you're doing a larger water change, you can do it one of two ways:

Treat each bucket for the amount that's in the bucket, then refill. OR dose the tank directly for the whole volume of the tank (not the water you are replacing) and then refill from the buckets. If you're using a water changer from your faucet and not buckets, dose the whole tank for the volume of the tank and refill.

When you do a water change. For topping off you can probably just dose the container.

Got it. Thanks

 

[Ac30fan]

For topping off you can probably just dose the container.

I really need to top off my tank. I was waiting until LFS got Prime in stock.

Is adding Prime during a fishless cycle still ok? My ammonia is still reading 4ppm after nearly a week. Since Prime removes ammonia, maybe there's another water treatment /dechlorintor that's better added during a cycle?

I also have API Stress Coat on hand, which removes chlorine and says nothing about ammonia. I used this when I did the initial fill of tank water, but think it may be why my water went slightly cloudy.

 

[Hholly]

I think Prime just detoxifies ammonia but doesn't remove it. But either one should be fine.