nosebleed
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
how do you go about changing water without stressing the fish. My water is really yellow.
what is the procedure for changing water??
- Thread starter nosebleed
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
lyquidphyre
Aquarium Advice Addict
welcome to AA!!!
Do you have a gravel vac? If not I suggest getting one because that makes things SO much easier
Once you have a gravel vac and a bucket... empty 25% of ur water (since its yellow) and refill it with water that is dechlorenated
From then on do 10-20% weekly water changes
Do you have a gravel vac? If not I suggest getting one because that makes things SO much easier
Once you have a gravel vac and a bucket... empty 25% of ur water (since its yellow) and refill it with water that is dechlorenated
From then on do 10-20% weekly water changes
Jchillin
Aquarium Advice Addict
Welcome to AA!
I agree with Lyquidphyre. The gravel vac is a wonderful piece of equipment. One question, do you know why your water is yellow?
I agree with Lyquidphyre. The gravel vac is a wonderful piece of equipment. One question, do you know why your water is yellow?
QTOFFER
Aquarium Advice Addict
Welcome to AA, nosebleed! 
Waterchanges are a pretty simple operation - like liquidphyre said, remove 10 - 25% every week with a gravel vac, and replace with dechlorinated water. Just wondering how big the tank is, and if you have a Python gravel vac. Also, do you have dechlorinator/water conditioner?
The yellow color could be caused by tannins leaching out of real driftwood in the tank, or peat in your filter. If this is the case, rest assured it's not harmful to the fish.
Waterchanges are a pretty simple operation - like liquidphyre said, remove 10 - 25% every week with a gravel vac, and replace with dechlorinated water. Just wondering how big the tank is, and if you have a Python gravel vac. Also, do you have dechlorinator/water conditioner?
The yellow color could be caused by tannins leaching out of real driftwood in the tank, or peat in your filter. If this is the case, rest assured it's not harmful to the fish.
how to gravel vac without a mess
get a gravel vac, a clean bucket (large enough to handle your water change amount). Have a towel ready just in case.
Fill the large syphon part of your assembled gravel vac by holding it partly below the surface until it fills without with aquarium water and while holding your finger almost completely covering the other tube end of your vac. (both ends are at this point at equal level). Now here it goes.
Slowly (!) lift up the big end out of the water and you will feel air pushing out the other end past your finger. Watch until the water almost reaches your finger blocking the tube. Be fast and block off the tube now, or you will have a mess.
Now keep the end blocked and dip your large end back into the aquarium opening pointing higher up until air is all out and the big end entirely filled with water.
Now tilt the big opening down to your gravel. Make sure no fish are around the immediate area,
guide your hand holding the other end of the tube still blocked over the bucket.
Check for fish again and then release your finger from the tube. Water will start flowing until you lift the big end out of the water. (Tip: check your bucket every once in a while, lol).
Now you can either just suck out the water or "dust" the top of your gravel or "deep-clean" by pushing the big part into the gravel.
If you only do small water changes, you can pinch the tube to stop the flow, move to the next area, release the tube and water will be sucked again, and so on.
get a gravel vac, a clean bucket (large enough to handle your water change amount). Have a towel ready just in case.
Fill the large syphon part of your assembled gravel vac by holding it partly below the surface until it fills without with aquarium water and while holding your finger almost completely covering the other tube end of your vac. (both ends are at this point at equal level). Now here it goes.
Slowly (!) lift up the big end out of the water and you will feel air pushing out the other end past your finger. Watch until the water almost reaches your finger blocking the tube. Be fast and block off the tube now, or you will have a mess.
Now keep the end blocked and dip your large end back into the aquarium opening pointing higher up until air is all out and the big end entirely filled with water.
Now tilt the big opening down to your gravel. Make sure no fish are around the immediate area,
guide your hand holding the other end of the tube still blocked over the bucket.
Check for fish again and then release your finger from the tube. Water will start flowing until you lift the big end out of the water. (Tip: check your bucket every once in a while, lol).
Now you can either just suck out the water or "dust" the top of your gravel or "deep-clean" by pushing the big part into the gravel.
If you only do small water changes, you can pinch the tube to stop the flow, move to the next area, release the tube and water will be sucked again, and so on.
lyquidphyre
Aquarium Advice Addict
I always just syphon it with my mouth.................
I just make sure to spit it out before the water comes
is that bad/gross?
I just make sure to spit it out before the water comes
is that bad/gross?
totally gross and not exactly healthy for you either. chemicals, bacteries,....
You should even wash your hands before and after you handle the water. I know most people do not do it.
Try the method out and you can refill it the same way by putting the bucket with fresh water higher than your aquarium (my tank size allows me to put the square bucket across the top of the tank) and you can suck it out of the bucket back into the aquarium with minimal disturbance. (point it to an ornament, for example).
You should even wash your hands before and after you handle the water. I know most people do not do it.
Try the method out and you can refill it the same way by putting the bucket with fresh water higher than your aquarium (my tank size allows me to put the square bucket across the top of the tank) and you can suck it out of the bucket back into the aquarium with minimal disturbance. (point it to an ornament, for example).
I recently bought a gravel vac and it has a ball valve in it at the top of the large tube. This allows you to just shake it left and right at an angle untill the water begins to syphon itself and you start vaccuuming.
malkore
Aquarium Advice Addict
Its really not hard to start a gravel vac siphon. Fill the big end with water from the tank, then hold both ends up, like a big U
Water will fill the hose...lower the 'suction' end until the entire hose fills with water, then insert the suction end back into the tank, keeping the other end plugged with your thumb. once the suction end fills with water, the whole thing should be full...so just remove your thumb and let it drain.
(i need to make a video of this for people)
Water will fill the hose...lower the 'suction' end until the entire hose fills with water, then insert the suction end back into the tank, keeping the other end plugged with your thumb. once the suction end fills with water, the whole thing should be full...so just remove your thumb and let it drain.
(i need to make a video of this for people)
nosebleed
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I think the reason why my tank is yellow is because i havent change water in 3 years and there is a lot of waste build up.
FancyGuppyGuy
Aquarium Advice Freak
OK
First measure the temperature in the tank.
Next I would turn off filter etc
AND THE HEATER!!! unplug it.
Maybe test nitrates and PH.
Then go get a extra container full of water at the right temp before you start vaccuming. dechlorinate and add anything else you need.
Vaccuming is the easy part. If your like me you hate all the sucking and dipping in the tank bit and you pay alittle more for a nice vaccum that is self priming. Mine work just by pumping them up and down in the water and away we go!!
Vaccum down in the gravel forget this surface cleaning idea. unless your changing water twice a week or somethig like that. fill the tube with gravel yes suck the tube full with gravel then pinch and let it fall down.
Fill the tank up with the water youve prepared after the water starts getting lower this way you can vaccum alittle more without running to go get some more water!
Use the pinch method with the hose to reduce the amount of water going out
repeat as needed ( take the temperature of all the water your adding )
anyways have fun changing water
First measure the temperature in the tank.
Next I would turn off filter etc
AND THE HEATER!!! unplug it.
Maybe test nitrates and PH.
Then go get a extra container full of water at the right temp before you start vaccuming. dechlorinate and add anything else you need.
Vaccuming is the easy part. If your like me you hate all the sucking and dipping in the tank bit and you pay alittle more for a nice vaccum that is self priming. Mine work just by pumping them up and down in the water and away we go!!
Vaccum down in the gravel forget this surface cleaning idea. unless your changing water twice a week or somethig like that. fill the tube with gravel yes suck the tube full with gravel then pinch and let it fall down.
Fill the tank up with the water youve prepared after the water starts getting lower this way you can vaccum alittle more without running to go get some more water!
Use the pinch method with the hose to reduce the amount of water going out
repeat as needed ( take the temperature of all the water your adding )
anyways have fun changing water
FancyGuppyGuy
Aquarium Advice Freak
WHo cares if it is a troll maybe someone out there that just reads need the info
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
I highly recommend the search feature on this board
RoK
Aquarium Advice Addict
Wow, 3 years!? 8O Have you had many fish die?
xray
Aquarium Advice Freak
Python!!!
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