Did I just harm my fish more by trying to help?

VioletThePurple · Jul 16, 2022

I swear every time I try to help my fish, I end up hurting them. I just learned that you shouldn't change the water the same day you clean the filter. Because it's too much change for them to take. If this is true, I'm going to lose every fish in the tank. I learned that you're not supposed to clean the filter with tap water. So instead, I took out some tank water and put the filter in the tank water bucket to clean it. Obviously, I needed to replace the water I took out, so I dumped the bucket into the sink when I was done and replaced the water I took out of the tank with fresh water. How else was I supposed to clean the filter with the tank water? Was I not supposed to take the filter out of the tank? I can't do more water changes if too much cleaning is a bad thing.

Naughts · Jul 16, 2022

VioletThePurple said:
you shouldn't change the water the same day you clean the filter.

I think people who say this think that you lose beneficial bacteria when you change water, but as the vast majority of the bacteria are on surfaces, not in the water, it doesn't make much sense.

You can perhaps lose some beneficial bacteria when cleaning the filter/ glass/ gravel but it will replenish itself in hours so it's not a problem, particularly in a cycled tank.

Slaphppy7 · Jul 16, 2022

It is perfectly fine to clean the filter in tap water; but you DON'T want to clean the filter media in tap water, the media is where most of your BB (beneficial bacteria) will colonize (in newer tanks, anyway)...cleaning the media in tap water may kill the BB, and you have to start the cycle all over again

For cleaning the media, use a bowl of old tank water, swish it around in that, it's all the "cleaning" it needs...and, never let it dry out

How long has the tank been set up? What kind of test kit and water conditioner do you use?

Oblio · Jul 16, 2022

VioletThePurple said:
I swear every time I try to help my fish, I end up hurting them. I just learned that you shouldn't change the water the same day you clean the filter. Because it's too much change for them to take. If this is true, I'm going to lose every fish in the tank. I learned that you're not supposed to clean the filter with tap water. So instead, I took out some tank water and put the filter in the tank water bucket to clean it. Obviously, I needed to replace the water I took out, so I dumped the bucket into the sink when I was done and replaced the water I took out of the tank with fresh water. How else was I supposed to clean the filter with the tank water? Was I not supposed to take the filter out of the tank? I can't do more water changes if too much cleaning is a bad thing.

If you have a HOB or canister filter, put a pre-filter on the intake. Clean this each WC (if necessary) and you rarely need to clean the internal sponge filter.

VioletThePurple · Jul 16, 2022

Slaphppy7 said:
It is perfectly fine to clean the filter in tap water; but you DON'T want to clean the filter media in tap water, the media is where most of your BB (beneficial bacteria) will colonize (in newer tanks, anyway) ...cleaning the media in tap water may kill the BB, and you have to start the cycle all over again

For cleaning the media, use a bowl of old tank water, swish it around in that, it's all the "cleaning" it needs...and, never let it dry out

How long has the tank been set up? What kind of test kit and water conditioner do you use?

I made the mistake of using tap water last time, now I know not to. I know I need tank water, but by taking out water I need to add back cleaner water which means doing a water change. The tank is about two years old; the conditioner is Topfin water conditioner, I only have test strips, I'll get a kit next time I'm at the store.

Slaphppy7 · Jul 16, 2022

Correct; that is why it's most convenient to "clean" your filter media during weekly water changes, since your filter(s) should be turned off, anyway

The actual filter itself shouldn't need cleaning more often than once a month, or so, depending on the setup

When you run out of the Top Fin stuff, get either Seachem Prime or API Tap Water Conditioner to replace it

And yes, make getting that API Freshwater Master Test Kit a priority....

jesusjones · Jul 16, 2022

VioletThePurple said:
I made the mistake of using tap water last time, now I know not to. I know I need tank water, but by taking out water I need to add back cleaner water which means doing a water change.

I find it very handy to always have a bucket of "treated" water sitting around. Use it for cleaning filters. top ups, watering house plants, ect.
Bonus, if your water is free of chloramines the water will condition itself over ~24 hours and should be safe to use.

Guyb93 · Jul 16, 2022

jesusjones said:
I find it very handy to always have a bucket of "treated" water sitting around. Use it for cleaning filters. top ups, watering house plants, ect.
Bonus, if your water is free of chloramines the water will condition itself over ~24 hours and should be safe to use.

You have a fish tank full of treated water , the filter itself is full of treated water , you can rinse filter sponges under tap water if your tank is set up With 1.5-2 inches of substrate well planted or low stocked , ideally always used treated water though because you can never have enough beneficial bacteria.
Chlorine will evaporate over 25/48 hours but the heavy metals will remain an effect the Gh of the tank

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Did I just harm my fish more by trying to help?

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