Water Changes...how To Make It Less Stressful?

[Runit]

Hi,


I have a 10 gallon tank with 3 mollies, which will hopefully have some fry some. In the meantime, I'm trying to keep the water as clean as possible. However, when I do water changes I submerge a huge bottle in and then replace the water with fresh stuff. Is there a way to do this thats a little less stressful on the fish? It only takes me a few minutes, but I don't want any reason for my fish to not have babies

 

[theotheragentm]

When refilling, you can pour onto a plate you hold so the water does not make a huge current in one spot but spreads out its force. It really shouldn't bother than either way unless you're dumping water on them really hard.

 

[Tolak]

This is a trick I use for young fry, who can be damaged by too much current. Take a board, or piece of eggcrate large enough to fit across the tank, and strong enough to hold about 1/2 gallon of water. It only needs to be able to hold a 1 gallon plastic milk jug, so make it sort of narrow.

Take an old 1 gallon water or milk jug, rinse it out, and cut off the top. Drill or punch a couple of 1/8" holes in the bottom. Put this on the board, eggcrate, or whatever, above the tank. Pour water into this contraption, and it trickles into the tank.

 

[*Fishkies*]

I use a siphon....the piping only from like a vaccum and take the water out this way. The fish barely even know the water is leaving their tank. As for adding it back in i dump the water back in in buckets and you could put a plate or pour the water onto an ornament to slow down the current of the water your pouring into the tank.

 

[piratedninja]

idk about some of your fish buy my platys actually love the forceful current of fresh water being poured in
they will come up to the spout of the bucket while i pour it in and will stay in the current until im done
they will move to whereever the water is being poured in

you can get a powerhead-like pump and put the pump into the bucket of water and attach a hose to the other end and pump the water into a corner of the tank, this way the fish wont notice the new water coming in
i used to have to do it with my baby goldfish when i still had them

 

[tetraqueen]

Like others have said unless it's fry the fish are used to more currants than a water bucket in nature. Ever seen Salmon in a water fall they will jump out of the way. Yes Mollies and platys are tiny but if they really did not like it they would hide.

Siphoning tubes are great I have a vac that sucks up the water and not only does this make it quicker it does two jobs at ones as long as the buckets in the right place.

The plate or an ornament is a great idea as well I have a log that I aim for and just pour as slow as possible.

 

[dwarfgourami]

If I am worried about current, I use a plastic measuring jug to pour water back. As for grave vac'ing the tank, I always hate doing that with fry, but I have to say that the only time I have swept anyone up into the bucket it was when I didn't know there were fry in there- and they came to absolutely no harm.

 

[Underwurlde]

Get a big 1Litre (or whatever) measuring jug.
Fill it with 'clean' dechlorinated water.
Without tipping it up, holding it level, gently lower the jug into the water. The water level in the tank will now of course rise.
Now, while the jug is submersed, up end it & gently remove it.
No current flow at all.

Andy