Water Changes

[Assaye]

If I can, I slowly siphon water in and out to make sure it all happens very gently. Fish hardly notice, tbh.

However, siphoning water in isn't always possible. If I need to bucket it in, I use a large jug and put my hand in the flow to temper it a bit.

Most important thing is to match temp, pH and hardness, and to condition the water.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, the topic Ian H brings up is that its quite popular among the large tank set here on TFF if they're doing perhaps 20% or less changes to just dump cold tap water in and not warm it or condition it as the percentage relative to the whole tank is just not enough to disturb either the fish or the bacteria. Its pretty obvious this works fine in the case of many fairly large tanks.

On the other hand, we'd all hate for a beginner to misinterpret this. There are also plenty of experienced aquarists (Tolak springs to mind) who have pointed out that it can depend on how expensive or precious some of the species are to the fishkeeper. Or for many its the kind of thing where they've got thousands of dollars/pounds tied up in the hobby and a bottle or two of Prime or taking the time to roughly temperature match seem like small safety things by comparison. So the practices vary all over the place with experienced members I believe.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[sparkycufc]

I have found that regardless of whether I pour the water in fast or slow the fish still hide under the filters for an hour or so afterwards.

 

[waterdrop]

Interesting, I do not see that in my tank. The fish are usually right back out and moving around their usual territories, usually picking at any random bits of plant root or what-not that they can find. Do you have many places for them to hide (eg. wood, plants, rock?)

~~waterdrop~~

 

[sparkycufc]

Interesting, I do not see that in my tank. The fish are usually right back out and moving around their usual territories, usually picking at any random bits of plant root or what-not that they can find. Do you have many places for them to hide (eg. wood, plants, rock?)

~~waterdrop~~

The plants have only gone in the tank in the last week or so but there are plenty of rocks, pics here...

Tank pics

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, its not planted enough to provide the kind of shelter they're seeking and neons of course will never seek shelter in a cave. Also, neons should not typically be introduced to a tank until its 6 months old, but if you keep good water parameters they will hopefully do ok. (I forget your tank age.)

~~waterdrop~~

 

[sparkycufc]

Yes, its not planted enough to provide the kind of shelter they're seeking and neons of course will never seek shelter in a cave. Also, neons should not typically be introduced to a tank until its 6 months old, but if you keep good water parameters they will hopefully do ok. (I forget your tank age.)

~~waterdrop~~

The neons were a purchase on the advice of an LFS before I had discovered websites like this and were moved over from my old tank which was about 5 months old to my new tank which arrived at christmas. They seem very hqppy other than at water changes when they hang around under the filters for an hour or so. There will of course be more plants going in once they arrive.