Water Changes

[sonflowerjoela]

Hey I use to always use start right. I did not find it when I ordered online. So I got API Tapwater conditioner. Do any of you use this???
I'm asking because when I do a water change and use this product. After a little while my water is cloudy, but then several hours later or next day it is clear again. Does anyone else experience this?

 

[KittyKat]

Any dechlorinator will do the job.

What you are most likely seeing is chloramine being converted into ammonia by the dechlorinator and then a mild bacterial bloom. If this is the case, I recommend that you use only dechlorinators which claim to "deal" with ammonia, such as API Stress Coat or Seachem Prime.

 

[sonflowerjoela]

Any dechlorinator will do the job.

What you are most likely seeing is chloramine being converted into ammonia by the dechlorinator and then a mild bacterial bloom. If this is the case, I recommend that you use only dechlorinators which claim to "deal" with ammonia, such as API Stress Coat or Seachem Prime.

Ok, thank you!!!

 

[deftuch]

cloudy water wudnt be caused by api tap water conditioner unless you are using way too much or not enough. the cloudy water is likely to be debri stireed up from the gravel whilst cleaning gravel or pouring water in too vigourously ectr. or you are cleaning out your filters with tap water which kills your essential bacteria causing tempory bacteria bloom. or you are changing too much of the water causing bacteria loss. its recommened you do 10 to 20 percent water change each week. the more often you do water changes the better as large water changes can cause all sorts of problems and strewsse fish. the best technique i know is to change water daily. say for example i have a 260 litre tank. i change exactly 10 litres a day making that 70 litres a week. but seems as im taking out some recently added water each day it works out about 45 to 55 litres a week. i clean the gravel each time and this has proven to keep ammonia and nitrate at 0 and nitrate always below 20. thanks

 

[sonflowerjoela]

cloudy water wudnt be caused by api tap water conditioner unless you are using way too much or not enough. the cloudy water is likely to be debri stireed up from the gravel whilst cleaning gravel or pouring water in too vigourously ectr. or you are cleaning out your filters with tap water which kills your essential bacteria causing tempory bacteria bloom. or you are changing too much of the water causing bacteria loss. its recommened you do 10 to 20 percent water change each week. the more often you do water changes the better as large water changes can cause all sorts of problems and strewsse fish. the best technique i know is to change water daily. say for example i have a 260 litre tank. i change exactly 10 litres a day making that 70 litres a week. but seems as im taking out some recently added water each day it works out about 45 to 55 litres a week. i clean the gravel each time and this has proven to keep ammonia and nitrate at 0 and nitrate always below 20. thanks

I don't think I am using to much. I will make sure though. I am doing a 25% water change a week. I got some new fish this weekend and was watching ammonia levels and when I checked the ammonia level yesterday it almost had that greenish tinge to it. I have the API master test kit and yellow is 0ppm and light green is 0.25 I think. So I did a 10% water change while I was home for lunch. When I got home that evening the water was cloudy. I did not vacum gravel much because I had just cleaned gravel Saturday. I'm not washing filter with tap water. I dipped water out of tank to wash them. I could be pouring water in too vigorously I have the Python gravel cleaner and fill tank back up with it... This did not happen when using Start Right and I could not find it and was out so that is why I used the other. Not sure if it is that or not. Which do you use?
I was wondering about the daily water changes... if that was a good idea or not.

 

[KittyKat]

[…] you are cleaning out your filters with tap water which kills your essential bacteria causing tempory bacteria bloom. or you are changing too much of the water causing bacteria loss.

Filters should be cleaned in old tank water, never under tap water, and the water does not contain a significant amount of bacteria, so water change size is not the issue from this point of view.

its recommened you do 10 to 20 percent water change each week. the more often you do water changes the better as large water changes can cause all sorts of problems and strewsse fish. the best technique i know is to change water daily. say for example i have a 260 litre tank. i change exactly 10 litres a day making that 70 litres a week. but seems as im taking out some recently added water each day it works out about 45 to 55 litres a week. i clean the gravel each time and this has proven to keep ammonia and nitrate at 0 and nitrate always below 20. thanks

It is recommended that one does not do large water changes irregularly because fast changes in water parameters are harmful to the fish and tank water has a tendency of drifting away from tap water. But there are also reasons for doing larger water changes: for example, to remove hormones that fish release from the water, which is why it is also recommended that fry tanks get large (50% or more), regular (daily or every other day) water changes instead of small ones as small ones would not help very much. This is also why a 10% water change will not help much with an ammonia reading, but a 50+% water change will help considerably more.

Daily, 10 litre water changes on a 260 litre tank are approximately the same as a 24% (62 litre) water change per week instead of one 27% water change, which is not too different; it's really with larger water changes that it makes a difference (for example, 7*50% water changes are similar to one 86% water change instead of 3.5 100% water changes).

 

[sonflowerjoela]

[…] you are cleaning out your filters with tap water which kills your essential bacteria causing tempory bacteria bloom. or you are changing too much of the water causing bacteria loss.

Filters should be cleaned in old tank water, never under tap water, and the water does not contain a significant amount of bacteria, so water change size is not the issue from this point of view.

its recommened you do 10 to 20 percent water change each week. the more often you do water changes the better as large water changes can cause all sorts of problems and strewsse fish. the best technique i know is to change water daily. say for example i have a 260 litre tank. i change exactly 10 litres a day making that 70 litres a week. but seems as im taking out some recently added water each day it works out about 45 to 55 litres a week. i clean the gravel each time and this has proven to keep ammonia and nitrate at 0 and nitrate always below 20. thanks

It is recommended that one does not do large water changes irregularly because fast changes in water parameters are harmful to the fish and tank water has a tendency of drifting away from tap water. But there are also reasons for doing larger water changes: for example, to remove hormones that fish release from the water, which is why it is also recommended that fry tanks get large (50% or more), regular (daily or every other day) water changes instead of small ones as small ones would not help very much. This is also why a 10% water change will not help much with an ammonia reading, but a 50+% water change will help considerably more.

Daily, 10 litre water changes on a 260 litre tank are approximately the same as a 24% (62 litre) water change per week instead of one 27% water change, which is not too different; it's really with larger water changes that it makes a difference (for example, 7*50% water changes are similar to one 86% water change instead of 3.5 100% water changes).

Ok thank you for all of the information!!!!