Water Changing

[Daveypaul]

I would like to know the best and safest way to do a water change, I have a 200L tank with 12 fish which consist of 4 Neons, 3 Platys and 5 Mollies.
Any help is alot of help.

 

[StandbySetting]

For the tank you have with the current stock I'd recommend a water change of 10% every 2 weeks, use an old length of hose to siphon water out, then you could pour new water in with a bucket, be sure to dechlorinate it however, there's no need to match the temperature on water changes of this percentage.

 

[Daveypaul]

Thank You SbS, Should I dechlorinate the water before I put it in the tank or when ive topped the tank up. ?

 

[StandbySetting]

Before you put it in.

 

[Daveypaul]

Great Thank You very much !

 

[waterdrop]

Water changes are quite important. They remove hundreds of substances that we don't want to build up, substances that we also don't have the time or money to measure. Water changes also bring in various trace minerals that we do want to refresh, minerals that the fish depend on.

Any time we do a water change there is also an important opportunity to get rid of debris from the tank substrate (there will also be debris on plants and decorations but the substrate collects the most.) If we allow debris to build up for too long in the tank, the action of heterotrophic (not the same as the autotrophic bacteria in our filters) bacteria will break down so much of it that we will be in danger of small ammonia spikes that we might not see.

The most effective habit for reducing the problem of substrate debris is to use a gravel-cleaning siphon for your water changes. This is simply a device that has a cylinder (usually clear) attached to the end of the hose that goes in to the tank. As the siphon pulls water out of the tank you gently plunge the cylinder down in the gravel and the suction will pull the gravel part-way up the tube and then allow it to drop back down in the tank. The debris comes loose from the gravel and flows on out with the water. You move the cylinder about the tank trying to get most of the places that don't have plants or decorations. If you have a sand substrate there is a somewhat different skill to perform the same function.

The most common beginner misunderstanding about water changes is to think they are so stressful to fish that they should be minimized or avoided. This is not true. Water changes are your friend and it is much better for your tank water to be kept changed often enough that your tank chemistry stays very similar to your tap water chemistry. This way, many problems can be solved via larger tap water changes if necessary.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[splashtech]

The most common beginner misunderstanding about water changes is to think they are so stressful to fish that they should be minimized or avoided. This is not true. Water changes are your friend and it is much better for your tank water to be kept changed often enough that your tank chemistry stays very similar to your tap water chemistry. This way, many problems can be solved via larger tap water changes if necessary.

~~waterdrop~~

Is it not stressful for the fish to have the temperature drop with the water change? My water tends to come out of the tap somewhat cold and even a modest change is going to kick the tank temp down at least a few degrees. Is that ok?

 

[Smells a bit fishy]

Use hot water as well to try and match it as best you can. A degree or two either way won't harm them.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

You want to temp match the water for the change to minimize that.

 

[StandbySetting]

Water changes in volume of 25% or less don't require temperature matching, all it does it stimulate rain fall as the temperature will drop by a few degrees.

 

[splashtech]

Use hot water as well to try and match it as best you can. A degree or two either way won't harm them.

You want to temp match the water for the change to minimize that.

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but is it ok to use hot water as well as cold then? I know that I'd personally not want to drink water which has been through my heating system and been sitting in the tank since whenever - I had just assumed the fish would feel the same. Or does the tap safe (or whatever alternative) stuff fix it up fine for them?

 

[Smells a bit fishy]

The copper in the tank could harm them. My house is a new build so I don't think has copper tank. If your worries boil the kettle to get the right temperature

 

[StandbySetting]

Copper in most circumstances is inert, and a good dechlorinator will remove heavy metals anyway, using water from a heated tank should pose no problems at all.

 

[splashtech]

Thanks - I'm glad I found this out before I have fish

 

[Smells a bit fishy]

Oh ok thanks standbysettings. Didn't realise they removed heavy metals as well. Learn something new everyday