Hi! I'm new and i have a few questions :)

[ToriAndAlice]

Hi, I'm Tori and I have 10 cherry barbs in my tank which is relatively small in comparison to all the enormous ones everyone else seems to be able to afford. I also have two yellow rabbit snails called Francis and Alice, who was my first ever aquatic creature, hence ToriAndAlice. I'm wondering when people say they do big water changes, do you put your fish into a holding tank or leave them in there? Do you condition your water before you put it in or can you just do it all in the tank? If you have live plants do you have to keep giving them co2 fertiliser forever or just until they grow enough?
To clarify, the tank used to be my sister's before she moved out, so I know how to look after the barbs and they're happy there. The snails are the ones that are really mine, which is why they have names. Also, cherry barbs are hard to distinguish between.

 

[Toney]

Leave your fish in the tank during changes, and treat the whole tank with prime before adding water.

 

[Essjay]

Yes, leave the fish in during a water change. It is much less stressful for them than catching them to put them in another container.

As for conditioning the water, which brand do you use, and do you put the new water in with a bucket or hose? Seachem Prime is the only one that should be dosed for the whole tank, and even then only if you refill it with a hose. With all other brands even when filling with a hose, add enough to treat only the new water before you start to refill the tank. If you use buckets to refill, add conditioner, including Prime, to each bucket of water at the dose for the volume of the bucket.

CO2 - it depends what plants you have and what lighting you have. Slow growing plants with low power lights don't need CO2. That is used for fast growing plants when the lights are powerful.

 

[Slamatrix]

Leave the fish in the tank, just be delicate when removing/adding water.
i condition the water and leave it for roughly an hour before putting it in the tank.
I also have a second heater to put in the water i'm conditioning so i can get it close to the temp thats already in my tank.
As for the plants, i have only just moved over to live plants, a few weeks ago, i havnt been adding any Co2, the LFS said it would help but isnt necessary. Which seems to be accurate, i only have three live plants and they seem to be growing well. Will be buying some bigger one in a week or so without intention to buy any Co2 or fertilizer

 

[Essjay]

Conditioners work almost instantly, there is no need to let the water stand. And the new water can be warmed by using a mix of hot and cold water (unless you live in the UK and the hot water is stored in a cylinder in which case you ned to boil some water to warm the new water)

I change 85 litres (22.5 gallons) a week so leaving it standing round to warm up with a spare heater is not an option for me.

 

[Slamatrix]

Conditioners work almost instantly, there is no need to let the water stand. And the new water can be warmed by using a mix of hot and cold water (unless you live in the UK and the hot water is stored in a cylinder in which case you ned to boil some water to warm the new water)

I change 85 litres (22.5 gallons) a week so leaving it standing round to warm up with a spare heater is not an option for me.

Ohh really!? I'm sure i read somewhere they had to wait an hour lol. Just been sitting around wasting my time My water takers a while to warm up from the tap so instead of wasting loads i fill my bucket and heat it up in the hours its been sitting lol. My tank is only 64L so i only need ot change 15-20L each week.one bucket essentially.