After two weeks, i'm about to do my first water change. I'm guessing that it should be around 15-20% and will be using a gravel filter aswell. Just wondering if I need to remove my fish during the change and if I should clean the filter or leave it running?
First Water Change
- Thread starter OLLYC
- Start date
leave the fish in there...to clean the filter u use the tank water and must not use tapwater as it will kill the beneficial bacteria on he filter material..also how long has the tank been running 2 weeks is along time to wait to do a water change
So you think the filter needs cleaning? The tanks been running for just under a month but fish were added two weeks ago.
i wouldnt no if the filter needed cleaning would i only you would no that, if the flow rate is slower and/or the tank is getting dirty quick then yes it would need cleaning to do this, when ur doing a water change use the tank water put it in a bucket then rinse the filter material off in it and put straight back in tank you dont want it out in the open air for 2 long as this will kill th egood bacteria to.......
if you have a newly set up tank you should be doing about 20-30% water changes with tap safe or something similar every couple of days for a couple of months till the water is stable then once a week and eventually even once a month
hope this helps
if you have a newly set up tank you should be doing about 20-30% water changes with tap safe or something similar every couple of days for a couple of months till the water is stable then once a week and eventually even once a month
hope this helps
TetraLinz
Fish Fanatic
No . . . Don't clean the filter just yet
If it's a month old, and the fish have been in there for about 2 weeks, the tank will only just be nearing the end of the cycle now. Cleaning the filter now could affect the bacterial colony. Give it another month, then rinse about a 1/3 of the media in old tank water once a month during a water change. Minimises bacterial die-off that way 
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