How Do I Do Water Changes?

[abbyc]

Hello everybody - I live in Adelaide Australia and have successfully kept a tropical tank with common communal fish for over ten years - rarely do i have any problems - however,due to the 15yr drought our river water is getting a bit manky and the water corp are having to put lots more goodies in to make it drinkable - i did a small water change (3 buckets) 5 days ago and as a result i lost 3 large previously healthy fish of different varieties - need to do another water change - what can i do? do i double/triple the amount of water ager? can I use rain water? thanks and nice to meet you fellow fish loversxxxx

 

[onidrase]

Hello everybody - I live in Adelaide Australia and have successfully kept a tropical tank with common communal fish for over ten years - rarely do i have any problems - however,due to the 15yr drought our river water is getting a bit manky and the water corp are having to put lots more goodies in to make it drinkable - i did a small water change (3 buckets) 5 days ago and as a result i lost 3 large previously healthy fish of different varieties - need to do another water change - what can i do? do i double/triple the amount of water ager? can I use rain water? thanks and nice to meet you fellow fish loversxxxx

is your tank cycled? What are your water perimeters? What is the tap waters perimeters? What are the "goodies" they put in the water to make it drinkable?

 

[Tolak]

What are you using to treat the replacement water?

 

[abbyc]

Hello everybody - I live in Adelaide Australia and have successfully kept a tropical tank with common communal fish for over ten years - rarely do i have any problems - however,due to the 15yr drought our river water is getting a bit manky and the water corp are having to put lots more goodies in to make it drinkable - i did a small water change (3 buckets) 5 days ago and as a result i lost 3 large previously healthy fish of different varieties - need to do another water change - what can i do? do i double/triple the amount of water ager? can I use rain water? thanks and nice to meet you fellow fish loversxxxx

is your tank cycled? What are your water perimeters? What is the tap waters perimeters? What are the "goodies" they put in the water to make it drinkable?

Hi (didn't catch your name) what do you mean by cycled? a term i'm unfamiliar with -my tank is over 200ltrs and the newspaper didn't mention what they added - simply that the water was receiving 'extra treatment' will have to google it - thanx

 

[abbyc]

What are you using to treat the replacement water?

I am using simple water ager - have only rarely had problems with my tank, so i'm not familiar with more complex solutions

 

[onidrase]

Hello everybody - I live in Adelaide Australia and have successfully kept a tropical tank with common communal fish for over ten years - rarely do i have any problems - however,due to the 15yr drought our river water is getting a bit manky and the water corp are having to put lots more goodies in to make it drinkable - i did a small water change (3 buckets) 5 days ago and as a result i lost 3 large previously healthy fish of different varieties - need to do another water change - what can i do? do i double/triple the amount of water ager? can I use rain water? thanks and nice to meet you fellow fish loversxxxx

is your tank cycled? What are your water perimeters? What is the tap waters perimeters? What are the "goodies" they put in the water to make it drinkable?

Hi (didn't catch your name) what do you mean by cycled? a term i'm unfamiliar with -my tank is over 200ltrs and the newspaper didn't mention what they added - simply that the water was receiving 'extra treatment' will have to google it - thanx

Whether or not the tank is cycled is basically asking if the tank has been running significantly long enough for there to be a good build of beneficial bacteria to keep ammonia and nitrite down in your water, as both are very harmful to the fish.

I'd try and call water suppliers and ask what they're adding to the water. I've never heard of the stuff you're treating the water with, but make sure you're dosing it properly so it kills off the chlorine and whatnot.

 

[abbyc]

What are you using to treat the replacement water?

 

[Tolak]

What are you using to treat the replacement water?

I am using simple water ager - have only rarely had problems with my tank, so i'm not familiar with more complex solutions

Got a name of this simple water ager? What does the bottle say?

 

[abbyc]

abbyc here - yes tank has been successful for a decade with few problems - it has living plants in it and i only ever clean my filter in water syphoned from the tank - weekly i usually do a 3 bucket water change - where r u guys from - there is a time difference - water ager does not state active ingredients, but says it 'removes harmful chlorine and chloramine -abbyc

What are you using to treat the replacement water?

I am using simple water ager - have only rarely had problems with my tank, so i'm not familiar with more complex solutions

Got a name of this simple water ager? What does the bottle say?

VitaPet 'water ager' for goldfish and tropical fish

 

[Tolak]

Still doesn't give me a brand name, don't need ingredients if I have that. If it removes chlorine & chloramine that's it, you've probably got plain cheap sodium thiosulfate as an ingredient. This will be a problem if they increase chloramine, as you will be left with ammonia after the chlorine/ammonia split from the chloramine.

I'll bet they're jacking up the disinfectants, causing either some of the disinfectants to be left over if you are dosing normally, as well as having an elevated ammonia level due to splitting chloramine into its components, chlorine & ammonia.

I'm from Chicago Il, USA, 1am here.

 

[abbyc]

Ouch - America - 1am! your up late - r u saying that all i need to do is go 2 an acquarium supplis place and get a stronger additive? the vita pet is obviously not coping -

Ouch - America - 1am! your up late - r u saying that all i need to do is go 2 an aquarium supplies place and get a stronger additive? the vita pet is obviously not coping -

 

[abbyc]

Abbyc here again - thx 4 ur help - gotta go - 5:50pm here in australia and gotta start cooking tea - nice chatting with u Tolak (?) i think

 

[Tolak]

Look for Seachem Prime or Tetra Aquasafe, and double dose. While your old dechlorinator may have worked in the past, due to local conditions the supply has changed. I have to deal with much the same here, it depends on weather conditions. After a strong storm with heavy winds the water comes out of the tap smelling like a swimming pool.

Water suppliers are concerned with providing a product that is safe for human consumption, and do a good job of it. Unfortunately at times it is unhealthy for fish, and your water treatment must be increased to compensate for this.

 

[abbyc]

Look for Seachem Prime or Tetra Aquasafe, and double dose. While your old dechlorinator may have worked in the past, due to local conditions the supply has changed. I have to deal with much the same here, it depends on weather conditions. After a strong storm with heavy winds the water comes out of the tap smelling like a swimming pool.

Water suppliers are concerned with providing a product that is safe for human consumption, and do a good job of it. Unfortunately at times it is unhealthy for fish, and your water treatment must be increased to compensate for this.

thanx Tolak - exactly the kind of advice i was looking 4!