How Does Everyone Manage Water Changes

[emilythestrange]

I did a water change yesterday, it took a long time! One hour plus.

Since i changed tanks and added bogwood, the water has always been really dark, stained with tannins. After the recent water change it has looked slightly lighter. The carbon in the filter hasnt really made a difference and its still dark 2 months later, I did boil the wood for three days prior to setting up.
What can i do to remove the tannins?

I am finding water changes hard now ive changed to sand, yes it looks alot better, but theres always fish waste on the sand, even after cleaning with the gravel vac.
It doesnt always get sucked up by the tube, and when i do try and get the dirt up, it always takes alot of sand up with it. The sand is hard to see when the lid is up, even when all of the lights are on. Plus the plants seem to always un-root whilst doing maintenance. How does everyone manage this task?

10 hours later after the water change my biggest cherry shrimp is dead too.

 

[elmo666]

Sorry to hear about your shrimp. Unless you have fish in the tank that are overly sensitive to the tannins being released, they are doing no harm unless you personally don't like the look of the tint, and it can take months to stop staining the water in this noticeable way. Am not sure about shrimps sensitivity to them, but from memory I don't think it should be a problem, but please check this out. Sand is a great substrate as, and you now know, any detrius sits nicely on the surface. Isn't it surprising at first just how much waste your fish are producing?? Do away with the gravel cleaner and use clear hose, hovering it above the sand carefully removing the waste material. It takes a little practice, but after a while you won't take much sand out at all. This method also allows you to get in amongst the plants without disturbing them. By the way, any sand syphoned into your bucket can be recovered by gently swilling away the dirt, which generally, is lighter.

 

[Livewire88]

How often do you do water changes?

 

[The Taffy Apple]

I have a similiar sized piece of bogwood as yourself and have found the tannis to slow down but certainly not stop producing even after 16 months !!!! What i do find helps keep it under control until my weekly water change is an extra, small internal filter (mine is suitable for upto 30/40L) and filled with standard filter floss...this then gets rinsed out in old tank water weekly and changed monthly..it really does have a noticeable effect.

Terry.

 

[star4]

Best thing I have found for cleaning sand is a external filter intake pipe and strainer attached to a hose, you can sift through the sand a little without sucking loads up. As for you tank taking you an hour dont worry about it, you will get quicker with practice. You should come and stay with me for a week, 16 tanks and the smallest is 180l, you would be a wizz then

 

[emilythestrange]

Best thing I have found for cleaning sand is a external filter intake pipe and strainer attached to a hose, you can sift through the sand a little without sucking loads up. As for you tank taking you an hour dont worry about it, you will get quicker with practice. You should come and stay with me for a week, 16 tanks and the smallest is 180l, you would be a wizz then

I bet I would hahaha!! I don't know how people manage it and find the motivation!

 

[raptorrex]

Best thing I have found for cleaning sand is a external filter intake pipe and strainer attached to a hose, you can sift through the sand a little without sucking loads up. As for you tank taking you an hour dont worry about it, you will get quicker with practice. You should come and stay with me for a week, 16 tanks and the smallest is 180l, you would be a wizz then

I bet I would hahaha!! I don't know how people manage it and find the motivation!

I found using a wide bore vac and a lot of care, solved this completely.
you can dig down 1/2 an inch. and you will loose little sand (this is the bit that needs practice)

the smaller the bore (hole) at the end of the pipe, the faster the water flows.
widening the bore slows down water speed, whilst not actually affecting how fast the tank is emptied.

but it all still takes time and patients.

 

[zain611]

What about carbon? i heard that can remove tanin