Large water changes

[glolite]

If a large tank needs a large water change do you guys add tapsafe or equivilent to the tank before adding water from a hose? I normally use a dustbin (just for fish use) to mix first then a pump, but I need to do a bigger w/c

 

[Clairel]

I take my water out of my 180 litre, with a syphon that goes straight into an empty dustbin, i usually only take around 20% out, then i fill back up with buckets, and add dechorinator for the amount of water im putting back in, as the exsisiting water in the tank, has already had this stuff previously added, i dont know if you can overdose on dechlorinator, or what the consiquences are

Claire x

 

[Bloo]

You can't really go wrong with adding dechlorinator.
here's a very intereresting article about the potential overdosing of dechlorinator.

You can just squirt it directly into the tank (not in a fish's eye!) as you fill up the water. I generall squirt mine into the filter outflow so that it disperses in the tank quickly.

 

[glolite]

I'm thinking of pumping out 40% with hose onto garden then adding enough dechlorinator for that 40% as I add water with hose? Has anyone else used this method?

 

[Clairel]

When i first filled up my tank from empty i used a hose, then i did a couple of 50% water changes, and filled up with the hose again, but mine hasnt got any fish in it, as im cycling, so i dont know if the hose would scare them ? Maybe its a bit too powerful im not sure?

Hope someone else can help you

Claire x

 

[glolite]

Thanks Claire and Bloozoo, The fish in my big tank are all quite big so I think the hose will be fine, I'll run it on slow of course not mega fast.

Bloozoo that article was very helpful, I usually slightly over add dechlorinator rather than under-dose but then I'm probably too anxious as friends have a large tank and never use dechlorinator for water changes. Strangely, their fish seem fine.

 

[CFC]

I always use a hose for draining and refilling all my tanks (changing 130 gallons of water with buckets would take forever). When refilling i add 1/3 of the conditioner before i start, another 1/3 half way through and the last 1/3 just before the end.

 

[glolite]

Thanks CFC. Oops I've already added the dechloritor before the water. Really quick way of doing a simple water change though. I gravel vac'd yesterday and after reading the article about moving bogwood, I moved ALL the rocks, wood etc. Yesterday before the gravel vac my nitrites were nil. This morning they were 0.25. Must have been disturbing all that poo there was loads especially under the rocks. Hence the large w/c today. Glad to say nitrites back to nil now, but I'm glad that article was posted as it would have built up to a thunderous problem in a 90g
Good old TFF again!!

 

[paulioo]

I've actually read an article that stated you do not need to dechlorinate water if you only change between 10-20% of the water I wouldn't like to risk it.

Apparently it takes around 30mins for the chlorine to affect the fish. So you could add the dechlorinater at the beginning, middle or end and it shouldn't make a difference.

I do 50% water changes on my 30 UK gallon. It takes 4 buckets to refil the tank. I only add dechlorinator into the first bucket.

Paul

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

You always need to dechlorinate water you put into the tank however little it is, you mainly use dechlorinator so it won't kill off your beneficial bactera in your tank that processes all the harmful ammonia and nitrites and nitrates.

I have a 10litre bucket for doing my water changes, i just take a couple of buckets out and then replace it with a the same amount of water lost with dechlorinator- i usually do 2 30% water changes in my tanks a week although most people just do one i like to have extra sparkling clear water .
I wouldn't use a water from a hose to refill the tank with as the water will be very cold and will stress your fish out, if you have small fry the temperature fluctuation will kill them more than often, the smaller the fish the more it is affected by the temp- i always make sure the water i put into my tank is as close as temp to the temp of the water in the tank itself. I also mix up the correct dose of dechlornator in the bucket before i put the water in the tank just to be on the safe side as dechlorinator generally sinks in water if you don't stir it up.

 

[CFC]

Providing the temperature doesnt drop by more than 3 or 4 degrees and doesnt drop below 20c temperature changes dont really affect fish much (Discus would be a exception here). I keep stingrays and sensative catfish which are far more delicate than any community fish or common Cichlid and a 30% water change straight from the hose doesnt harm them at all, although from around November till March i do add boiling water while refilling to prevent it dropping by more than 4c. People worry far too much about little things like temperature and pH which unless they are way out of the safety areas are the least of a tanks worries.

 

[funkybodal]

It's an interesting debate...I've always added boiling water to my buckets during water changes to acheive some sort of equality with the tank water, but I doubt it really makes alot of difference. Afterall, some fish, such as killis and the like, swim through hot springs of up to 40 deg. C

 

[Mickslack]

It's an interesting debate...I've always added boiling water to my buckets during water changes to acheive some sort of equality with the tank water, but I doubt it really makes alot of difference. Afterall, some fish, such as killis and the like, swim through hot springs of up to 40 deg. C

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i think the problem comes with boiling takes the oxugen out of the water, there is no problem unlessit is all boiled and then left to cool down

 

[jolaf]

Better be careful taking out so much water you may disrupt the biological bacteria. Then is has to cycle all over again in a mini cycle. I did that when fighting ich and alot of fish died. Just a thought. I siphon out water in a 5 gallon bucket then add the chlorinator to the bucket then pour it in the tank already mixed.

quote=glolite,Sep 27 2005, 02:04 AM]
I'm thinking of pumping out 40% with hose onto garden then adding enough dechlorinator for that 40% as I add water with hose? Has anyone else used this method?

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[CFC]

Water changes should not have any effect on bacteria colonies unless you forget to dechlorinate the water you replace it with. The actual water itself does not contain any of the good bacteria needed for biological filtration as these can only form on solid surfaces (substrate, filter media, decor), only bad bacteria's are found freely floating in the water. The only time large water changes may become a problem is if the water you are replacing the old water with is substancially different in pH and hardness to the water in the tank, changes in pH greater than 1 in a 12 hour period can have disasterous affects.