Water Change Method

[milindsaraswala]

I have just setup my tank with some fish but with the lack of knowledge about cycling. I purchase tank and fish at the same time. Then i see my water becoming couldy and my fish start behaving wired. so after lot googling and here on this forum people told me that frequent water change is gud then my fish become some gud. not totally so i start changing water twice a day then also it is not fine.

I am changing water from top 10-15% some time almost 50% water than pour new water. Now what I am looking is that pee and bad things from fish are still remain on the bottom surface of the tank.

So please help me for gud method to change water or what I am doing is correct

 

[ollyhtafc]

If uneaten food is on the bottom you are feeding too much- just cut down on feeding.

 

[drufly]

10 t0 15% is enough water to change i wouldnt change 50%, unless the water is very cloudy. what filter have u an the tank, and what size is your tank

 

[littlest]

do you have a gravel vac? That's how most people get the crap off the bottom. They are cheap to buy. Just get a manual one.
You have one end in the gravel, one end in a bucket. The water syphons out into the bucket while lifting the crap off the bottom.

I agree with drulfry, 10-15% isn't enough. You need to be doing larger water changes. Also are you testing the water for ammonia and nitrite? You really should as this will tell you how much, and how often, you need to be changing the water.

also, what size tank and how many and what type fish do you have?

and... I assume you are using a dechlorinator? If not you need to get some

 

[raptorrex]

I agree with drulfry, 10-15% isn't enough. You need to be doing larger water changes. Also are you testing the water for ammonia and nitrite? You really should as this will tell you how much, and how often, you need to be changing the water.

also, what size tank and how many and what type fish do you have?

and... I assume you are using a dechlorinator? If not you need to get some

? dulfry said 10-15% was enough, and i agree, unless you are well over stocked or your filter is not up to the job. i would defiantly not go over 25%, unless you have a real problems. sorry littlest, i disagree on the testing too, not sure anyone changes water on the results of water stats, unless they are treating a problem. it seems to me that just getting into a habit of weekly water changes is all that's needed. not sure the tank size has a part to play, even a 500gallon will still need a 20% or so change every week, same as i 10g. now if the tank is over stocked, you should not be dealing with it by massive water changes, you need new filtration, or add some, and or a new tank fit for your stock.

reading milindsaraswala's post it looks like the tank is possibly over stocked, and or under, filtered and very possibly un cycled. none of which can be fixed by water changes alone. though i guess 100% bi daily changes may keep the fish alive, i should imagine the fish would be too traumatised to survive.

so a few questions:

1, did you do a cycle before you added fish, or one using a few hardy fish? if not take a look at the pinned threads on the subject on this forum.

2, tanks size and the stock you have now

3, if the answer is no to number one, can you post some water stats.

4, if necessary, could you return your fish.

 

[littlest]

boboboy... I was working on the assumption that the OP is fish-in cycling as they said they bought the tank and fish at the same time. Assuming the tank is still cycling he probably will need to change more than 10-15% (sorry I read drulfry's post wrong, you're right about that bit) to keep the fish alive.

Also assuming he is still cycling, water tests will indicate how much and how often he needs to change the water. I'm assuming there is nitrite and/or ammonia since it wasn't fishless cycled

Of course it is possible that the tank is now cycled, because I don't know how long the OP has had it, I'm assuming not for that long though.

I wasn't suggesting 50% for regular weekly changes in a cycled tank, nor suggesting you go by water stats for water changes in a cycled tank. sorry I didn't make that clear.

 

[backtotropical]

boboboy... I was working on the assumption that the OP is fish-in cycling as they said they bought the tank and fish at the same time. Assuming the tank is still cycling he probably will need to change more than 10-15% (sorry I read drulfry's post wrong, you're right about that bit) to keep the fish alive.

Also assuming he is still cycling, water tests will indicate how much and how often he needs to change the water. I'm assuming there is nitrite and/or ammonia since it wasn't fishless cycled

Of course it is possible that the tank is now cycled, because I don't know how long the OP has had it, I'm assuming not for that long though.

I wasn't suggesting 50% for regular weekly changes in a cycled tank, nor suggesting you go by water stats for water changes in a cycled tank. sorry I didn't make that clear.

Absolutely spot on! The OP states that the tank has recently been set up and that the fish were purchased at the same time. That indicates fish-in cycling to me, so 10 - 15% probably isn't enough and testing the water for ammonia and nitrite will give the best indication of how much water needs changed until the cycle is completed.

Even if you did suggest 50% changes as a regular maintenance schedule, there would be jack squat wrong with that. Possibly not necessary, but certainly won't do any harm.

I'd be very interested to hear the argument for not changing more than 25%. I can't think of a plausible reasoning behind that statement.

Milindsaraswala, i would advise that you should increase your water changes to at least 50% daily until you can test the water. Do you have a test kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH? If so, please post test results here so we can help you further. Also, how long ago did you set up the tank? How long have the fish been in there? Did you cycle the filter? What size is the tank? and which fish do you have?

Cheers

BTT

 

[smmetz]

Since the OP (original poster for those unfamiliar with the term) said he is concerned about the stuff staying at the bottom of the tank, i want to reiterate what littlest said: get a gravel vac and use that when doing water changes.

For more details on exactly what to do when doing a water change, please see the sticky thread:
http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...ly-Maintenance/

It details how to take out the water while cleaning the gravel, and also reminds about de-chlorinating the water. (which littlest also mentioned already)

 

[raptorrex]

boboboy... I was working on the assumption that the OP is fish-in cycling as they said they bought the tank and fish at the same time. Assuming the tank is still cycling he probably will need to change more than 10-15% (sorry I read drulfry's post wrong, you're right about that bit) to keep the fish alive.

Also assuming he is still cycling, water tests will indicate how much and how often he needs to change the water. I'm assuming there is nitrite and/or ammonia since it wasn't fishless cycled

Of course it is possible that the tank is now cycled, because I don't know how long the OP has had it, I'm assuming not for that long though.

I wasn't suggesting 50% for regular weekly changes in a cycled tank, nor suggesting you go by water stats for water changes in a cycled tank. sorry I didn't make that clear.

indeed so, i think perhaps i could have worded my post better, i apologise, i meant no offence.

Since the OP (original poster for those unfamiliar with the term) said he is concerned about the stuff staying at the bottom of the tank, i want to reiterate what littlest said: get a gravel vac and use that when doing water changes.

For more details on exactly what to do when doing a water change, please see the sticky thread:
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...ly-Maintenance/"]http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...ly-Maintenance/[/URL]

It details how to take out the water while cleaning the gravel, and also reminds about de-chlorinating the water. (which littlest also mentioned already)

valid point, one which i did not make as i dont vac my substrate. every couple of days i wave my hand over the substrate, this stirs up any uneaten food. some falls back to the floor, ans is devoured by the fish, some gets pulled into the filter. the rest goes to feed the bacteria in my substrate.

 

[littlest]

indeed so, i think perhaps i could have worded my post better, i apologise, i meant no offence.

none taken