Water Changes

[dazbud]

Hi all

anyone got advice on the right way to do water changes?

The way I've been doing it is to run tap water in a bucket, add Prime , then let it stand for 24 hours with a small heater in it to bring to right temperature. I then add it to the tank.

A few questions...

Is 24hours the right time to let it stand?

Is it correct to add the delorinator and then let it stand ?
or should I let it stand for 24 hours and then add the declorinator immediately before adding the water to the tank?

If I wanted to change more than one bucket full at a time, I'd have to bring the second bucket up to correct temperature by adding some boiling water into the second bucket cos I only have one spare heater. Would the boiled water be OK?

My tank is still new and cycling. I use a gravel vacuum when removing water, although only lighly disturb some of the gravel. Is this the right thing to do or should I just take water without disturbing the gravel?

 

[soybean]

You don't need to let it stand if you're adding dechlorinator.

 

[Cazgar]

Soybean is right, if you use dechlorinator you don't need to let it stand.
To bring it up to temperature, use hot water from the kettle, or if you have a combi boiler, use hot water from the tap

 

[`Peter]

I use bucket and siphon out a whole bucket (25%) of my tank which is about 5-6 gallons every week. I then use top fin dechlorinator and put the tap water in a gallon jug and eventually pour that into the tank. Gota be careful about adding a similar lukewarm temperature from my tap water.

=)

 

[KRamgren89]

dunno if we are exactly doing this right but my husband is an all around handi man, he feels our tank water to see how warm it is to his body then runs our tap to get pretty close to the same temp then we add dechlorinator and put the water into our tank, have never had a significant drop or increase in water temp this way and havent had any problems.

 

[BETTY BOO]

i also just fill a bucket with water and drop in a little glass thermometer to check temp.once right i add water conditioner then it goes straight into the tank after 5 mins,just to let it mix.never had any problems.