Water Quality

[KatieKroft]

Hi. I'm a beginner and have some questions. Firstly, I have two internal filters that aerate the water surface. My question is: Should I position the filters so that they create as many bubbles as possible so that it's like a storm on the surface? Or is a more gentle water disturbance better?

Secondly, when I do water changes should I warm the water first? As it's so cold, the water out of the tap feels really icy. I don't want my fish to get frozen so I have been using aquarium heaters in buckets to warm the water to the right temperature. Is there any other way to warm the water? Can I use water out of the hot water tap? Or maybe mix cold water with boiling water out of the kettle? I realise that mixing the cold water with the warm aquarium water will warm it but what would happen if a fish gets an icy shock when I pour icy water on its head?

Thirdly, how much water should I change and how often? There seems to be lots of different opinions on this! Some people say 10%, others say 15%. I read on the forum that one person does 50% but someone else says never do more than 30% as it changes the water chemistry!

Please help!!

Thanks in advance!

 

[star4]

Hi, first answer to all 3 questions would be what size is your tank and what sort of fish are you keeping. Airiation can depend on the type of fish, certain fish origionate from fast flowing river systems with a high o2 content. General community fish (guppies etc) you will be fine having the surface water moving, if you fish are staying near the surface all the time, just raise your filter to create more surface agitation.

I mix water from the hot tap and cold tap to get the right temperature, so long as you have your dechlorinator you should be ok. I think if you have an older heating system (water tank) there can be issues with metals in the hot water, but a combi boiler should be ok.

Waterchanges: Again depends on the sort of fish you are keeping, I keep sa/ca cichlids who can create quite a mess therefore I do 50% a week, however I do have some more delicate fish that have 20-30% change 3 times a week, when I have fry its daily wc

 

[anon02]

Hi. I'm a beginner and have some questions. Firstly, I have two internal filters that aerate the water surface. My question is: Should I position the filters so that they create as many bubbles as possible so that it's like a storm on the surface? Or is a more gentle water disturbance better?

Secondly, when I do water changes should I warm the water first? As it's so cold, the water out of the tap feels really icy. I don't want my fish to get frozen so I have been using aquarium heaters in buckets to warm the water to the right temperature. Is there any other way to warm the water? Can I use water out of the hot water tap? Or maybe mix cold water with boiling water out of the kettle? I realise that mixing the cold water with the warm aquarium water will warm it but what would happen if a fish gets an icy shock when I pour icy water on its head?

Thirdly, how much water should I change and how often? There seems to be lots of different opinions on this! Some people say 10%, others say 15%. I read on the forum that one person does 50% but someone else says never do more than 30% as it changes the water chemistry!

Please help!!

Thanks in advance!

Hi, welcome to the forum,

The general consensus is that a gentle ripple at the surface is enough to ensure a decent oxygenation

If you are using a decent water conditioner that also removes heavy metals it should be fine to use hot tapwater to temperature match your tank water

The keepers who are exchanging large amounts of water are usually doing so to say dilute toxins or remove medications. For general husbandry 20-25% is okay. It is a good idea to get into the habit of gravel cleaning with your water changes as some toxins hang about in the lower levels of the tank

 

[moochy13]

i find that by the time ive done a decent job of hoovering my sand/vaccuuming the gravel, theres a fair amount of water being changed anyway. you may get the same result.

 

[Skins]

i find that by the time ive done a decent job of hoovering my sand/vaccuuming the gravel, theres a fair amount of water being changed anyway. you may get the same result.

+1

 

[KatieKroft]

Thanks very much, that's really helpful. I've got a couple of tanks. One is a 94l Interpet River Reef and the other is a 50l Juwel. I keep community fish in both (Angels, guppies, mollies etc.)

Does anyone know if Interpet filter aid is any good as my 94l tank is not as clear as I would like?

 

[Skins]

Is your 94ltr tank fully cycled? OR how long has it been up and running?
Have you got your own test kit? (if you have can you post your water stats,ammonia/nitrIte/nitrAte/pH)

Skins.

nearly forgot, like the pic of your tank.

 

[KatieKroft]

Is your 94ltr tank fully cycled? OR how long has it been up and running?
Have you got your own test kit? (if you have can you post your water stats,ammonia/nitrIte/nitrAte/pH)

Skins.

nearly forgot, like the pic of your tank.

Yes it's cycled. I bought it second hand and it has been up and running for two years. I have been using two different test kits which give slightly different results but keep indicating that a water change is necessary. I keep changing 20% of the water every week but never get totally perfect results. Is this normal?

 

[Skins]

Is your 94ltr tank fully cycled? OR how long has it been up and running?
Have you got your own test kit? (if you have can you post your water stats,ammonia/nitrIte/nitrAte/pH)

Skins.

nearly forgot, like the pic of your tank.

Yes it's cycled. I bought it second hand and it has been up and running for two years. I have been using two different test kits which give slightly different results but keep indicating that a water change is necessary. I keep changing 20% of the water every week but never get totally perfect results. Is this normal?

what are your "never get totally perfect results" e.g high nitrates(would i be right in thinking this is the tank you have the algae issue in, i read your other thread).

Skins.

 

[Skins]

It would be helpfull to let us know what filter you use in your 94ltr. Sorry for all the questions.

Skins.

 

[KatieKroft]

Yes it's the one with the algae issue. It's the nitrates that are the problem, the reading being medium rather than low.

I got a Stingray 15 with the tank which I thought wasn't powerful enough after doing research so I added an Interpet mini filter until I can figure out what to upgrade to.

 

[fluvial]

Just a quick thought about using hot water from the tap.

I used to do that as its a quick and easy method, but then had a couple of fish develop
fits, very like epilepsy, both died in the end.

I think that there was copper getting into the water from the hot water tank - and copper is very
poisnous to fish.

I now mix cold tap water with water boiled in the kettle to get it to the right temperature when I do
a water change. The cold water comes direct from the mains - and with a dechlorinator is perfectly safe.

 

[KatieKroft]

Just a quick thought about using hot water from the tap.

I used to do that as its a quick and easy method, but then had a couple of fish develop
fits, very like epilepsy, both died in the end.

I think that there was copper getting into the water from the hot water tank - and copper is very
poisnous to fish.

I now mix cold tap water with water boiled in the kettle to get it to the right temperature when I do
a water change. The cold water comes direct from the mains - and with a dechlorinator is perfectly safe.

That's what I did today as my hot water from the tap is always cloudy.

 

[Skins]

Yes it's the one with the algae issue. It's the nitrates that are the problem, the reading being medium rather than low.

I got a Stingray 15 with the tank which I thought wasn't powerful enough after doing research so I added an Interpet mini filter until I can figure out what to upgrade to.

I would say you are right and that your filter is most probably not quite up to the job. I just did a quick look at your filters spec and it turns over 300Lph which will cycle your tank only 3 times per hour. Someone will correct me if i am wrong but you really want a filter that will cycle your tanks water volume 4 times p/h, and if you have live plants idealy more.

Hope this helps, Skins.

 

[Skins]

Forgot to mention your nitrates,
Have you tested your tap water for nitrates?
I have been advised to try and not let your tanks nitrates get 15-20ppm higher than your tap waters nitrates, sorry does that make sense.
Suggestion:
If you are concerned about the levels being to high then i would make your weekly water change a little bigger.