# Easy Question



## amazonjungle (Jun 6, 2011)

hey guys very easy question here.

I was just wondering if doing bucket by bucket changes is a good idea.

i.e. I take a bucket out and put a bucket of clean water in (repeat 3 or 4 times)

or is this a better method: turn off filters and heater, take out 4 buckets of tank water, then pour in 4 buckets of tap water in after?

p.s. this may be a friggen stupid question, but I have an oscar tank with great water quality, could I simply suck water from the surface of that tank (not from the poopy gravel) and put it into my RBP tank? what cha think?


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## locust (Aug 2, 2005)

This is better:- "turn off filters and heater, take out 4 buckets of tank water, then pour in 4 buckets of tap water in after"
By doing this you`re replacing more fresh water than by the other two


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## amazonjungle (Jun 6, 2011)

locust said:


> This is better:- "turn off filters and heater, take out 4 buckets of tank water, then pour in 4 buckets of tap water in after"
> By doing this you`re replacing more fresh water than by the other two


thanks man ill do that from now on.

whats a good weekly percentage to take out. I have two aquaclear 110s on a 60 gallon with five 5.5 inch RBP.
seems crowded but theyre super happy. I took fish meat outta their diet too. pellets and occaisional feeders only.

15%?
25%?

thanks!


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## FishermanCanada (Feb 12, 2007)

40% is best weekly.


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## amazonjungle (Jun 6, 2011)

FishermanCanada said:


> 40% is best weekly.


will be done!


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## 1rhom (Nov 6, 2009)

I do 15% 2 times a week. I never have any water issues. Also, the piranha gets used to you after a while.


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## Nzac (Oct 13, 2010)

I base the % of water changed on the nitrate levels of the particular tank, most of my tanks get 20-25% weekly while one actually gets 40-50% weekly this tank is a little overstocked.


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## addicted216 (Sep 30, 2011)

Nzac said:


> I base the % of water changed on the nitrate levels of the particular tank, most of my tanks get 20-25% weekly while one actually gets 40-50% weekly this tank is a little overstocked.


i agree, thats exactly how i do it, never have any problems, its crazy how tanks vary,


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## amazonjungle (Jun 6, 2011)

Nzac said:


> I base the % of water changed on the nitrate levels of the particular tank, most of my tanks get 20-25% weekly while one actually gets 40-50% weekly this tank is a little overstocked.


I did the 40% a few days ago and it made my levels look great!

im just gonna keep doing that. it seems to be working.

I can say my tanks overstocked although the fish are quite happy. 
they have plenty of room


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## FishermanCanada (Feb 12, 2007)

i also do 40-50% weekly and i have never lost a fish. Plus the fresh water seems to make them more active , especially right after a water change.

Glad it has worked for you!!!


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## amazonjungle (Jun 6, 2011)

FishermanCanada said:


> i also do 40-50% weekly and i have never lost a fish. Plus the fresh water seems to make them more active , especially right after a water change.
> 
> Glad it has worked for you!!!


it certainly did, but I gave them two large goldfish for the first and last time last night lol. I promised my dad I'd give him a show.

I had to turn off their lights and keep quiet, but eventually....LOL poor fish. that was 4 seconds.

this morning I came back to find the other goldfish shredded, but I had no time to do anything more than net out as much as I could. so my water quality is gonna FAIL lool. so ill do a 40% tonight


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## addicted216 (Sep 30, 2011)

when was the last time you done one? just dont do to many, just saying, just because you feed them doesnt mean you have to do a change, you said you got it out the next morning,stick to your weekly change, unless your per. is out of wack..jmo


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## amazonjungle (Jun 6, 2011)

addicted216 said:


> when was the last time you done one? just dont do to many, just saying, just because you feed them doesnt mean you have to do a change, you said you got it out the next morning,stick to your weekly change, unless your per. is out of wack..jmo


I did do a second 50% water change two days later (last night). is there a danger in doing that? 
I have zero ammonia nitrites are zero. everything perfect, but does replacing too much water hurt them?


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## addicted216 (Sep 30, 2011)

amazonjungle said:


> when was the last time you done one? just dont do to many, just saying, just because you feed them doesnt mean you have to do a change, you said you got it out the next morning,stick to your weekly change, unless your per. is out of wack..jmo


I did do a second 50% water change two days later (last night). is there a danger in doing that? 
I have zero ammonia nitrites are zero. everything perfect, but does replacing too much water hurt them?
[/quote]
imo, if you have good per. then do your normal water changes, all i was saying is doin to many changes can hurt you too,when my per. are good like yours is, i do 1 water a week around 40%, when you feed them, whatever they dont eat in 15min. i take out, make sure you do that, and test your water like you have and do your normal water changes(unless your per. are off, and you should be in good shape


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## addicted216 (Sep 30, 2011)

amazonjungle said:


> when was the last time you done one? just dont do to many, just saying, just because you feed them doesnt mean you have to do a change, you said you got it out the next morning,stick to your weekly change, unless your per. is out of wack..jmo


I did do a second 50% water change two days later (last night). is there a danger in doing that? 
I have zero ammonia nitrites are zero. everything perfect, but does replacing too much water hurt them?
[/quote]
if your per. are good, just stick with your normal changes, if they start goin out of wake, then do your normals, but try a smaller change in between. alot of people do it deferent, but that works for me, i dont have mortalitys,


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