# Water Changes



## sprinter78 (Nov 24, 2003)

Still rather new to the world of aquariums...









I have a 20 g high tank of community fish, mostly tetras, mollies, and some other sorts. Ive lost a few fish in the past 2 weeks though I have been doing my weekly water changes and have been watching my ammonia and nitrite levels, as well as the pH.

A question I have been struggling with is when to add the declorinator chemicals to the water that I refill my tank with. Do you guys cyphon out the water, vacuum the gravel and then fill the tank with water and put chemicals in with fish inthe water, or do you keep the "new" water in a gallon bucket and then put chemicals in the bucket of water... let it sit, and then add bucket...

Wondering if my water changing practices are killing my fish....


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## rbP NUT (Dec 2, 2003)

IME always before putting the water in the tank, that way you can be sure of no poisoning


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

I think it was the dirty diseased goldfish you had with the community fish that killed them.

Typical water change. Vaccum out gravel while doing the water change. Dig the vacuum into the gravel and watch and the gunk get sucked up. Change like 20-30%.

If you are adding water from a bucket, just fill up the bucket and add some dechlorinator and throw it in.

If from a python, just add the water and throw it in.

The chlorine wont kill your fish that fast.


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

Also your fish couldve just been messed up from the store you bought them at....something to think about.


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## sprinter78 (Nov 24, 2003)

Word...

Yeah... i took the goldfish out.... since I got a bowl for the wife...

But two mollies bit it even after that (4 days after)... Im just going to vaccuum the gravel a bit and do a 20% change tonight....









See what happens.... $2.00 fish... not too worried


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## Red Eyes (Nov 25, 2003)

> ... Wondering if my water changing practices are killing my fish....


How much water are you taking out? Is there a big temperature difference in the water that you add in after? How many fish in your tank?

The reason why I ask these questions is ... take out roughly 20%- 30% of your "old water"(if you take out too much "old water" you are taking out the too much of the good bacteria ) try to get approximately the same temperature of water when you add in the "clean water" (too much of a temperature difference can lead to diseases , use your thermometer to monitor) overcrowding your tank is
not good (usually for community tanks its 1 inch of fish for every gallon of water, 
20 inches of fish for 20 gallons)

These are just some of my thoughts.


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

I have to disagree with your 20% water to bacteria thing. Not much of the beneficial bacteria is present in the water itself but in the gravel, the sides of the aquarium, on the decorations, and filter medium.

Good thought about the temperature though...


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## sprinter78 (Nov 24, 2003)

Actually yeah, that is a good idea about the temperature. I will do that. As far as the crowdedness of the fish, none of my fish are over 2", mostly 1" each. The strawberry tetra's are the biggest in there, and they are small.... all in all there are 14 fish total:

1 balloon molly
2 clouds
3 neon tetra
2 strawberry tetra
2 red swordtails
2 zebra danios


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## sprinter78 (Nov 24, 2003)

Actually 12 fish.... I can't count.


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

I think your fine on overcrowding.

He also has a Penguin 330 providing filtration so no shortage of power there.


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## Lahot (May 20, 2003)

Xenon said:


> The chlorine wont kill your fish that fast.


 it could, try adding the dechlorinator to the water before adding it to the tank.


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## thorsky (Dec 4, 2003)

I'm starting to worry about myself!









I make up my water ahead of time in stainless 5 gal buckets. I declorinate, add salt if needed, then bubble the water for at least 30 minutes but usually over night. After that, I temp & PH match, then very slowly pump the water back into the tank so it mixes slowly reducing risk of "water shock". Am I the only one that goes through all this trouble?? I've always done this with my tanks over the years.


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## Noe (Aug 22, 2003)

rbP NUT said:


> IME always before putting the water in the tank, that way you can be sure of no poisoning


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## Red Eyes (Nov 25, 2003)

Sorry !! I didn't see the number of fish he had before replying!!!


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## sprinter78 (Nov 24, 2003)

Tried y'alls method last ngiht... worked fine except my friggen cyphon slipped out of the bucket and got a good portion of my carpet wet









But the ammonia and nitrate count went down....









Just waiting it out til the new cichlid tank is up and running..


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## sccavee (Feb 11, 2003)

thorsky said:


> I'm starting to worry about myself!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I have to say you must be the most cautious water changer I have heard of.


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## thorsky (Dec 4, 2003)

sccavee said:


> I have to say you must be the most cautious water changer I have heard of.


 Yep, screw that! Time to buy a python! I'm at the point where I dread water changes because the process takes me so long.


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## darkling (Dec 30, 2003)

I keep 20 milk juges with water and stress coat at all times. When its time I do my
water change empty the juges and refill.


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## rbP NUT (Dec 2, 2003)

Xenon said:


> I have to disagree with your 20% water to bacteria thing. Not much of the beneficial bacteria is present in the water itself but in the gravel, the sides of the aquarium, on the decorations, and filter medium.
> 
> Good thought about the temperature though...


 yes good bacteria is symbiotic, i did write a rather long article on it but lost the bastard when my comp crashed







well basically the reason water companies add chloramines to the water is to kill bacteria and pathogens, so if you add de-chlor after you have a chance of killing any bacteria the water comes in contact with brfore de-chlorinated


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