# Doing a Water Change



## readingbabelfish (Jan 16, 2003)

When I do a water change in my 125g, do I need to put the new water in bucket by bucket? Do I have to use my chlorine remover in each bucket or can I just run a hose and throw the chlorine remover in all at once? I really don't like the idea of making up 5 or 6 5g buckets one at a time. What do you guys think?


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## Murphy18 (Oct 17, 2008)

You can run a hose and just dump the conditioner in, but have the hose running very slowly so that the temp can adjust. Thats what i do only i use the python system. Just have the water trickling in gentlly, take time but ive found this is the best way to do it. You could also fil a couple buckets up at the same time, and put them in.


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## wizardslovak (Feb 17, 2007)

or u can use rubermaid bucket and pretreat and preheat water before
2 days before i want to change water i fill up 40gal bucket with chlorine remover , cycle and heater in it . By the day i will actually change water , i have water ready .

I know how "bucket" method hard is, so this is much easier and yea get yourself a Python system <--------- da best


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## Plowboy (Apr 9, 2008)

I just remove the amount i want to change, add all the conditioner I need, and then run the water in full tilt at about the right temp. You get pretty good at guessing the waters temp after a while and wont be far off if you even are.


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## readingbabelfish (Jan 16, 2003)

Thanks Plowboy, that is what I wanted to hear. I can just run my hose from the utility sink that has hot and cold water.


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## lovemyreds (Feb 18, 2009)

i have a 125 gallon tank i bought 2 rubber maid buckets 8 gallons a piece from home depot.i use one capeful of stress coat+ which treats 10 gallons of water to each bucket t would not take the chance to change water then add chemical to treat it why take a chance.


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## Plowboy (Apr 9, 2008)

lovemyreds said:


> i have a 125 gallon tank i bought 2 rubber maid buckets 8 gallons a piece from home depot.i use one capeful of stress coat+ which treats 10 gallons of water to each bucket t would not take the chance to change water then add chemical to treat it why take a chance.


The only thing your really trying to protect from the chlorine is the beneficial bacteria. So if your worried about it, shut the filters off and let your power head/s stir it around a bit before you turn the filters back on. It could still kill some of the bacteria in the gravel and every other surface of the tank, but it wont be enough to even make it noticeable.

The chlorine wont hurt the fish at all for that short amount of exposure time. You drink the stuff every day and it doesn't hurt you. Well not really proven anyways!?!? Granted you aren't swimming in it for extended periods of time, but your swimming in much higher concentrations in a hotel swimming pool than the fish is likely to ever encounter and for a longer duration. It's true that the chlorine is in contact with the fish's gills but its only for minutes, and it would hardly be a problem.

As always, better safe than sorry, and your method is indeed safer. I just dont think its needed. You can argue that I'm underestimating the issues I listed above, but many people on this site do it exactly the way I stated without fault.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Get a python if its such a large tank. declorinate before when you start to fill. You dotn actually match the temp perfectly, but pythons attach directly to a facucet so you can adjust the temp from the sink and make it as close as you can feel.
Dont use buckets it sucks especially for multiple large tanks and cleaning up spills, get a python to make life som much easier. It costs 30-40$ but its worth it, I dotn know why i didnt get one sooner.


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## lovemyreds (Feb 18, 2009)

yes the python is great had it but cant use it taking the water from tank cesspools dont like it to much.man miss having sewers


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

Plowboy said:


> i have a 125 gallon tank i bought 2 rubber maid buckets 8 gallons a piece from home depot.i use one capeful of stress coat+ which treats 10 gallons of water to each bucket t would not take the chance to change water then add chemical to treat it why take a chance.


The only thing your really trying to protect from the chlorine is the beneficial bacteria. So if your worried about it, shut the filters off and let your power head/s stir it around a bit before you turn the filters back on. It could still kill some of the bacteria in the gravel and every other surface of the tank, but it wont be enough to even make it noticeable.

The chlorine wont hurt the fish at all for that short amount of exposure time. You drink the stuff every day and it doesn't hurt you. Well not really proven anyways!?!? Granted you aren't swimming in it for extended periods of time, but your swimming in much higher concentrations in a hotel swimming pool than the fish is likely to ever encounter and for a longer duration. It's true that the chlorine is in contact with the fish's gills but its only for minutes, and it would hardly be a problem.

As always, better safe than sorry, and your method is indeed safer. I just dont think its needed. You can argue that I'm underestimating the issues I listed above, but many people on this site do it exactly the way I stated without fault.
[/quote]

I think that you're spot on Pb
Some of you guys are giving yourselves a bunch of extra work IMO,
buy a python it will make life sooooooooo much easier.


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## TobiasRieper (Mar 14, 2008)

I just empty and fill, never had a problem.


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## dschoter05 (Oct 14, 2008)

Plowboy said:


> i have a 125 gallon tank i bought 2 rubber maid buckets 8 gallons a piece from home depot.i use one capeful of stress coat+ which treats 10 gallons of water to each bucket t would not take the chance to change water then add chemical to treat it why take a chance.


The only thing your really trying to protect from the chlorine is the beneficial bacteria.  So if your worried about it, shut the filters off and let your power head/s stir it around a bit before you turn the filters back on. It could still kill some of the bacteria in the gravel and every other surface of the tank, but it wont be enough to even make it noticeable.

The chlorine wont hurt the fish at all for that short amount of exposure time. You drink the stuff every day and it doesn't hurt you. Well not really proven anyways!?!? Granted you aren't swimming in it for extended periods of time, but your swimming in much higher concentrations in a hotel swimming pool than the fish is likely to ever encounter and for a longer duration. It's true that the chlorine is in contact with the fish's gills but its only for minutes, and it would hardly be a problem.

As always, better safe than sorry, and your method is indeed safer. I just dont think its needed. You can argue that I'm underestimating the issues I listed above, but many people on this site do it exactly the way I stated without fault.
[/quote]
Thats exactly what i do. Never had a problem with it. If you are using Prime make sure you treat the whole tank not just the water you are adding.


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