Survey: How do YOU change your water?

[xBSD]

Hi friends,

I thought I'd start a thread about changing water, and how everyone does it their own way. I'm sure there are several variations and not to mention custom tricks that more seasoned fishkeepers amongst us employ. I hope this thread will come in handy to others like me who are new or relatively new to this interest. Also please feel free to (politely) point out any "problems" you see with the way others in this thread are changing water, it might save their fish.

Please tell us how you change your water, and how frequently you do it. You could optionally mention the filter type you have since some people with very good filtration sometimes tend to do less frequent water changes. Do you age water before adding? For how long?

Here's what I do for my weekly water change:

Two buckets, one for preparing the new water in and the other for collecting the refuse.

I use cold tap water which, here, has a pH of around 6.5-6.8, perfect for the fish I keep. I have a dedicated heater (100w eclipse) and thermometer for the new water, after adding the water conditioner, I set the heater and the thermometer in the bucket and let the water age and heat-up overnight. By the morning the new water is at about 26c, which is the temperature on my tanks.

I do maintenance before the partial removal of old tank water and then vacuum with the siphon. If I need to scrub a piece of decoration for algae or otherwise, I do it in the water I just took out of the tank.

I don't take the fish out, nor do I unplug the heater while doing this, since the heater stays submerged while I'm changing water. Only thing that gets turned off is the filter.

I have a Rena XP1 canister filter that keeps my 20g crystal clear, but I still like (even need) to do weekly partial water changes because I don't have aeration going on in both of my tanks.

Cheers,
xBSD

[Rue]

Fish stay in tank.

Clean tank walls.

Siphon dirty water out.

Dump down sink.

Rinse anything that needs rinsing under running tap - well water, no chlorine.

Pour clean water into bucket. Haul tap water from city - don't like our well water.

Pour into tank.:hmm3grin2orange:

[swales]

29 Tall. Fish stay in tank. Glass is scraped. I take out 5 gallons at a time (size of buckets) and rinse out one of the filter's media in the bucket. AC70 w/ pre-filter sponge, AC30 and whisper junior or whatever (keeping them cycled for other tanks).

10 gallons 1-2 times per week.

[jb300m01]

28 gallon. The fish stay in. 3 one gallon milk jugs get filled up after every water change and sit for the week after. Clean the walls (if needed), clean the sand. Mix sand up. Drain about 3 gallons. Slowly add new water (room temp is 70, tank is 80) The gallon jug sits on the top of the tank, get a syphon going with airline tubing and let it drain.

I know this isn't the best way but the fish are doing great and some even swim in the cooler water :c3:

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Scrape the glass. Then one word: Python. :)
On the SW tank I don't use the python though. I do that with a bucket because I don't change huge amounts of water.

[Mvjnz]

For my 90 litre tank: I change 20% once a week. I use a gravel vacuum and do the whole bottom the tank and at the same time fill 2 buckets of water. I empty those and fill a bucket with water and water conditioner and let that sit for a few minutes while I do whatever else is required in the tank, i e clean the glass with a sponge, move or trim plants etc. I then pour the water in slowly to not stir up the gravel too much, then go and fill another bucket and add water conditioner and put that in slowly as well. All done:)

I check the filter too, but it hasn't needed cleaning so far.

For my 15 litre tank: I just use a small container to remove about 5 litres of water. I don't have a gravel vac that's small enough for this tank yet. This tank has a betta in it, so I let the bucket with new water and conditioner sit for about 10 minutes before pouring it in. I also double the dose of conditioner.

Leaving water out to age is not really an option here. First of all there's nowhere to put it with the house looking messy and cluttered, and the cats are obsessed with drinking water anywhere but their water bowl, so they would prolly knock the buckets over. Also they would need lids, because of all the cat hair and dust, which means the chlorine wouldn't evaporate.

[cocoa_pleco]

once every 1-3 months i'll use my python on my FW tanks, SW i use a plain ol' bucket and siphon

[Cichlid*Newbie]

Ive only done a few ... but i bought an awesome siphon at wally world...so fast and quick, controlled by tap pressure..i love it, haven't cleaned glass or gravel yet...

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

that would be the Python cichlidnewbie. :)

[Halelorf]

goldfish tank I use two 5 gallon buckets and take out old water with a gravel vac and the fish stay in. Bathroom is right around the corner so I do about 50% waterchanges every week or two. Use the bathtub and feel the temp of the tub to get it close to the tank then condition and dump it back in the tank. It has a rena XP3 filter on it that has sponges in the bottom tray, second and half of the first are loaded with as much ceramic rings as I can stuff into them, and the final half tray has a ultra fine polish sponge on it.

For my saltwater tank I have a small HOB rio protein skimmer which I just dump the tray out every other day. I do about 30% waterchanges on this tank every week. About 3 days before the change I make water in a 5 gallon bucket with a powerhead and heater to mix the salt and get it up to temp. Then I just use a piece of tubing to take the water out and a pitcher to put new water in.

[SkinnyChicken]

For my 80g (300L) discus tank I usually clean the glass, trim the plants and do any other messy jobs the day before a water change. Then after my Eihm canister has filtered the water over the next 24 hours I usually do a 200-250 Litre (53-66g) change.

I change water using buckets only (No Python) and have 2 buckets that I siphon water into (either using my gravel washer or plain tubing depending upon how dirty the bottom looks). I leave a trail of water all the way to the laundry sink where I dump the water and refill them with a mix of hot and cold water with conditioner added to de-chlorinate. I leave a trail of water back to the tank and pour the water back into the tank. Then I do that for the next 2 hours with 20 more bucketfuls.

My tap water has a PH of about 7 which my Discus don't mind at all - though I sometime add some Blackwater Extract to give them a taste of the Amazon - despite them never having been there!

So ... I don't age the water, use a very inefficient bucket method, spill water all over the house, guestimate the temperature of the new water using my hand, usually end up finishing at midnight (or later) with sore shoulders and a bad back ... but on the other hand, have never screwed it up, never lost a fish (to a dodgy water change anyway), only sucked up one Guppy (oops!), and have a very clean tank.

I do this every week.

Still ... I think I might have to source myself one of those Python things !!

[xoolooxunny]

75g tropical:

-Clean glass if needed. Use a vinyl hose and 5g bucket to suck up any undesirables, use for terrestrial plants.
-Trim plants.
-Use garden hose to siphon 50-60% out off back deck, into garden.
-Attach hose to utility sink, refill aquarium, adding stress coat along the way.
-Dose ferts, enjoy ridiculous pearling for the next 2 days.

-If filter sponges (Rena Xp3) need cleaning, they are rinsed under the siphoning garden hose.

[cocoa_pleco]

that would be the Python cichlidnewbie. :)

nope! cichlidnewbie has the marina-vac version i think, canadian wal-marts never sell pythons, only pet stores sell them. i got my python at a wally-land in vegas

[doug z]

Marina Vac?

[cocoa_pleco]

yep, its the same thing/idea as a python, just licensed by marina brand

[doug z]

Ok, right..

Was wondering if you could actually use like a wet vac for those bigger tanks.. :)

[cocoa_pleco]

lol, that would be crazy!

[Lady Hobbs]

Shrimp tank, 20 gallons, I use the siphon/bucket and take out about 4 gallons a week. Add dechlorinator and refill with luckwarm water. Turn filter back on.

(I turn all my filters off when doing water changes.)

My 29 gallon and one 55 gallon gets a gravel vac and 50% water change weekly. I replace filter floss (or rinse it out in old tank water) about every 3 weeks.

My other 55 gallon is overstocked and has no canister filter. That tanks gets two 50% water changes weekly. (That will decrease when I get another tank and a canister.)

I replace all my tanks with lukewarm water (that I know is near 80).

[Ocellaris]

Test before and after for ammonia, nitrate and nitrite

Scrape algae if needed. Clean decor if needed.

Vacuum gravel and use a turkey baster to spray the hard to reach spots. I use to use my python until we moved now I can't reach the sink. But I use 5 gallon water jugs from wally world. Works a lot better than buckets IMO because less chance of spillage.

I don't age water either. I just refill and go. Then feed some tasty blood worms for a treat to put up with it.

[Cichlid*Newbie]

nope! cichlidnewbie has the marina-vac version i think, canadian wal-marts never sell pythons, only pet stores sell them. i got my python at a wally-land in vegas


Yes, i believe i have this one...is the actual name on the machine "python". It probably works the same...! So quick im usually done in like 10 mins tops..but my tank isn't huge either...

[Cichlid*Newbie]

Ok, right..

Was wondering if you could actually use like a wet vac for those bigger tanks.. :)

Haha i wondered that too Doug...lol..just an ordinary shop vac....don't see why not..besides suckng up fish..i like how the vac i have has the fish guard on it.

[john gill]

After several months of useing the bucket brigade method and spilling water all over my house I decided to automate my three tanks, (10, 29,33).

I set up an emty 10gal tank added a power head for cuculation and a heater. I have a hose from a tap that goes directly to the tank for filling, with a second PVC tube that goes to a pump and arangment of valves. From the valves I run a hose to whatever tank I want to change. I then turn on the pump and draw water from the tank through the pump and directly into a drain. Once the tank is down to a predetermained 10gal mark I shut off the pump. Now I switch the valves to alow the pump to to draw from the 10gal holding tank and refill the fish tank. I basicly just switch vales and drink coffee. I do use the bucket method occasionaly to clean the gravel.

After I got this system set up and debuged I ran tubing to all my tanks so I dont even open the cover just open the valve for the tank I want to change. The tubing is preset to draw only 10gal so when it refills its alway at the right level.

I know I am one of those guys with to much time on his hands, but it works great and saves a ton of time and mess.

gill

[Tigerbarb]

I ususally change the water in my 10g and 22g by using a siphon and bucket, then I take the bucket outside to dump water on some plants.
Sometimes I use the method of just scooping up cups of water and dumping them into a bucket though.
For my beta tank, I put my beta in the cup I bought him in, then I take the tank to my kitchen sink to dump out the water/re-fill the tank.
On my new 1.75g hex, since there is sand at the bottom, I have to get a 1 gallon plastic mixing bowl and a small cup to scoop out the water carefully without stirring up the sand, and to re-fill the tank, I dump a bowl of water above a glass plate slowly to reduce the impact it will have on the sand.

[Anja]

25 gallon blackwater/aquaclear 50 - between 4-5 gallons (depends a bit on how much has evaporated) once a week
I fill a five gallon bucket with water about 30C (I have a floating thermometer for the bucket) and let it stand for 2 hours to let the pH drop, then add Prime and Blackwater Extract. I turn off lights (have to remove the canopy and use a clip-on desk lamp on an overhead shelf so I can see what I'm doing), heater and filter, siphon out about 4 1/2 gallons into a second bucket with a gravel vac, though I only gently move the vac across the larger surfaces, not stir up the gravel. I'm told the plants like the mulm in there. Every two weeks I rinse the filter inserts in the waste water.
I take out any loose leaves, trim a bit, then add the new water (making sure the temp is within 1 degree Celsius of the tank temp). Best tip for me was to pour the water down the glass, works like a charm, no more frantic BN. Fill the filter back up, put hood back, turn lights and filter on and set a small alarm to fifteen minutes, cause I would totally forget to replug the heater otherwise. (I'm going to get a new one soon, though, cause this one drives me nuts. It has to be refiddled after every time it's been disconnected.)
I change the water in the QT (5 gallon, small HOB) and the nano snail tank (2 gallon, no filter) at the same time.

I don't feed on the day I do water changes.

[sandy_n]

40g is coming to the end of its cycling so I'm just using my python when necessary. No gravel or filter cleaning yet.

[Kayla-Bug]

It depends on which tank I'm cleaning. One with plants: Start taking water out til it's about halfway empty. Fish stays in. Unplug filter. Wipe walls off. Take plants out. Trim them if needed. Take an undergravel filter and suck all the gunk out. Empty dirty water. Get fresh water in a bucket or 5 gallon water holder thingy's (lol). Dechlorinate the water. Then pour it in the tank.

Without plants: Same just without the plant part, lol.

[MandyL]

In years past when I used tap water I just used a garden hose and a waterbed filling kit, works just like a python for cheap.

But now since I have to use RO water, I use buckets. I change about 3 gallons once a week. Fill bucket with RO water, boil a kettle of RO water to add and warm it up. Add RO Right product and a little Stress Coat (not necessary since it's well water and no chlorine), plus any ferts that are due that day.

While kettle is boiling, remove 3 gallons of water using gravel vaccuum (held an inch above sand to get debris off top). Add bucket of clean water.

I have a Rena XP1. I rarely have to do maintenance on the plants or clean the decor or glass, so it is not every week. I do not unplug anything as it's less than 10% of water that I remove.

[Taurus]

20g long/ vacuum gravel to remove sediment over 1/2 of tank per week with 30% water change into bucket. Rinse filter media in used water. Dump water down toilet (only until the frost is gone, then out on lawn). Then get clean bucket used only for clean tap water, fill with water adjusted warm\cold for correct temperature and add 1/3 cap of Prime. Slowly pour water into tank from bucket. Towel dry front of tank and floor. Watch my fish smile! :19:

[Devon Greatwolf]

I use my handy-dandy Python to do weekly 25% water changes; half of my tanks on Saturdays and half on Sundays. I will gravel vacuum all open areas every other week. On the alternate weeks, I move approximately half my decorations (other than live plants) and then I do a through gravel vacuum of the cleared area. After doing the gravel vacuum I reverse flow on the Python and set the tap water to the tank temp. I then add dechlorinator to the tank and begin to refill. I very seldom have to scrub any algae away due to my healthy populations of MTS and Ramshorn. I rinse filter media as needed in captured tank water and replace only when necessary. I am including my complete current stocking list below.



* 55 gallon A: 3 Bosemani Rainbows (M/2F); 3 Turquoise Rainbows (M/2F); 1 Yellow Rainbows (F); 2 Paecox Rainbows (2F); 1 7" Red Finned Rainbow Shark (Killer); 1 green wendtii; 1 red wendtii; 4 Java Fern; 2 anubias hastifolia; 1 round leaf anubias; 1 water onion; 1 5” Japanese Moss ball; large bunch of hornwort. Whisper 30-60 filter with secondary filtration from Hagen AquaClear rated at half tank size running dual sponges and Hagen BioMax; and a 7 watt 75gph Uv sterilizer.

* 55 gallon B: Large Jack Dempsey; 12 Giant Danios; large pleco (app 14”); extra large java fern; bunch of hornwort; Java-like Moss; and various large rocks stacked to form caves. Dual Whisper 30-60 filters.

* 30 Gallon A: 3 typical Tiger Barbs; 3 Green Tiger Barbs; 2 Platinum Green Tiger Barbs; 1 Albino Tiger Barb; 7 Marbled Hatchet Fish; 2 Albino Cories (Toot and Blow); 1 Amazon Sword; 2 Java Fern; 1 “Lace” Java Fern; 2 3” Japanese Moss balls. Whisper 30 filter.

* 30 Gallon B (84dF): 2 German Blue Rams (M/FM); 11 Rummy Nose Tetras; 1 Neon Tetra; 2 Oto’s; 1 broad leaf anubias and 2 narrow leaf anubias (were labeled as mixed anubias at LFS); 3 Java Ferns; app. 15-20 small assorted crypts; 1 3.5” Japanese Moss ball; Java-like Moss. Whisper 30 filter.

* 30 Gallon C (77dF): 2 Male Keyholes (Lefty and Dead-Eye); 3 Panda Cories; 3 Java ferns; 2 sword-like plants; 5 small crypt shoots; 1 ball of Java-like Moss. Penguin Bio Wheel 200 Filter.

*20 gallon A: 1 Male Betta (Blue with red highlights); 7 Rasbora Hets; 2 Java ferns; 1 small crypt; 1 Anubias Nana clump of hornwort; Java-like Moss; Filter = Whisper 40i.

*20 gallon B QT: 2 Yellow Rainbows (1M/1FM); 1 Praecox Rainbow (M); 1 Anubias Nana; 1 Crypt; 1 java fern; Java-like Moss. Filter = Whisper 40i.

*20 gallon C: Filter = Several Dozen Guppies; Large bunch of Hornwort. Whisper 20i.

*20 gallon D QT/Hospital: Filter = Whisper 20i and homemade sponge filter s.

*20 gallon E: Pair of Neolamprogus Pulcher (Daffodil) with app. 10 fry; 5 Zebra Danios; 2 “Lace” Java ferns; 5 Anubias Nana; crushed coral and aragonite mix substrate. Whisper 30 filter.

* Except where noted, Temps are kept stable at an "average" based on fish preference, app. 74-77 dF.

* All tanks (except QT’s and Tanganyikan) have Spectra Stone Substrate (4 parts almond color standard grain to 1 part fine grain black). All tanks "realistically" planted with artificial plants, with many slate caves, large driftwood displays, and scattered "polished river" stones/granite pebbles.

* Additional 20-gallon tank waiting for me to finish a stand.

* If you want to know more, just ask!

[pinsonpa]

10 gallon (lightly planted)

I always keep two (one gallon) milk jugs, each 2/3 filled with tap water and one drop of Genesis (dechlorinator). The water sits for a week or two and right before cleaning the tank I top off the jugs with warm water. This gives me two gallons of water in the 75 degree (F) range.

I unplug the filter and clean the glass with one of those magnet scubers and then use a regular siphon to vacuum half the gravel (fish and shrimp stay in). The siphon drains into a 5 gallon bucket which I'll use if I need to scrub anything (like the pad from the back of my Penguin 125 Bio Wheel). I also have the bucket marked at the two gallon level so I know when I've taken out the amount of water that I wanted to.

I double check the temp. on my two milk jugs of clean water, pour it in and turn filter back on. The next time I clean I clean the "other" half of the gravel that didn't get cleaned last time. From start to finish is about 10 minutes.

This gives me a 20% water change about every two weeks.

[fraggle]

2 55G tanks, cannister filters. 1 tank an oscar, a gibby and a tandanus. 1 tank community.

Take all decorations and silk plants out of tank, wipe down glass, Siphon all the gravel in tank (have taken to dragging hose in from out back so it can go straight out the door, got sick of carting 15 buckets of water or so for each tank through the house, so just stuck the end of the siphon in the end of the hose, fits perfectly!) take about 50-60% out of Oscar tanks 2-3 times per week. 1-2 a week 20-30% out of comunity tank.

Use warm water to fill the bucket at the sink, add conditioner at start of filling bucket. Take it to the tank and pour it in, don't try to do it nicely or anything, just pour it in, then grab the fine net and get any "floaties" that appear out of the gravel in the disturbance, use this more for the Oscar tank, do it more gently in the community tank. Keep going until the tank is full.

I do my filters once a month and don't do a gravel siphon when I do it, and fill a bucket wilth tank water, rinse all the media, clean all the sponges, put it all back together and put the filter back on tank, then fill tank up same as when doing a water change.

I leave my filters going during the water changes, as the water never drops below the level of the intake, I do turn the heater off though, as I don't have enough cord to lie the heater down below the water level.

[Lady Hobbs]

For my 80g (300L) discus tank I usually clean the glass, trim the plants and do any other messy jobs the day before a water change. Then after my Eihm canister has filtered the water over the next 24 hours I usually do a 200-250 Litre (53-66g) change.

I change water using buckets only (No Python) and have 2 buckets that I siphon water into (either using my gravel washer or plain tubing depending upon how dirty the bottom looks). I leave a trail of water all the way to the laundry sink where I dump the water and refill them with a mix of hot and cold water with conditioner added to de-chlorinate. I leave a trail of water back to the tank and pour the water back into the tank. Then I do that for the next 2 hours with 20 more bucketfuls.

My tap water has a PH of about 7 which my Discus don't mind at all - though I sometime add some Blackwater Extract to give them a taste of the Amazon - despite them never having been there!

So ... I don't age the water, use a very inefficient bucket method, spill water all over the house, guestimate the temperature of the new water using my hand, usually end up finishing at midnight (or later) with sore shoulders and a bad back ... but on the other hand, have never screwed it up, never lost a fish (to a dodgy water change anyway), only sucked up one Guppy (oops!), and have a very clean tank.

I do this every week.

Still ... I think I might have to source myself one of those Python things !!

:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: I get the python going and sit on the couch smoking a cigarette and drinking coffee until the tank is half emptied. I then set the python on "fill" and have another cigarette while it's filling.

*sweat-sweat* LOL

I also bought a window squeegee. I clean the inside of the glass with that.

[fins_n_fur]

:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: I get the python going and sit on the couch smoking a cigarette and drinking coffee until the tank is half emptied. I then set the python on "fill" and have another cigarette while it's filling.

*sweat-sweat* LOL

I also bought a window squeegee. I clean the inside of the glass with that.

Very similar to my method :hmm3grin2orange:

[pinsonpa]

I only have a 10 gallon so I assume a Python would be a waste of money for me...BUT for future reference (in case I ever fall victim to MTS) what do those Pythons cost?:hmm3grin2orange:

[BackwardsBob]

I have but a mere 5 and a 10 gallon.

What I use:

One digital meat thermometer (A Taylor Professional with a range of -58 to 302. It reads to a 10th of a degree and cost me less than $10 at the grocerie store in the barbecue section. It also seems to spot-on match my in-aquarium thermometers. I rule!)
One white (important detail) bucket from the dollar store
One turkey baster
Two one gallon plastic containers, also from the dollar store
Prime, and a disposable pipette.
One gravel vac. (think python without the sink attachment)

Step one- Get the temperature of the tank from the meat thermometer.
Step two- Put sink faucet on spray (mine has a spray and um, regular setting) and frog with the temperature untill it is about 1 degree above the tank temperature.
Step three- add three drops o' prime to each gallon container while sink is still running at proper temp, then use handy goose-neck feature (my faucet pulls away from the base) to fill gallon containers. Think: partially de-gasses and mixes!
Step four- put bucket next to tank, insert gravel vac, and start with turkey baster (no tank water mouth pour moi!)
Step five- swish out filter parts in full bucket and replace.
Step six- take gallon containers and refill tank!

Ok, that was the 5 gallon. For the 10 gallon I just do twice the ammount of stuff in an order that is maddening if I think too hard about it. Basically I drain two buckets instead of one, and I run four containers instead of two. You all get the gyst.

Why a white bucket is important to me. First off, being that It's white, you can kinda see through it. So if you take your one-gallon containers, dump em' in there and take a sharpie to the outside, BAM! You've got a graduated container now! You can take out one, two or three gallons as you like! Also, anything you suck up is clearly visable. I'm convinced that back when I used the dark-blue dollar store bucket many moons ago, I sucked up an otto with the gravel vac and didn't notice. Depending on the weather, he either went down the toilet or on the lawn without me knowing. He absolutely disappeared! Out of the original three, one died, one is still with me, and one went AWOL. No desicated corpses behind the tank, nada. I'm convinced this is the reason. So I drain into a white bucket.

As an added bonus, when archeologists excevate my yard, they will think this was a body of water. I throw out more teeny-tiny MTS then I care to think about. It seems horrid, but I've tried picking them out, it's pointless. I have more than I know what to do with, and they keep replentishing themselves. I don't hate them or anything, I deliberately introduced them! I just got a LOT of them.

Oh, those one gallon containers have graduations as well. I think they are for like, chips or cookies. Big opaque hexegonal containers. The graduations are in english and metric! Need a conversion table? There you are! All for the low, low price of a dollar!

[jman]

once every 1-3 months i'll use my python on my FW tanks, SW i use a plain ol' bucket and siphon

same w/ me sometimes i'll do a lil' more SW changes.

[smaug]

First I trim all the plants and let the trimmings float,next I get my 1 gallon pitcher and scoop out my wc water along with the trimmings,I do this till I fill to 5 gal buckets.I then dump said buckets in my garden or compost heap.I then scrape what little algae I get.I then add my ferts/chems in my 5gal bucket and fill it up half way,I then install new water 2.5 gal at a time via my bucket.I then remove any floating plant debris,put my lid back on clean the glass and enjoy my fish.