Water Changing Question

[Swayde]

I took 3 gallons of water out of my 29-gallon tank and went to fill up a bucket to replace it and discovered that my water is shut off. I spoke to the manager and they said it would be off for about an hour. Soooo my tank is about 2 inches lower of water than it normally is. Is it okay to run the filter? I did go ahead and plug it back in and my little Danios seem to really enjoy playing in the waterfall. I normally have it right up to the edge of the spot where the water comes into the tank and they play in the current, but not nearly as much as they are currently! It's really pretty funny =)

[Lady Hobbs]

As long as it isn't far enough down that the uplift filter is sucking up air. You will just get some good aeration for awhile.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Also make sure the heater is still completetly submerged. If some of the glass is above the water line it could break.

[Lady Hobbs]

Good Point Ed.

[Swayde]

Thanks, I did push the heater further down so it was still covered even though here in Florida my heater has actually never turned on and the water stays 78-80 degrees F all day and night.

The fish really seemed to love the waterfall effect. I am contemplating keeping the waterline low enough to keep a small waterfall going for them, but not sure how my plants would do with that.

So glad there is this forum to communicate with other fishy lovers =)

[Chrona]

Thanks, I did push the heater further down so it was still covered even though here in Florida my heater has actually never turned on and the water stays 78-80 degrees F all day and night.

The fish really seemed to love the waterfall effect. I am contemplating keeping the waterline low enough to keep a small waterfall going for them, but not sure how my plants would do with that.

So glad there is this forum to communicate with other fishy lovers =)

How many live plants do you have and what kind are they? The waterfall effect will reduce the CO2 levels in the tank (which are pretty low already, like 3-4 ppm), which may starve the plants.

[Swayde]

How many live plants do you have and what kind are they? The waterfall effect will reduce the CO2 levels in the tank (which are pretty low already, like 3-4 ppm), which may starve the plants.


2 Amazon Swordplants (however I did cut a small one with lots of roots and about 10 or so leaves off the mother and replanted this morning)

2-3 Java Ferns, very small batches

1 small banana plant (it was mixed in the leaves of a swordplant when I bought my plants so it was actually a freebie lol)

1 small patch of some type of dark green grass that is supposed to grow well in low light aquariums according to my LFS.

When I did my water change today I went and ahead and refilled it back to where it was to the edge of the water returning to the tank. There seems to be still enough of a current for the fish to play in, and it's a lot quieter than all that water splashing (which I kinda liked but drove my hubby a bit nutty!)

[Chrona]

2 Amazon Swordplants (however I did cut a small one with lots of roots and about 10 or so leaves off the mother and replanted this morning)

2-3 Java Ferns, very small batches

1 small banana plant (it was mixed in the leaves of a swordplant when I bought my plants so it was actually a freebie lol)

1 small patch of some type of dark green grass that is supposed to grow well in low light aquariums according to my LFS.

When I did my water change today I went and ahead and refilled it back to where it was to the edge of the water returning to the tank. There seems to be still enough of a current for the fish to play in, and it's a lot quieter than all that water splashing (which I kinda liked but drove my hubby a bit nutty!)

Yeah, that's a decent amount of plants, so they will definitely like it better without the surface disturbance of a waterfall :)

[Swayde]

Okay thank you =) I guess my hubby and plants win out and get no waterfall hehe.