# is this procedure correct for changing water



## pairenoid (May 20, 2011)

i dont have any tools that i see people on youtube doing, im tight on money right now but can eventually buy one

can i scoop water out of the top maybe a few inches and than pour tap water with conditioner and slowly pour that in?

my tank is clean but i will clean it this week because i gotta get into the habit


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

All you need is a section of hose and a bucket to remove the water. Just start the siphon and it flows. Put the hose in the tank with a long enough section to reach the bucket and suck on it to start it siphoning...helps if it is clear to see when to stop sucking on it. You could scoop water out if you had to...just keep track of how much (quantity) you're pulling out so you know approx. % of water changed. Add appropriate amount of conditioner for the water being put back in and pour water back in the tank. You need to get this procedure down....you'll need to start doing these regularly while the tank is cycling. 

Also, check the DIY section on here. I remember there being some stuff on water changes or gravel vacuum. Most water change tools you buy in a store are also gravel vacuums.


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## pairenoid (May 20, 2011)

ok thanks

if i do eventually buy something what are the cheapest ways n parts

for example that hose n siphon or w.e thanks

hopefully stuff i can buy at petsmarts


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

pairenoid said:


> i dont have any tools that i see people on youtube doing, im tight on money right now but can eventually buy one
> 
> can i scoop water out of the top maybe a few inches and than pour tap water with conditioner and slowly pour that in?
> 
> my tank is clean but i will clean it this week because i gotta get into the habit


sorry I can't help you. I don't change my water.


oh maybe that's a help *old dude


my .02


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## pairenoid (May 20, 2011)

good for you bro


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## rtbob (Jul 18, 2010)

Make sure that the replacement water is within a degree or two of the tank water to prevent stress.

Be careful what you use to dip it out if you don't get a hose. Also what you put the replacement water in. Any residual detergents will put an end to your fish. It is best to use a new bucket, well rinsed and then dedicated for aquarium use only.


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## pairenoid (May 20, 2011)

thanks i ve been thinking about buying a bucket because i dont have one, i have been using a giant bowl but its really inconvenient because of the wideness


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I did have a drip acclimation kit.I used the U piece and airline tubing.Also have a clip.I use the clip so that once I start the water siphon and my bucket gets full,I clamp the tubing off,dump the bucket and then unclamp the tubing.Very easy.I can get a pic of what I use now.Its a combo of the airline tubing and a rigid piece.And then theres a part I have no clue where it came from but its useful.Basically the same as above,but diferent pieces.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

pairenoid said:


> thanks i ve been thinking about buying a bucket because i dont have one, i have been using a giant bowl but its really inconvenient because of the wideness




I use 1 gallon ice cream buckets around the house and storing diy 3 part stuff for marine tanks.

If nothing else I enjoy the ice cream. *old dude

my .02


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

You can scoop water out if you don't have a siphon/gravel vacuum. (As other people mentioned, just try to remember how much you scooped out).

If you get a bucket, make sure you don't wash it out with soap - any residual soap can get into the water you are going to put back into the fish tank and kill the fish - something I didn't even think of, someone gave me the tip. 

For the water you put back into the tank, you are right that you need the water conditioner. (It's even better to use the conditioner and let the water sit out for 24 hours or so, to let it air off any gasses). Try keeping it in the same room as the tank so it will be as close to tank temps as possible. The great thing about water conditioner is it usually also contains some kind of stress coat for your fish, so it has added benefits, (maybe check the bottle in case it doesn't contain a stress coat. Then you'd have to get some).

When you can buy a gravel vacuum, you can try Wal Mart or Petsmart. They aren't really that much money and those stores do carry them. The good thing about having a small tank, is you only need a small gravel vacuum. (Not sure where you live, so I don't know what stores you have but here's an example: Top Fin® Gravel Vacuums - Aquarium Maintenance - Fish - PetSmart). Small one is $5. It's got a flat vacuum, which I've never used... I've only ever used the cylindrical ones, but I can see the benefits of a flatter one - easier to get into corners.

I completely understand the money being tight part - I'm in the same boat. Is it possible to buy one new thing each month? (For example a water test kit one month, the gravel vacuum the next, etc...) It's much easier than getting it all at once. Or, does your friend possibly have any extra equipment you can borrow until you can get your own? (Just an idea).

Something else that may help, (some people don't think it does anything, but I've been using it and it's been working great), is "Cycle". It's a product that has beneficial bacteria in it. You put some in the tank each time you do a water change as well as each time you bring a new fish home. (It can be pricey, so you may want to check out and see if there is a generic brand). I found it helped to cycle my tank quicker and is doing a great job of helping to keep the beneficial bacteria in my tank.

Hope this helps. Good luck! Keep us posted on how your fishies are doing!


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## pairenoid (May 20, 2011)

thnx that gravel vacuum looks affordable and easy to use

my friend lives in a different state now but ive been looking on craigs list for cheap used aquarium equipment

my fish are fine and i think i over fed them because the first time i fed them i did a small pinch but they ate it like crazy, so i gave another pinch and than later i did another so 3 times in 1 day


the nxt day i fed them twice in the day again with small pinches

however they kept spitting the food out, i dont know if they are bored of the food or full, but it was strange, however i noticed alot of pooping so im sure its over feeding

im going to skip feeding them today and another friend gave me a block of food i think (it was for his bala shark) and he said his other fish luved it so im gona feed them once tomroow it looks like a cork screw tbh

i noticed my bottom feeders werent to big on my algae wafer and its starting to make the the tank slightly cloudy, i think ill leave it in a few more days my friend said no more than a week b4 i take care of it with my own hands. I havent seen my oto cat eat once since i got it so im kind of worried but he swims alot and looks healthy, my 2 cory fish nib at the wafers but surprisngly my black molly ate them up ..i got about a peny size crum in there im hoping he finishes up

my fishes poop look nice and healthy however i did notice it went from green to a lighter green, i read there are possibilities of parasites so i am thinking of saving my money for medicine for that if worse comes to worse, but i think they are fine because they swim really happily everyday


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Probably just over feeding. (It's fun to watch them eat, so it's a common mistake - I do it sometimes, being paranoid that they aren't getting enough food, lol).

Usually feeding twice a day is fine, some people even just do once a day. Don't feel bad about skipping a day - in the wild I'm sure there is a day or two that they don't find food right?

Craigslist is a great place to find stuff, as is Kijiji.

You can find veggie/algae wafers that don't cloud the water, (I used Omega One Veggie Rounds for my Pleco but moved to Hikari Algae Wafers for the Otos b/c there is less protein in them). Sometimes it helps if you break them in half and spread the pieces around so everyone gets some. I've found both of these wafers sink and don't cause cloudy water.

Otos are really hard to feed. They are huge algae eaters, (my algae is mostly gone now b/c of my snails), and they don't always eat algae wafers, since most of them have some sort of fish by-products in them. They adore zucchini. Cut a zucchini into rounds, blanch it, and put a piece in the tank - use something to anchor it down - you can leave it in there for up to 48 hours or until it starts to fall apart. Freeze the rest - using a straw to suck the air out of a freezer bag works great for your own 'vacuum sealed' bags. Then, next time you want to feed it to them, just take a piece out, thaw it and put it in the tank. (I also tried un-blanched zucchini. They liked it, it just took them longer to get interested in it because it was raw and tougher for them to eat). Otos are very gentle, so they may get bullied away from the zucchini, (my snails hog it all), so you can try putting two pieces in. This has been working for me - my snails go to one and the Otos go to the other. You can also feed them Romaine lettuce. (It can be frozen as well). Thawed veggies will be kinda' soggy, but it's ok, they can still be fed. Otos are super cute! Hope this works for yours.

The poop changing colour may just be the change from the fish store food to what you are feeding. Just keep an eye on it.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Many people use Mollies to keep their algae down some. They are called algae eaters in some of my books. The oto and cories are very sensitive to water parameters and you may be starting to see signs that your water is getting out of wack.

You should not be feeding more than once a day and I would recommend going to every other day until the cycle has completed. You fish will be fine. Excess fish food can create the same type of issues as too many fish. Fish go for days without food in the wild. Control the urge to feed and when you do, do so sparingly.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> You should not be feeding more than once a day and I would recommend going to every other day until the cycle has completed. You fish will be fine. Excess fish food can create the same type of issues as too many fish. Fish go for days without food in the wild. Control the urge to feed and when you do, do so sparingly.


Oh yes, I meant the other feeding regime for once the tank is cycled. Before it's cycled feeding once per day or once every other day is best. (I'm still thinking the zucchini may be needed for the Oto's though if there's no algae present)..... correct me if I'm wrong though. Usually a fat fish is a dead fish, but Oto's should have fat "pea" shaped bellies.


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## pairenoid (May 20, 2011)

i think ill do every other day for about a month, i dont want to dirty the water any more and my red polly and black molly have pooped insane amounts the past 2 days lol, i havent even fed them but i tink they are pecking at algae 

i have been laeving my lamp on in order to produce more algae growth for my oto :/

how many hours a day can i leave it on for? i wake up around 10 and turn it on and turn it off around 5-8


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I leave mine on for about 16 hours a day - sometimes more sometimes less. Basically just trying to give them a "day" and a "night" cycle. (Lots of people leave theirs on less so they don't get algae). I'm sure if you leave it on for a few days it won't hurt anything and may help start some algae. (Are there areas where they can go to get away from the light if they want to rest?)


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## pairenoid (May 20, 2011)

is there a reason why my fish like to only swim more on the left side of my tank? i have a big plant on the right side
YouTube - ‪P1090247.MOV‬‏
i am thinking about cutting it in half and dispersing it

i would say 70% of the time i watch my tank i can see 4 or 5 fish on the left side

i was under the impression that most of my fish would be near my big plant thats why i bought it but now im thinking it has too many branches that they would not like to get tangled up in it


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

yeah you can scoop the water out, but you're going to leave all the wastes at the bottom and in the gravel. the way my tank is set up, I rarely have to change any water, and the only reason I even OWN a good siphon is so I can vacuum the gravel every other week or so. even then, I only pull out less than 5 gallons out of the 30 gallon tank


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## bruceaction (Dec 24, 2010)

Greetings to you all. There are so many varibles, about water changes and how softern to change things relating to your tank. for the good of the fish,,,Please note,,The good of the fish,,health wize, types of food,,never over feed,,fast them every so oftern,
I fast mine once a week. no food at all for 24 hours.
I should point out I HAVE FRESH WATER//FISH ,AND WATER,, I use aged water. eg is wter that has stood without tops on to release gases in the water,,,
My tanks all thirteen of them are no bigger than 15 litres,most 10 lit, 
I have seven types of fw fish,and one red claw cray,
Were money is concered there is not a lot to go arround,,so think about what you are going to buy. and buy the best you can, I have a hand press syphon. 
Therefore I can remove the worst water from the bottom of the tanks,and the muck on the bottom. I have lost very few fish..I love my fish.
provide them with plant and rock cover. No fillters, and do clean tanks sides weekly..


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Could possibly be the plant, but I've never really heard of fish avoiding plants. They may not swim through them, but completely avoiding is a bit odd.... do you know what kind of plant it is? (I'm fairly new to aquatic plants - it looks like it may be a Cabomba plant, but I could be wrong, like I said I'm just learning aquatic plants). 

Is the temp' in the tank the same on the right side? (Just thinking maybe if it's not that could be why.) 

Is the surface of the water being agitated enough? (if you have an adjustable filter you could try turning it up a bit, this will move the water surface more, putting more 02 into the water). Was maybe thinking if the surface wasn't moving enough the fish may be staying in the area it moves most. If it's the O2 that's the issue, and you can't adjust the filter speed, you could add an air stone or bubble bar to the right side of the tank to help put 02 in that area. Aquarium Air Pumps and Related Fish Tank Accessories | PetSmart. This page has some examples of what you would need: the stone (around $3-$4), some tubing ($1-$4) and an air pump (probably need the smallest since it's a 10g tank so around $11). All in all it's under $20. I recently had to add a second small filter and it runs by air stone. I'm finding the critters are much happier - they like to swim through the bubbles... it's must tickle or something. Just an option. If you can fix the problem by turning up the filter speed, then it's a free fix. (I LOVE the air line tubing that looks like a plant! I wish I'd seen that when I set my air stone up, lol).

I'm curious to know if any of these is what the problem is, so keep us posted for sure! Good luck!


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## pairenoid (May 20, 2011)

wat is this about an air stone

is that something that produces air bubbles for more oxygen? it is cheap enough taht i can go buy right now, it is a filter? how does it work as a filter

i kind of want something that makes bubbles to counter act the sound of my grinding filter as its in my room , i luv the sound of the bubbles

so ill have to buy a stone and a pipe or something? i remember seeing these at walmart, i can check it out tomorrow or later this week but i think another filter would be nice

my tank is crystal clear right now but my red platy poops like once an hour and i havent even fed it, but i notice he pecks on everything in my aquarium from rocks to plants to algae wafers


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

The air stone makes bubbles. (I'm using it with a mini filter, so the air stone runs the filter, but I wouldn't recommend it as the only filter for the tank. It's running the mini-filter that has a Nitrate absorbing media in it. If I didn't need the media, I wouldn't be using the mini-filter). It works by pushing bubbles through the top of the filter, which sucks water through the bottom of the filter. But most people who use an air bubble don't use it to run a mini-filter, they just use it as an air stone.

The air stone (couple of bucks, maybe less) is connected to airline tubing (also a couple of bucks or less), which is connected to an air pump. Try to get one that says "whisper quiet" or they can be noisy. You can get away with a small air pump since the tank is small. (The box will say what sized tank it's good for). The air stone will make bubbles and help to aerate the water a little more. (The air stone itself is not a filter). The most expensive part is the air pump. (I got mine at Big Al's and it was like maybe $20 or less, but Wal Mart or Petsmart may be cheaper). If you find that the speed of the air stone is too high and you need to regulate it, you will need a valve - but get a 3 way valve!!) I had a 2 way valve and the air pump was sooooooo noisy! The LFS said it's because it was causing a back up of air. The 3 way valve lets some air bleed off into the room (totally silent) and keeps the pump silent. The 2 way valve also wears the pump down quickly. With the fish you have though, the regular speed that it makes should be fine. (I just needed it a little slower for my shrimp - they were getting shot to the top of the tank, lol).

What kind of filter are you using? (I have an Aquaclear 20 and it's totally silent... I mean, I can hear an electric hum, but no propeller buzz or anything.)

Here are some air stones: Product Details or Product Details

Air Pumps: Product Details (This is the kind I use - just get the one for a 10g tank).

Air line tubing: Product Details

3 Way valve (if needed): Air Tech Gang Valve (I use this one).

Airline slips onto the air stone at one end and the air pump at the other. Turn it on and voila! (If you do need to turn it down, remember 3 way valve! 2 way will be LOUD and will wear the pump down fast). I know these examples are all Big Al's but that's where I got my stuff.... I'm sure the other stores have the pumps, tubing and air stones, but not sure about the valve. (You may not need a vale any way).


Hope this helps. (Let me know if it works for you).


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

pairenoid said:


> wat is this about an air stone
> 
> is that something that produces air bubbles for more oxygen? it is cheap enough taht i can go buy right now, it is a filter? how does it work as a filter
> 
> ...


Some question my "don't add food the first week" thinking the fish will starve. But as you have noticed the fish find plenty to eat during the cirtical first week. when I added food that first fish always died on the 5th day. With no added food it always lived.

An air stone is nothing more then a porous stone the air passed through. To disperse the pumped air over a greater area and in finer bubbles.  Although the finer bubbles have a greater surface area for air water gas exchange, the main effect is to circulate water from the bottom to the top.

my .02


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