# Water Changes



## melaniea (Nov 1, 2017)

Hi, I've been researching fish tanks and looking to get a 10 gallon for a betta. I know about cycling and everything else, so these are my questions. How often do I change the water? How many gallons should I take out of a tank this size? Where do I get the new water to put it and how do I clean it? Do I use water conditioner? I hope I can get these questions answered soon :smile2:


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I would do ten to 20 percent weekly( So one to two gallons each time) if you have live plants in there. Just a bucket of conditioned tap to replace it would work.


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## jimsz (Oct 11, 2011)

Track the parameters of your tank and that will tel you how large of a water change to do weekly. I aim for at least a 50% water change as there is no downside for a large water change.

Use a dechlorinator and make sure the water temp is the same.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

With a 10 gallon, I would do 10% to 50% weekly, depending on how many plants you have in there. More water changed for fewer plants. Get a Home Depot 5 gallon Homer all-purpose bucket and a gravel vacuum/water siphon hose to change water with. Turn off filter and heater so you don't burn either one up when the water level drops. Siphon water out of the tank into the bucket, vacuuming the gravel by sticking the wide-mouthed end of the gravel vacuum into the gravel and moving it around, being careful not to disturb any plants` root systems. Remove and wring out/wash filter media into the bucket of dirty water, don't replace filter media unless you're using carbon or the media is falling apart - every time you replace media, you remove part of your tank's bacteria population and can cause a mini cycle.

Fill the 5G bucket to do a 50% water change, less as applicable. Remember to siphon a little less water than you fill with, to top the tank off after a week's worth of evaporation. Use the dirty tank water to water your house plants, lawn, or garden (plants LOVE dirty tank water), and then fill the empty bucket with clean tap water, and add dechlorinator (a.k.a. tap water conditioner) and any fertilizers for your plants to the new water while you fill the buckt to allow it to mix prior to adding to the tank. Use your hand to determine appoximate temperature - using your sense of touch, you can get the tank and new water within about 5 degrees of one another.

To fill the tank, DO NOT DUMP water from the bucket into the tank, the sudden change might uproot plants, shock your fish, etc. Stack things near the tank (I use two additional Homer buckets with lids and a bar chair) to get the bucket of fresh water higher than the tank, then siphon new water into the tank. Top off the tank, turn the filter and heater back on, and you're done!

Don't use soap or detergent to clean any tank-changing hardware, as the residue can foul your tank. Just use clean water, and don't worry when the water siphon starts to change color - my siphon tube is black as midnight, but I still suck on the end to get the siphon started.


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## jeffnc (Oct 30, 2010)

jimsz said:


> I aim for at least a 50% water change as there is no downside for a large water change.


The downside is that you lose the established and presumably stabilized water chemistry. A large water change changes more than just the built up ammonia, nitrate etc. It will probably change the pH, the mineral concentration, maybe some beneficial bacteria, etc. These are things that are better not changed much as fish get used to a certain chemistry.

I'm not saying you shouldn't do water changes, I'm just saying be aware that there could be a downside to large water changes.


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## jimsz (Oct 11, 2011)

jeffnc said:


> I'm not saying you shouldn't do water changes, I'm just saying be aware that there could be a downside to large water changes.



A water change should not affect beneficial bacteria, if it does there are issues with the tank already.

Water changes correlate directly with the population/stocking of a tank. If you are stocked on the high side, you have to perform a larger (50% or more) water change.


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## jeffnc (Oct 30, 2010)

It's one thing to say that you should do a large water change for some reason. It's a different thing to say that there can't be any downside to it. For example, you can be prescribed a medicine that has a beneficial effect, but can have side effects.

BTW, if you remove water from your tank by vacuuming the sand or gravel at the bottom, you could be removing beneficial bacteria from it.


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## jimsz (Oct 11, 2011)

jeffnc said:


> It's one thing to say that you should do a large water change for some reason. It's a different thing to say that there can't be any downside to it. For example, you can be prescribed a medicine that has a beneficial effect, but can have side effects.
> 
> BTW, if you remove water from your tank by vacuuming the sand or gravel at the bottom, you could be removing beneficial bacteria from it.



If you have a larger tank you can get away with lesser water changes weekly as you have more room for error. A small tank (10 gallons) as the OP states they have with a messy fish. As they stated, it will be a new tank (not cycled, which they know about). You can also do lesser water changes with a heavily planted tank as well.

There is no real downside to a heavy water change schedule for an established tank and it is almost if not a necessity for a small tank.

To the OP I would record Prime as your water conditioner. With a smaller tank just remove the water that you wish to change and fill a bucket with water the same temp as in the tank, treat it with prime (or another conditioner) and slowly our or syphons back into the tank.


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