** StevieT's How to Change Water Guide **

[hecsrt-4]

Stevie nice thread.

 

Stevie T Shepard of noobs.

[Gilrock]

Great guide StevieT!!!

 

I like the looks of that refractometer...What's the make/model and where you bought it if it was online?

 

Also, when I'm in the first few weeks of cycling a new tank would it hurt to do these water changes?

 

Thanks,

Gil

[StevieT]

I have a question about this. I have been told by multiple people that you shouldn't ever use windex glass cleaner even on the exterior of an aquarium because the ammonia it contains will eventually leak through the glass and contaminate your water and kill your livestock. Is this remotely true? I've always taken this with a gram of salt because some people say you shouldn't use windex on computer monitors or cds because its a harsh abrasive but I've used it for years and years on both for cleaning purposes and never had a single problem. I do keep the windex away from my 58" panasonic plasma though

 

 

 

Right, no windex on a plasma or LCD .

 

But for a tank, come on are they serious. Now I have a CLOSED TOP tank. But even if I had an open top, would still use glass cleaner to whipe. Now if you have an open top, you need to be spraying the windex on the cloth, not directly on the glass just incase some gets into the water. I have been using windex since I started keeping fish tanks and have NEVER seen any issuses. Now i don't dump the windex in the water but who does? I use to clean my hood, glass, and stand.

 

There was some discussion here about this and most have said you have to be kidding. Some use RO water or a micro fiber cloth for securtity. seedemtais said she does her nails right next to her open top tanks with no vapor issues.

 

Great guide StevieT!!!

 

I like the looks of that refractometer...What's the make/model and where you bought it if it was online?

 

Also, when I'm in the first few weeks of cycling a new tank would it hurt to do these water changes?

 

Thanks,

Gil

 

NO water changes durning your cycle. Let your tank cycle fully before you change a drop.

 

The refractor came from premium aquatics

 

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/m...Code=Hydrometer

 

make sure to pick up calibration solution

 

In addition to unplugging my pumps I have found it is also helpful to unplug my heater when I do my WC in my NC6 otherwise I start a really nice steam effect. I suppose in larger tanks this isn't a problem as you have enough water to that your levels don't lower that much.

 

 

Just be sure not to boil your tank / crack your heater.

 

 

Good fact! I turn my heater of on my FW tank but not this SW tank. The reason is becuase the heater never runs druing the day!!!! The heat from the lights prevents the tank heater from needing to turn on. Most heaters in this hobby need to be underwater at all times. If they run "dry" it can damage them or even crack the glass. That being said, my heater, even druing a water change is not above the water very much. With a smaller tank this is much more important if you have it vertical.

[HankB]

I would just like to say a massive thankyou to stevie t as a complete newbie (have the water cycling as we speak and just researching) it is wonderful to have this kind of info on hand cheers. And thanks nanoreef.com

 

I agree. I think I could have figured out how to do this on my own, but it is great to be able to cross check my plans against StevieT's routine to make sure I haven't overlooked anything.

 

Thanks!

[StevieT]

You are very welcome guys!! This one is more for the beginner but you never know when you can learn a new way of doing things!

[hollow]

Right, no windex on a plasma or LCD .

 

But for a tank, come on are they serious. Now I have a CLOSED TOP tank. But even if I had an open top, would still use glass cleaner to whipe. Now if you have an open top, you need to be spraying the windex on the cloth, not directly on the glass just incase some gets into the water. I have been using windex since I started keeping fish tanks and have NEVER seen any issuses. Now i don't dump the windex in the water but who does? I use to clean my hood, glass, and stand.

 

Cool just wondering because I have always used windex on tanks before but I always just spray directly on a cloth to avoid it going in the water.

[reefone]

i use windex on my glass about once a week for the last 2 years and havent seem any problems. think of it like this if windex could seep in through the glass then why wouldnt the water seep out of the glass.

[veshman]

Wow! I never knew a water change could be so beautfifully and clearly explained!

 

1 tip that I found really useful is to just use airline to pull the water out, no wide thing at the end. You get much more control this way, and will loose less sand (because sand is heavier than algae, if you restrict the flow the sand will sink in the tube, but the algae will continue to rise out of the tank.

[StevieT]

I shall give that a try and report back. it would be nice to get into the sand for a good cleaning or under a few rocks as well.

 

thanks for the tip!

[FOWLRmuffin]

Hey Stevie, im new here, but ive been browsing here for a few months. I was wondering if you could update the beginning parts of your guide and elaborate a little bit more on what types of water to use, where do you get the water, and if you are using RO or RO/DI, where do you buy the RO filter, what types of RO filters are common, and what types do most ppl here recommend.

 

Only reason im asking this is b/c i personally havenn't found much information on what people recommend as a lower maintainence high quality RO filter. Thanks in advance

[StevieT]

Hey Stevie, im new here, but ive been browsing here for a few months. I was wondering if you could update the beginning parts of your guide and elaborate a little bit more on what types of water to use, where do you get the water, and if you are using RO or RO/DI, where do you buy the RO filter, what types of RO filters are common, and what types do most ppl here recommend.

 

Only reason im asking this is b/c i personally havenn't found much information on what people recommend as a lower maintainence high quality RO filter. Thanks in advance

 

I will look into that, I have a uniuqe situation and get my water delivered.

 

There is a lot of info here about RO filters and what water to use. Search mighty mite

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...2&hl=mighty

 

most get their RO filters on Ebay for around $120

 

oh. !

Edited May 1, 2008 by StevieT

[dopamine]

Wow! I never knew a water change could be so beautfifully and clearly explained!

 

1 tip that I found really useful is to just use airline to pull the water out, no wide thing at the end. You get much more control this way, and will loose less sand (because sand is heavier than algae, if you restrict the flow the sand will sink in the tube, but the algae will continue to rise out of the tank.

 

 

I do this on my black substrate in my office tank. Just spot suck all the garbage up.

[disaster999]

you have the same color buckets as meee!!!! i have a white and same green one TOOOOOO!!!!!

[StevieT]

haha, nice! I like the different colors, that way I don't switch them up, green is waste, white is fresh, no mistakes. I wouldn't want to make up new water in the waste bucket

[Reefmack]

For those of you like me, that don't always try scraping the coralline out of the rounded corners till it becomes hard to remove, I've found that the spoon end of a stainless steel tablespoon does a great job in getting the hard coralline out of those round corners, and much easier & quicker than a SS bladed scraper or razor blade. Of course if you don't want to put your gloved arm in the tank it's not a good idea.

[StevieT]

Awesome idea! I think this is the best thing I have heard yet about getting coralline off of curved glass. I will give it a try today since I have a nice buildup. Thanks for sharing!

[Reefmack]

Awesome idea! I think this is the best thing I have heard yet about getting coralline off of curved glass. I will give it a try today since I have a nice buildup. Thanks for sharing!

 

Send me your feedback when you get to try it. I always wished someone made a curved SS scraper for those rounded corners, and then I had the spoon brainstorm one night LOL. Works for me!

[StevieT]

I have a plastic spoon here at work, I will see if that works, I do a water change every Friday when the day is over. I forgot to get a metal one from home.

 

Maybe I can try bending one with all the acrylic I have laying around....

[Reefmack]

I doubt the plastic spoon will do it but worth a try. That coralline is tough stuff! The bent acrylic is also a good idea - another StevieT invention in progress? Even the acrylic may not be able to keep an edge though. I wonder if I could patent a coralline cleaning tablespoon?

[StevieT]

Ok, so the plastic spoon sucked. I tried bending a long piece of acrylic and it worked ok but getting the correct bend of the glass was tough.

 

So I made a mold of that bend with aquamend putty. I will form another piece around that, try and give it an edge and see what comes off next time this stuff grows back, which will be in about 30 mins.

 

I think you should try the spoon patent

 

I love how a tank looks shortly after a water change, it is like brand new again!

[Reefmack]

Good luck with round 2 of the acrylic scraper. If you get the right curve see how well it does and how long it lasts. Scraping coralline is similar to trying to scrape a layer of limestone off the glass, and I think you can relate to that!

[StevieT]

good point. Maybe I would need to melt some sort of "tip" into it. Something strong that doesn't wear as much as acrylic can.

 

Those corners are a pain in the butt sometimes!

[Reefmack]

Try melting the round end of a SS table spoon into it LOL!

[StevieT]

dang, now that is an idea!

[Psychojam]

For those of you like me, that don't always try scraping the coralline out of the rounded corners till it becomes hard to remove, I've found that the spoon end of a stainless steel tablespoon does a great job in getting the hard coralline out of those round corners, and much easier & quicker than a SS bladed scraper or razor blade. Of course if you don't want to put your gloved arm in the tank it's not a good idea.

 

Thank You, Thank you, ThankYou!!! Just did it on my BC 14 and it worked like a charm. Great tip!

 

James