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


StevieT

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ok... so.... i just tested my 5 gals of "ready to go" wc water and it reads 320. i use IO salt.

 

retested the tank and its 320 as well.

 

edit: i have some candy cane and sun coral (far as stonys go)

Edited by ChrisCT
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um you could try d and d i heard that it has alot of good levels since it is a synthetic salt. but ask around all salts have there ups and downs you just have to figure out which one you like the most.

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Use reef crystals or other high calcium/alkalinity salt mixes. Instant ocean is probably closer to natural seawater values, but calcium/alkalinity get used up in tanks faster than the other elements. These salt mixes usually have "reef" in their name or other indicator. It is important to test how your calcium levels are changing even in the low range because it seems like not much is being used up if it is going from 320 to 300 (or 320) ppm.

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  • 3 weeks later...

OR....

...buy some SW from ur LFS a few days in advance and let it come to room temp. ( unless you keep ur pad at less than 75/73 degrees)

Pump the old out of ur sump and the new in....nice and slow....

 

finished!

 

I have been doin' it that ways for about 15 years or more without problems.... :happydance:

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  • 4 weeks later...

With regards to using windex to clean the outside of the tank, remember windex has chemicals which are very bad for our aquatic friends. A single spritz on the cloth sprayed away from the aquarium will go a long way towards protecting your investment.

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  • 2 months later...

We have a 29gal biocube. When my hubby does a water change, he siphons out the old and puts the new water in at the same time. Our nitrates are high, and though we had been over feeding a bit, I wondered if the water change style could also be contributing to the problem. Thank you!!

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:welcome:

 

It is probably more about feeding and your filtration methods. But, changing water like that is silly IMO. You would literally be sucking out some of the new water with the old.

 

Describe what is in the rear chambers.

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We have the bioballs in, and we keep a poly filter over the drip tray that rests above bioballs. We have a carbon filter that comes with the biocube, and also the biocube skimmer. We have about 30-50lbs of live rock, and about 2-3 inch live sand bed. It's our first tank, and we've had it up and running since July of 2009. I've read a lot about the bioballs causing high nitrates, and it makes sense why, but in all this time our nitrates have always been 0. We looked in, just to make sure they weren't nasty, and they are clean with no visible debris. We recently got a sun coral, and a clown goby who was tough to get eating at first. The only other fish is our maroon clown, who was not getting fed everyday. We were feeding phytoplex to the corals about once a week. The clown goby will only eat frozen brine, and we're feeding mysis to the sun coral. We were doing this daily until the nitrates, which were up to 80. They are now between 20-40, I'm guessing because we have slowed way down on the feeding, (every other day maybe) but the sun coral is not doing well. Maybe a sun coral in our small tank wasn't a great idea? I'm just not sure how we can find a balance to keep him fed. Thanks for your advice :)

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Bioballs, stock biocube skimmer, stock biocube filtration media all bad

Suncoral in that size thank is not a good idea either. Requires daily feeding I would remove

Maroon clown, way too big of a fish for that size tank

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take into consideration an option from one of the posters in our pico forum...external feeding of the suncoral. you can take it out of the main tank twice a week and feed it in a separate dish of saltwater. after a few rounds it will train up to open the polyps upon the first scent of the meat. then set it back in the reef display after an hour. it may be a hassle, but with nitrates that high the tank will crash because of algae as soon as some gets a foothold so at least this is an alternative.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Excuse my newb question, but I have a Jager heater that I plan to use when I do my water change. Is it OK to unplug it & remove it right away from the mixing bucket before pouring the water out or should I unplug it & give it a few to cool down before removing? I ask because I don't feel like having my heater explode.

Edited by Kaeon
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it wont explode like that. Youd have to leave it plugged in, and out of water for a while before the heat would crack it. Almost all the heater cracks result from refilling, with cool water on hot glass. That being said, I haven't ever heard of a heater cracking or popping in all the time Ive been into tanks, since about 89.

 

Im sure hundreds of people have had it happen, just noone I knew personally for over 20 years, its that rare. and I too made the mistakes of filling up a tank with cool water while the old hagen HOB heater stayed plugged in, I think its not really a risk for you with today's setups.

 

in 3 seconds someone will chime in how their heater popped last nite :) good ole web

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You can do as you describe. They do not get that hot and like above would need a huge temp shock to cause that. I do what you plan every time.

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The only thing i see wrong with this post is you not using natural salt water from the sea or is that just a Florida thing?...lol...

Edited by DAHNIC561
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Yelp, i"m bringing back and old thread, but I wanted to ask how long you let your saltwater mix before doing your water change. Once the temp and salinity is where you want it, do you go ahead and change it? I have heard many people say you have to wait 24 hours to mix everything, but I've heard many others say once it's all set, you are good to go...curious what you think.

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I wait about a day, sometimes longer if I get busy. I have done it sooner but you want to match temp, salinity and PH. PH is usually what takes the longest.

Edited by StevieT
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I wait about a day, sometimes longer if I get busy. I have done it sooner but you want to match temp, salinity and PH. PH is usually what takes the longest.

 

How can you make sure you match or raise your Ph through a waterchange? I read something about how aerating your WC water a day before WC helps, but I am unsure of the proper way of aerating. Any help?

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How can you make sure you match or raise your Ph through a waterchange? I read something about how aerating your WC water a day before WC helps, but I am unsure of the proper way of aerating. Any help?

 

I was wondering the same thing. As long as the alk, salt, and temp were the same. And the tank ph was good, how vital would it be for the new water to be at "proper" ph..?

 

I know it would always be best to have everything match, but I'm not sure how to get the new water to march perfectly without adding something.

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How can you make sure you match or raise your Ph through a waterchange? I read something about how aerating your WC water a day before WC helps, but I am unsure of the proper way of aerating. Any help?

 

Yep, aeration. I use an old skimmer pump for mixing so I open the air valve after the water is to temp. Just test your new water before a change and see if it is needed.

 

I was wondering the same thing. As long as the alk, salt, and temp were the same. And the tank ph was good, how vital would it be for the new water to be at "proper" ph..?

 

I know it would always be best to have everything match, but I'm not sure how to get the new water to march perfectly without adding something.

 

 

You don't have to be exact, just close. If you PH is 8.3 then 8.0 water isn't going to do much, it is a small amount from the overall volume of the tank.

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  • 3 weeks later...
nevermore1701

Very informative, thanks! I just put a water changing kit together, put two extra heaters, a MaxiJet 1200, and a thermometer in a new bucket, with a dedicated power strip. Suction cupped everything to keep it in place and put some tubing on the pump so I don't have to pour anything (I HATE chasing splashed droplets around with a rag to prevent spots, a little OCD like that). I let it run with tap water just to work any kinks out, will use it for an actual water change on Thursday.

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