water changes ?

[MorknMindy]

I guess it is best to use filtered water to do my water change but I was wondering how I get the temp right as I only have filtered water in my cold tape. Do I just add it slowly and let the heater warm it up or do I have to heat it?

Also am I right in thinking that I siphon the water out while I am doing the gravel vac and that I only remove 25%?

[livebearer_breeder]

yuo dont need to use filtered water, just about all water in nz is clean enough to go straight in the aquarium, as long as it has been declorinated first, just add a quater of hot water to three quaters cold water in a bucket, it works for me and is usually about 22-24c when it hits my tank, yup do a 25% water change every week, you only really need to clean the gravel once a month, unless ou tank is over croweded!

Shae 250

[Luke*]

MorknMindy, if you don't have a thermometer you really need to purchase one, you need to experiment with how much hot you need to add to get the temperature as close to the temperature in your fish tank as possible. Use a proper themometer that floats in the tank, not those cheap digital ones.

Before you add it, always dip your finger in the bucket and then in the tank to see how close it is. Dramatic swings in temperature make your fish to disease such as ich (where they get covered in little white spots).

Use filtered water, it will be more natural to the fish without human additives in it. You can find out from your council if it has chlorine in it, it probably will so as livebearer_breeder says use water ager (aka dechlorinator).

Always clean your gravel whilst you siphon, if you're already in the tank doing it why not?!? This is obviously where all the fish waste goes so the cleaner you can keep it the better. Just think would you like to walk around in dirty smelly air, or clean fresh air? Remove more water more often if you want, just get into a routine and try to stick to that, e.g water changes of 25% on Sundays, as the fish don't like sudden changes.

Hope this helps

[MorknMindy]

Thanks guys it is all a bit scary lol

Now next question is the stuff you use to dechlorinate the water instant or does the water have to stand for a period of time?

[Caryl]

We don't have chlorine in our water so I just top my tank up with water from the outside hose - cold.

Think of goldfish in a pond. In summer the bask on the surface but if you go near they dive down to the bottom where it is a lot colder. It doesn't worry them.

I know an elderly fishkeeper who never uses filters and never equalises his water temperature. He gets away with no filters as he understocks and does regular water changes.

[dan_from_nz]

mork n mindy, wet pets sell well filterd water for $1 per 20l container. If you have your own water filter that will be fine you wont need to worrie about buying water. I don't think tap water is good enough unfiltered. If you fill a container with filtered water and let it sit in your warmest room then you can get away without heating it as long as you add it nice and slow. say 25% over about 10 mins i find is fine. although teperature stabillity is important it isnt a rare occurance for temperature to change as much as 4 deg c. in a fish's natural enviroment.

[MorknMindy]

Thanks guys for all the advice

Today is the big day so we are off to the shops to get a decent water container so I don’t have to do twenty trips to the kitchen refilling a pot lol and I guess some hose so I can siphon the clean water into the tank.

So far all the fish seem to be doing well so keep your fingers crossed that their first clean doesn’t kill them.