Water change via gravel vac

[PENEJANE]

Hi there everyone.

I would like to know... how soon after adding your fish (tropical guppies) do you need to do a 20% water change?? I was going to look into doing it every friday (I got the fish on a friday) with a gravel vac so then it would be done each week but I don't know if that would be to often or not.

Also with taking water out, what sort of water do I put back in? I fulled my tank up with water from the tap and naturaly the pH was fine. I have also been told to full a bucket of water and let that sit for a couple of nights to "age" and use that to add to the tank. Does the water need to be some what heated before its added or do I just add the water and let the heater warm it up?

Found heaps of things on the net about how important water changes are but they don't tell me how often or how to replace the water lol.

Thanks for your time

[livebearer_breeder]

Its a new tank, yes? if so leave it for two weeks for the Bacteria to really take hold, then do 20% water changes every Friday if you like. If i were you i would do a half tank gravel clean aswell, every friday, Livebearers can be known as high pollution tropicals.

Shae

[spooky]

Doing it a week after introducing the fish should be fine as long as you didn't put too many in. Watch them carefully, if they start to show signs of distress, e.g. clamped fins, gasping at the surface, change the water sooner. After that 20% once a week should be OK. It depends on your filters, whether you have a lot of plants, how much you feed and that sort of things. Once again, if the fish get distressed, increase the frequency (or amount) of the water changes.

Also remember to add fish slowly, a few a week after things have settled down (the settling in period can take several weeks). This allows the bacteria that process the fish waste to adapt to the new levels without poisoning your fish with excess ammonia. Ideally you test the levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, but by just taking things slowly and keeping an eye on your fish you should do everything right anyway.

The problem with tap water is that it often has chlorine in it. Leaving it to stand for a few days lets the chlorine react away. The alternative it to either use a non-chlorinated source (e.g. rainwater) or to use a dechlorining agent ("water ager") which you buy from the pet store. Water that has been left to stand is better, but water ager is one of the few chemicals that I feel comfortable using.

As for temperature, ideally it should be the same temperatur, but it shouldn't matter for small water changes. Rainwater cools the water slightly in their natural habitat so it isn't a big issue. You don't want it too cold though, so if you aged it outside during winter you should let it come up to room temperature in a warm room. I avoid the problem by using warm water and water ager.

[livebearer_breeder]

Once again, if the fish get distressed, increase the frequency (or amount) of the water changes.

This is what could be causing the stress and play havoc with your water perameters, too many water changes too frequently. Once a week is reccommended. Rather than just doing water changes if the they look sick, try and identify what could be cuaseing it, by doing water tests. Then then if they show physical signs, by either asking us or looking up the sympdoms online.

Shae

[HummingBird]

Another thing that can be in your tap water is Chloramine, which is just as bad for your fish except it doesn't evaporate. If you're going to get a water treater get one that removes both. I use aqua plus, because it helps reduce stress by adding to their slime coat or something. It's worked fine for me.

As for the temperature of the water, I usually just fill up a bucket from the tap (with water treater) and dump it in the tank. That stuff's cold. It hasn't affected my guppies or any of my other types of fish negatively at all, that I've seen.

[livebearer_breeder]

Sometimes, as sudden temporater drop can kick fish into gear and breed aswell.

Shae

[spooky]

This is what could be causing the stress and play havoc with your water perameters, too many water changes too frequently. Once a week is reccommended. Rather than just doing water changes if the they look sick, try and identify what could be cuaseing it, by doing water tests. Then then if they show physical signs, by either asking us or looking up the sympdoms online.

You are right, but I was trying to keep it simple (although maybe four paragraphs wasn't simple). WIth a new fish tank the most likely problem is ammonia/nitrites/high nitrates. In my opinion a water change is unlikely to upset water parameters, then again I live in a hard water area and things like pH absolutely refuse to shift no matter what stupid things I do.

[PENEJANE]

well when I first set up this tank to do a fishless cycle I did a pH test straight away and it was between 7.0 - 7.5 which from what I have read is ok for guppies. The temp is always at 24-25C.

I have 4 different live plants in there to give some variety but nothing flash. I haven't done any water changes yet which is why I was asking in the first place as there is (what I class) as a fair bit of poop on the gravel and I wanted to see how long I can go with out up setting the fish to do a water change.

I have noticed that since I turned the bubbles off (airpump with a fizz stick thingy) the fish seem a lot more relaxed so I am going to leave it off and it seems to make it easier for the baby fry to get the food at the top of the water with out creating to much current for them.

Basicly every thing looks fine, fish, plants and water. I just wanted to know to help keep optimal conditions for the fish when to do a water change

Thanks for your comments. I will see how it is on the weekend (1 week after adding 6 guppies) If all is still ok then I will try going for another week to let the bacteria build up then do a 20% water change.

Cheers guys

[Alan]

I presume that the "fizz thingie" is the uplift to the u/gravel filter.

If so, stuff the fish, turn it on, as you don't have any filtration, and unless you get it on quickly, you'll be back where you started from.

UNCYCLED tank, or worse still, a toxic environment.

Alan 104

[Caryl]

Air pump with a fizz stick thing would just be a bubble wall I thought?

[Alan]

OK, what filtration are you using penejane??

Alan 104

[PENEJANE]

yeah sorry if I didn't make that understandable. The fizz stick thingy is pluged into the air pump and creates a wall of bubbles. Sorry about that

The filter I got is one that came with the tank. Fully submerged in the tank sitting just above the grave (as per instructions) its a Aqua One Tornado PF-603 the info is as follows (from side of box)

Model No - PF-603

Voltage - 220~240V

Frequency - 50Hz

L.P.H - 600L/HR

Vattage - 8W

I don't know if thats any help but yes I do have a filter. Its a long narrow box shaped thing that sits just above the gravel in the tank. It sucks in throw the little vents around the edges in the lower half of the casing. The top 1/3 of the box is where the water pumps out again. My husband extended the pipe that came out of there so it is being pumped out the opposite end from the filter. This allows the water being blowen out to move the dirty water over to the filter. There is a pressure valve so far along the pipe that you can addjust for how fast the water is flowing as I didn't want it TOO fast or it will end up making the fish tired and getting sucked up against the filter.

Hope this all helps. As soon as the network (computer network) is set up again I will upload an image of my tank and point out what is what and where. Then you will see how I have things set up

Thanks for all the info tho. Its been a real good help.

[Brianemone]

then do 20% water changes every Friday if you like

thats terrible advise shae, you should never do water changes on friday

[suphew]

I wouldn't restrict the flow out of your filter, it will reduce the effectiveness of the filter and ware the pump out faster. Its a good idea having the out put at the opposite end of the tank. The water flow shouldn't be a problem for your fish, remember they come from streams etc that have natural water flow all the time. Also the flow helps pick up the rubbish sitting on the gravel and get it into the filter.

But if you are worried just direct the output towards the glass or similar.

[PENEJANE]

LOL the reason for why I choose friday is because my eldest is at kindy and my youngest will sleep for longer which gives me about an hour of total peace and quiet lol other wise it will be on the weekend where the whole house will be in my way lol