Partial Water Change

[cnadeau]

Hi there,

We purchased a tank from a local tropical fish store, and now I am left with the duty of taking care of it. I know I need to do a partial water change because the nitrate level is up to 5, but I am not sure how to do this. I know I have to mix salt in with the new distilled water that I put in after taking the original water out, but I have no idea how much. I have heard stories about animals dying after a a partial change, and I want to do everything I can to prevent this from happening. Does anyone have advice?

 

[ava420]

how big is the tank? i normally do about 25% of the total water volume....

 

[JohnK]

You'll need a hydrometer or refractometer to test the salinity of the water you're mixing. (refractometer is much better, worth the extra $)

Ideally mix the new water with a small pump or airstone for at lest a few hours, and heat it to match the temp of the water in the aquarium in addition to adjusting the salinity to match that of the aquarium.

Also Reverse Osmosis / De-ionized (RODI) water is preferable to distilled because with distilled there can be a chance of some copper contamination which is very bad for a reef tank. (distilled is probably going to be fine, but RODI is preferred water to use. If you have a container you can buy it, and or already mixed saltwater, at most good fish stores)

 

[wrassefan]

check the salinity, alk, ph and temp of both the new saltwater and the tank water. Make them be similar....then siphon out the tank water and disgard. Add back new saltwater slowly to tank and you're done. Most folks will blast their rock and scrape the tank to remove "stuff" from the water when siphoning. But you get the idea.

 

[The River Reef]

Hi there,

We purchased a tank from a local tropical fish store, and now I am left with the duty of taking care of it. I know I need to do a partial water change because the nitrate level is up to 5, but I am not sure how to do this. I know I have to mix salt in with the new distilled water that I put in after taking the original water out, but I have no idea how much. I have heard stories about animals dying after a a partial change, and I want to do everything I can to prevent this from happening. Does anyone have advice?

The big thing I notice here is you removed salt water and replaced with fresh water. That is incorrect. Mixed that fresh water with salt first, that maintains the salinity when you place it in. The only time you put fresh water is when the level gets low from evaporation. Then the salt is left behind and the salinity rises. It is a salt balancing game...

 

[The River Reef]

Also, nitrate of 5 isn't bad... But good to do changes either way.

 

[P-Nut]

Hi there,

We purchased a tank from a local tropical fish store, and now I am left with the duty of taking care of it. I know I need to do a partial water change because the nitrate level is up to 5, but I am not sure how to do this. I know I have to mix salt in with the new distilled water that I put in after taking the original water out, but I have no idea how much. I have heard stories about animals dying after a a partial change, and I want to do everything I can to prevent this from happening. Does anyone have advice?

If I read that right: You took water out, and put water in without mixing salt first?
If you id that, that is a big mistake.