changing tank water?

[LaurenAintBorin]

i am a beginner and am purchasing dwarf seahorses in a few months. i was wondering what the best way to change the water in the tank will be for me. i have a five gallon tank with a sponge filter and sand as my substrate if that makes a difference? thanks!

 

[pledosophy]

Use a small gauge hose to syphon out the tank and vacuum detritus.

Match the new water with both pH and temp. Then add to the display.

 

[strun2]

You might also want to try a turkey baster. I have found it is much easier for me to use it in my 5 gal. barebottom dwarf tank. They haven't been moved into their divided 10 gal. yet. I am waiting for it to cycle.

 

[LaurenAintBorin]

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where do i put my seahorses though when i'm cleaning the tank out? because i don't want to hurt them or anything and how do i use the turkey baster?

 

[ann83]

1. You don't move the seahorses, you just avoid them and don't suck them up in the siphon or in the turkey baster.
2. You stick the end of the turkey baster in the water above some detritus, you suck up the detritus and dirty water, and you bring it out of the water and squirt it into another container..... repeat.

What is your experience with keeping fish? Marine fish are more difficult than freshwater fish, seahorses are more difficult than most marine fish, and dwarf seahorses are much more difficult than other species of seahorses. I really wouldn't recommend dwarf seahorses as your first foray into marine tanks; they are difficult for even experienced seahorse keepers.

 

[strun2]

Do exactly what anna83 said, just be very careful. This past weekend I was cleaning one of the tanks and one of my dwarves was soooooooooo stressed over the turkey baster being in the tank I thought she was going to die because she would not hitch and then she started to lay on the bottom of the tank. So I would clean a little and then take a break. It took me forever to clean the tank, but I did not want her to die from the stress. I personally think that using the turkey baster is very time consuming, but I feel more in control of what I am siphoning out of the tank.