experts please read, I need help! water changes
- Thread starter r0bin
- Start date
RichConley
New member
Forget about the buffering. Theres no reason. Plenty of people (most with Ca Rx) run in the 7.8 range, and have gorgeous tanks. Its just not really an important parameter. You're probably doing more damage than good with the buffer.
Just keep your alk in normal ranges, and you'll be fine.
Puffdragon
New member
How are you adding the new water to the tank? Dumping it in or with a pumping it in? Dumping will cause areas that are not exactly the same and could be shocking the fish until the water mixes. I am assuming the fish are fine shortly after you turn the pumps back on.
Hi Everyone, I have an update and some questions. I have not done another water change, but have some water cooking (joke)now for a change tomorrow. When I was preparing the water I took out my power head I use to mix it and proceeded to clean it. When I opened it up I noticed what seemed to be an oily substance inside. Do power heads have oil and can the leak? If so I may have hit on a problem here.
goldmaniac
New member
a-ha the pump may be the problem..
if not,
STOP using Wal-mart for your source for reef aquarium water. Just.. stop. even it that's not the culprit, start going to the LFS or buy a filter. You'll love a new RO/DI and will be happy you did.
everyone is on the money with ceasing the buffer. Not necessary.
this may be a good time to try a new type of salt, maybe the Instant Ocean upgrade, Reef Crystals. Personally, I'm very happy with my recent upgrade to Red Sea Pro from the standard Red Sea. All the more reason why you won't need buffer.
If you're not 100% the water change can is clean, a new one isn't expensive.
Good luck - hopefully you've found the culprit with a bad pump.
if not,
STOP using Wal-mart for your source for reef aquarium water. Just.. stop. even it that's not the culprit, start going to the LFS or buy a filter. You'll love a new RO/DI and will be happy you did.
everyone is on the money with ceasing the buffer. Not necessary.
this may be a good time to try a new type of salt, maybe the Instant Ocean upgrade, Reef Crystals. Personally, I'm very happy with my recent upgrade to Red Sea Pro from the standard Red Sea. All the more reason why you won't need buffer.
If you're not 100% the water change can is clean, a new one isn't expensive.
Good luck - hopefully you've found the culprit with a bad pump.
Hagen's are epoxy filled pumps but I would change it to something else just to be safe. I use a mag7 for mixing water. It has the added benefit of being a heater as well as a pump. Mag's are pretty much useless for anything else on our tanks but they make great water mixers. I don't even use a heater when mixing water, the mag takes care of it.
I would also agree with not adding any ph buffers, they are not needed, just make sure the water gets good flow and the gas exchange will happen. The small Hagen may not be adequately letting gas exchange occur, esp. if the lid is tight fitting.
I would also agree with not adding any ph buffers, they are not needed, just make sure the water gets good flow and the gas exchange will happen. The small Hagen may not be adequately letting gas exchange occur, esp. if the lid is tight fitting.
Robin:
I'm surprised your ph is only 7.8 with just the salt mix, I'd expect it to be much higher. Honestly, I could conjecture about a lot of things but my instincts are telling me you have a problem with one of the basics.
I do 5 gallon water changes in a 40 directly in the tank all the time. I don't use any buffer, I use RO/DI water from the LFS. I mix it then throw in a heater and a power head for about 20 minutes before I toss it in the tank and my fish and coral couldn't care less.
I think your problem must be much bigger than subtleties such as "not enough aeration" or "not enough lead time on mixing the batch" to be making the fish change colors and freak out. Assuming that's the case you only have four possible causes: 1. Bad source water, 2. Contamination of your equipment, 3. bad salt mix or 4. bad buffer.
1. Obtain some water you know to be of high quality, such as the RO/DI water from the LFS or maybe from a fellow hobbiest with a well maintained RO/DI unit. (Who knows what comes off walmart's shelves, china can't even produce medicine without contamination.)
2. Clean off all your equipment with tap water and a clean scrub pad. Despite popular opinion you can use soap as long as you make sure it all gets rinsed away... Soap is poison, but it also bonds with things that water doesn't and will remove things from surfaces that water won't won't remove readily but may leach into your water over the 24 hour lead time you commonly provide. Just make sure you rinse well.
3. Obtain a small, new, bag of reef crystals.
4. Skip the buffer to eliminate a variable.
Make up a new batch and don't let it sit all night, let it sit about half an hour to an hour so that it can be fully dissolved and have some time to move around and get aerated and up to temperature, and then do the water change.
If your equipment is contaminated with something that's leaching into your water the shorter time will prevent this.
If the water change is successful you can go back to your regular routine one step at a time until you discover the culprit.
I'm surprised your ph is only 7.8 with just the salt mix, I'd expect it to be much higher. Honestly, I could conjecture about a lot of things but my instincts are telling me you have a problem with one of the basics.
I do 5 gallon water changes in a 40 directly in the tank all the time. I don't use any buffer, I use RO/DI water from the LFS. I mix it then throw in a heater and a power head for about 20 minutes before I toss it in the tank and my fish and coral couldn't care less.
I think your problem must be much bigger than subtleties such as "not enough aeration" or "not enough lead time on mixing the batch" to be making the fish change colors and freak out. Assuming that's the case you only have four possible causes: 1. Bad source water, 2. Contamination of your equipment, 3. bad salt mix or 4. bad buffer.
1. Obtain some water you know to be of high quality, such as the RO/DI water from the LFS or maybe from a fellow hobbiest with a well maintained RO/DI unit. (Who knows what comes off walmart's shelves, china can't even produce medicine without contamination.)
2. Clean off all your equipment with tap water and a clean scrub pad. Despite popular opinion you can use soap as long as you make sure it all gets rinsed away... Soap is poison, but it also bonds with things that water doesn't and will remove things from surfaces that water won't won't remove readily but may leach into your water over the 24 hour lead time you commonly provide. Just make sure you rinse well.
3. Obtain a small, new, bag of reef crystals.
4. Skip the buffer to eliminate a variable.
Make up a new batch and don't let it sit all night, let it sit about half an hour to an hour so that it can be fully dissolved and have some time to move around and get aerated and up to temperature, and then do the water change.
If your equipment is contaminated with something that's leaching into your water the shorter time will prevent this.
If the water change is successful you can go back to your regular routine one step at a time until you discover the culprit.
maxrebo788
New member
The oil is a big warning sign, however, depending on how long you have been using that pump I wouldn't say that it was lethal. I would still replace it.
If I had to pick something, I would say oxigination. If you are letting your water sit for days before hand, the oxigen will slowly dissapate from the water. Additionally, when you heat the water, you are also driving oxigen out of it. Hot water holds less oxigen than cold water. Using the venturi attachment on your powerhead will help with this.
In my opinon, you may just be scaring your fish. Turning off all equipment at once by itself can be quite disturbing to the life in your tank. All of my fish hide in the rockwork when I shut down the pumps.
Do your fish have plenty of hiding places? If not, the fish may just be scared and calm down after an hour or so.
-Max
If I had to pick something, I would say oxigination. If you are letting your water sit for days before hand, the oxigen will slowly dissapate from the water. Additionally, when you heat the water, you are also driving oxigen out of it. Hot water holds less oxigen than cold water. Using the venturi attachment on your powerhead will help with this.
In my opinon, you may just be scaring your fish. Turning off all equipment at once by itself can be quite disturbing to the life in your tank. All of my fish hide in the rockwork when I shut down the pumps.
Do your fish have plenty of hiding places? If not, the fish may just be scared and calm down after an hour or so.
-Max
Re: experts please read, I need help! water changes
First off I'm assuming this is the 75gal tank and all equipment is listed under your profile?
2nd, what fish (include sizes), corals and other inverts do you have in the tank? Which of these fish are behaving strangly after your WC?
What type of sandbed/filtration and how much live rock do you have in the tank? How old is this?
How often and what do you feed the tank? Can we see a picture of the tank? Do you run carbon?
It would be helpful if you could do ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, alkalinity tests and provide the results. How are you measuring your salinity? (Do not use those plastic lever-arm hydrometers; although this should not matter that much as long as results are consistent between the two different water samples)
When are you testing the make up water before you have been adding the "proper pH 8.2"?
I'm going to go out on a limb here not really having much background information from you on your tank & inhabitants set-up, with that whatever is in the proper pH product is binding oxygen and as you add it to the system the excess product, or something in it (none should be needed with a proper salt mix) is binding the O2 in the tank water as well. I think mixing 10 gal with a powerhead for 24-48 hours oxygenates the water well enough that it should not cause problems when adding it to the tank.
My other guess at this point would be that you are having an slight ammonia problem and as you add the newly made up water it aerates the tank causing the ammonia to temporarily spike.
Whatever the case, we need more information about your setup and its inhabitants and your routine maintenance with the tank.
First off I'm assuming this is the 75gal tank and all equipment is listed under your profile?
2nd, what fish (include sizes), corals and other inverts do you have in the tank? Which of these fish are behaving strangly after your WC?
What type of sandbed/filtration and how much live rock do you have in the tank? How old is this?
How often and what do you feed the tank? Can we see a picture of the tank? Do you run carbon?
It would be helpful if you could do ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, alkalinity tests and provide the results. How are you measuring your salinity? (Do not use those plastic lever-arm hydrometers; although this should not matter that much as long as results are consistent between the two different water samples)
When are you testing the make up water before you have been adding the "proper pH 8.2"?
I'm going to go out on a limb here not really having much background information from you on your tank & inhabitants set-up, with that whatever is in the proper pH product is binding oxygen and as you add it to the system the excess product, or something in it (none should be needed with a proper salt mix) is binding the O2 in the tank water as well. I think mixing 10 gal with a powerhead for 24-48 hours oxygenates the water well enough that it should not cause problems when adding it to the tank.
My other guess at this point would be that you are having an slight ammonia problem and as you add the newly made up water it aerates the tank causing the ammonia to temporarily spike.
Whatever the case, we need more information about your setup and its inhabitants and your routine maintenance with the tank.
goldmaniac
New member
I've never waited for new salt water to be mixed a week before doing a water change. overnight, lid off, with a pump mixing.
I've had mixed water sitting for a week+, but I've found that sufficient mixing happens within 8 -12 hours
I've had mixed water sitting for a week+, but I've found that sufficient mixing happens within 8 -12 hours
