First Water Change w/ Fish in Tank

[gjustinj]

Hey everyone,

It's my first water change with fish in the tank today so obviously I am nervous as hell! I tested my Nitrates today and they came in somewhere between 10-20 on the Red Sea Marine test kit after the 9 minutes expired. With that said I pulled out my hose and put into the tank and ran it to the faucet where i turned on the faucet to pull water into the sink from the aquarium at about 10-15% of the water being removed I turned it off.

Then I took a thermometer and put it in the sink until my water out of the sink was about 76%. I reversed the hose mechanism to push water into a 5 gallon bucket. The first bucket I dumped outside as it still had salt from the water extraction. I filled up the 5 gallon bucket with the water and then when full dumped it into a big plastic bin, and in the bin I added 2.5 cups of salt and started to fill up another 5 gallon bucket while mixing. One said bucket was full I dumped a second 5 gallon bucket into the bin this time dumping only 2 cups of salt and mixing.

I moved the thermometer over to the plastic bin, it's measuring around 80 degrees. With that said I mixed the salt and water together for about 15 minutes then took a refractometer test on the water, and it was about 4 points too low, but I did not add more salt yet as I'm not sure all the salt I mixed in there is actually settled.

So here are my questions..

1. How long do I need to let that salt settle before I take a 'test' of the water in the bin?
2. Is there a better method for all of this that does not require plumbing?

One thing I thought of is if this bin which I think it will fills up to the line (i taped) where I removed the water.. wouldn't it be smart to mix another batch of 10 gallons worth of buckets together in the bin with salt and slap a lid on it so next time when I do the water change (probably next weekend) I can just quickly pump the water out of the tank, and then pour the water back into the tank? If I continue on with that process it would make water changes faster since I wouldn't be mixing salt constantly while doing everything else, plus the tank would get filled quickly not making the fish swim around for long periods of time with less water in the tank?

3. Are there any issues with letting salt sit in a bin for a weeks time?

If you have any other advice or guidance let me know.

Oh I did also pour a cap full of water conditioner in the bin to mix as well.

I am hoping I can put the water back in the tank today as my new Photon V2 50 is on its way and I'd like to set it up over top of my 6ft 125g

My fish are doing great so far! *one clown likes to swim side ways from time to time on the top of the water, and both of the twitch in the middle of the water sometimes - scared me, but it seems to all be normal behavior - they come up to my fingers they seem to like me lol - i think*

Thanks everyone!

Planning to go to the fish store with a diagram of my canister filter to see what media i should buy and how i should setup the trays best for my tank. Still no word yet on where my replacement protein skimmer is from BRS - im not real happy with their service so far. I'm unsure I will ever use them again.

 

[dxdoan]

Just want to confirm are you using tap water to mix with your salt?

 

[gjustinj]

Just want to confirm are you using tap water to mix with your salt?

Yes

 

[Carterjaxon2009]

I no I'm new to this as well but I no forsure you should be investing on a RO/DI unit quick.. tap water it's just a headache waiting to happen in my opinion

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[duncanpate1]

Something is fishy in Denmark


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[fishchef]

Why would you do a partial if you didn't have SW ready to add back? SW can be held mixed for over a week in your mixing barrel with a power head.

 

[JUNBUG361]

Purchase already mix saltwater at LFS & change for now. Invest on a R.O unit, pump, pvc pipes & pump if your gonna start mixing yourself.

 

[JUNBUG361]

Forgot to mention, don't forget the food grade barrels/drums

 

[accordexi]

I usually let my bucket with water and salt plus power head sit overnight mixing.

In the morning I check to see the salinity of the bucket. If it needs more salt I add it there and wait half a day.

I come as close to the fish tank sal as possible.

Also depending where you live your tds in your tap water can be a problem later causing algea blooms.

I strongly recommend a ro. Unit at least.

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[Diana A]

this can't be a serious post :lmao:

Hey everyone,

It's my first water change with fish in the tank today so obviously I am nervous as hell! I tested my Nitrates today and they came in somewhere between 10-20 on the Red Sea Marine test kit after the 9 minutes expired. With that said I pulled out my hose and put into the tank and ran it to the faucet where i turned on the faucet to pull water into the sink from the aquarium at about 10-15% of the water being removed I turned it off.

Then I took a thermometer and put it in the sink until my water out of the sink was about 76%. I reversed the hose mechanism to push water into a 5 gallon bucket. The first bucket I dumped outside as it still had salt from the water extraction. I filled up the 5 gallon bucket with the water and then when full dumped it into a big plastic bin, and in the bin I added 2.5 cups of salt and started to fill up another 5 gallon bucket while mixing. One said bucket was full I dumped a second 5 gallon bucket into the bin this time dumping only 2 cups of salt and mixing.

I moved the thermometer over to the plastic bin, it's measuring around 80 degrees. With that said I mixed the salt and water together for about 15 minutes then took a refractometer test on the water, and it was about 4 points too low, but I did not add more salt yet as I'm not sure all the salt I mixed in there is actually settled.

So here are my questions..

1. How long do I need to let that salt settle before I take a 'test' of the water in the bin?
2. Is there a better method for all of this that does not require plumbing?

One thing I thought of is if this bin which I think it will fills up to the line (i taped) where I removed the water.. wouldn't it be smart to mix another batch of 10 gallons worth of buckets together in the bin with salt and slap a lid on it so next time when I do the water change (probably next weekend) I can just quickly pump the water out of the tank, and then pour the water back into the tank? If I continue on with that process it would make water changes faster since I wouldn't be mixing salt constantly while doing everything else, plus the tank would get filled quickly not making the fish swim around for long periods of time with less water in the tank?

3. Are there any issues with letting salt sit in a bin for a weeks time?

If you have any other advice or guidance let me know.

Oh I did also pour a cap full of water conditioner in the bin to mix as well.

I am hoping I can put the water back in the tank today as my new Photon V2 50 is on its way and I'd like to set it up over top of my 6ft 125g

My fish are doing great so far! *one clown likes to swim side ways from time to time on the top of the water, and both of the twitch in the middle of the water sometimes - scared me, but it seems to all be normal behavior - they come up to my fingers they seem to like me lol - i think*

Thanks everyone!

Planning to go to the fish store with a diagram of my canister filter to see what media i should buy and how i should setup the trays best for my tank. Still no word yet on where my replacement protein skimmer is from BRS - im not real happy with their service so far. I'm unsure I will ever use them again.

 

[fishchef]

Hey everyone,

It's my first water change with fish in the tank today so obviously I am nervous as hell! I tested my Nitrates today and they came in somewhere between 10-20 on the Red Sea Marine test kit after the 9 minutes expired. With that said I pulled out my hose and put into the tank and ran it to the faucet where i turned on the faucet to pull water into the sink from the aquarium at about 10-15% of the water being removed I turned it off.

Then I took a thermometer and put it in the sink until my water out of the sink was about 76%. I reversed the hose mechanism to push water into a 5 gallon bucket. The first bucket I dumped outside as it still had salt from the water extraction. I filled up the 5 gallon bucket with the water and then when full dumped it into a big plastic bin, and in the bin I added 2.5 cups of salt and started to fill up another 5 gallon bucket while mixing. One said bucket was full I dumped a second 5 gallon bucket into the bin this time dumping only 2 cups of salt and mixing.

I moved the thermometer over to the plastic bin, it's measuring around 80 degrees. With that said I mixed the salt and water together for about 15 minutes then took a refractometer test on the water, and it was about 4 points too low, but I did not add more salt yet as I'm not sure all the salt I mixed in there is actually settled.

So here are my questions..

1. How long do I need to let that salt settle before I take a 'test' of the water in the bin?
2. Is there a better method for all of this that does not require plumbing?

One thing I thought of is if this bin which I think it will fills up to the line (i taped) where I removed the water.. wouldn't it be smart to mix another batch of 10 gallons worth of buckets together in the bin with salt and slap a lid on it so next time when I do the water change (probably next weekend) I can just quickly pump the water out of the tank, and then pour the water back into the tank? If I continue on with that process it would make water changes faster since I wouldn't be mixing salt constantly while doing everything else, plus the tank would get filled quickly not making the fish swim around for long periods of time with less water in the tank?

3. Are there any issues with letting salt sit in a bin for a weeks time?

If you have any other advice or guidance let me know.

Oh I did also pour a cap full of water conditioner in the bin to mix as well.

I am hoping I can put the water back in the tank today as my new Photon V2 50 is on its way and I'd like to set it up over top of my 6ft 125g

My fish are doing great so far! *one clown likes to swim side ways from time to time on the top of the water, and both of the twitch in the middle of the water sometimes - scared me, but it seems to all be normal behavior - they come up to my fingers they seem to like me lol - i think*

Thanks everyone!

Planning to go to the fish store with a diagram of my canister filter to see what media i should buy and how i should setup the trays best for my tank. Still no word yet on where my replacement protein skimmer is from BRS - im not real happy with their service so far. I'm unsure I will ever use them again.

Yes, I thought April Fools Day was way over, too. Who would use clowns to cycle a tank? Lots of backward thinking. Canisters are usually set-up prior and during the initial cycle. Maybe their LFS put them up to this. Maybe just poor advice and poor planning.

 

[fishchef]

Mmmmm

 

[sde1500]

What a helpful group here...

1st, get a RODI unit. Using tap water isn't ideal. You want to control exactly what goes into your water, you can't with tap water.

2nd, you really want to give about 24 hrs for your saltwater to mix. So draining water before you have new water to add isn't a good idea.

Many people buy a couple brute trash cans for mixing stations. Don't need anything fancy, I just connected a nozzle to both. One is for top off water storage, one is for mixed saltwater with a heater and powerhead constantly running. Alkalinity may drop a bit over time, but no real harm in storing it.

Side note, not sure if you've done it or not, but maybe start a build thread. Random updates about a protein skimmer issue or canister filter are a little out of place in the post. There are a lot of posts to go through, no one can keep track of them all. So while progress updates are nice, without reference to prior posts like a build thread would have, not many will really know what you are talking about lol. Just a suggestion.

 

[gjustinj]

What a helpful group here...

1st, get a RODI unit. Using tap water isn't ideal. You want to control exactly what goes into your water, you can't with tap water.

2nd, you really want to give about 24 hrs for your saltwater to mix. So draining water before you have new water to add isn't a good idea.

Many people buy a couple brute trash cans for mixing stations. Don't need anything fancy, I just connected a nozzle to both. One is for top off water storage, one is for mixed saltwater with a heater and powerhead constantly running. Alkalinity may drop a bit over time, but no real harm in storing it.

Side note, not sure if you've done it or not, but maybe start a build thread. Random updates about a protein skimmer issue or canister filter are a little out of place in the post. There are a lot of posts to go through, no one can keep track of them all. So while progress updates are nice, without reference to prior posts like a build thread would have, not many will really know what you are talking about lol. Just a suggestion.

Hey thanks so much! I was able to do a few water changes since the post here and I think I got this part down. You can tell you actually read the post and who didn't by their responses above and I tend to just ignore those who have not and start to assume that I used clowns to cycle the tank - complete craziness!

Thanks again!

 

[Diana A]

don't you have ich in that tank?

BTW I didn't read in your 1st post about you used a clownfish to cycle the tank....you did say "one clown likes to swim side ways from time to time on the top of the water." I am very confused