It's time to do a partial water change but I need advice.

[Tdanza]

I don't have any RO water, Do you think I need it? I have a 25 gal and it's time to do a partial water change but It's my first time doing it in a salt water tank. All my life I've had freshwater, I usually syphon the gravel and just do a 10% water change. I heard in salt water it's very different. Your not supposed to syphon, that's fine with me ! So, my question is what exactly do I do?

 

[tfink660]

Remove as much water as you plan to change 10% is the norm. And yes use rodi water for all water changes.

 

[heathd.hd]

Get Rodi water. It's not a must but definitely worth doing. If you use tap water you will pay with high phosphates and get a ton of algae! If you doing every 2 weeks 10 - 20% is pretty good. When I do water changes I syphon my sand bed. I only have about 2" of sand. Shallow sand bed like you have. If you have a deep sand bed 5+ inches you would never touch it. When I do water changes I also like to use my shop vacuum and clean out my sump if there's junk on the bottom of it.

 

[Tahoe61]

I siphon my sand and I feel it's ok to do so as long as your doing so consistently and have a shallow sand bed.

Wait until you get some RO water, you can buy it at the fish store or bottled water purified at most stores. Mix salt mix and water, stir or swish or use power head let stand over night, match to SG and temp (as able) and prepare to get SW in your mouth.

I turn off all equipment during water changes.

 

[Tdanza]

I have 1/2 a bag of sand left which will probably add 1" to the bottom. Do you think I should use it? Is it better to have a deep sand bed rather then shallow?

 

[heathd.hd]

That's a can of worms there! Lol. The debate between shallow and deep sand beds.

 

[Tdanza]

Get Rodi water. It's not a must but definitely worth doing. If you use tap water you will pay with high phosphates and get a ton of algae! If you doing every 2 weeks 10 - 20% is pretty good. When I do water changes I syphon my sand bed. I only have about 2" of sand. Shallow sand bed like you have. If you have a deep sand bed 5+ inches you would never touch it. When I do water changes I also like to use my shop vacuum and clean out my sump if there's junk on the bottom of it.

ok

 

[heathd.hd]

You do not touch. Or syphon a deep sand bed. Because the deep sand becomes a filter for fish poo and other things. But when it does that it has toxins in there that you don't wanna stir up. There a ton of reading to do if you wanna understand all that. For the novice aquarist it's recommended to just put 2" in your tank and syphon it during water changes.

 

[Tdanza]

OK, thanks. Yeah, I just want a simple, healthy & friendly environment for my fish. So basically, it sounds just like what I used to do with all my past freshwater tanks. Syphon + 10% water change. Just now, I have to add Ro water + Salt + Mix and let it sit for a day then add to tank.

 

[heathd.hd]

I don't even let my fresh water sit for a day. Just mix real good for an hour and water change.

 

[Tdanza]

Thanks for all your help! Much Appreciated!

 

[heathd.hd]

Np! Do u have a fish store close?

 

[Tdanza]

I don't even let my fresh water sit for a day. Just mix real good for an hour and water change.

Ok, that's what I did when I started the tank too. I just mixed it real good and added it. I'm still wondering if I should add the extra 1/2 bag of sand though?

 

[heathd.hd]

When I had a small tank I just bought 5 gallons of Rodi from them for top of water and 5 gallons of saltwater from them every other week. I had a tds meter and just checked that there wasn't above 5 tds.

 

[Tdanza]

Np! Do u have a fish store close?

Yeah, I do. It's a nice place called the Aquarium in Culver City. Alittle pricey on live rock but they have some very nice corals and fish.

 

[tfink660]

If your not gonna have at least 4" bed then keep shallow and siphon.

 

[heathd.hd]

The Rodi water is well worth the few bucks! Otherwise your next thread will be "what's this red slime stuff" lol. It will be cyano. Followed by green hair algae and maybe dino's

 

[Tdanza]

The Rodi water is well worth the few bucks! Otherwise your next thread will be "what's this red slime stuff" lol. It will be cyano. Followed by green hair algae and maybe dino's

I started getting the hair algae. Now, I have a blenny, 2 crabs, and a variety of snails/hermits that helped with it.

 

[heathd.hd]

Clean water will help alot