Water change

jadendo · 12/02/2010, 01:18 PM

My fishes and corals seem to react in a negative way everytime I change my water. Fishes seem to be stressed out and swim restlessly.

What I do is to suck out about 3-4 gallons of water from sump and replace it with 3-4 gallons of fresh SW into sump. I have a 60 gallon tank.

I am scared everytime I want to do water change now.

Kweli · 12/02/2010, 01:21 PM

thats odd, i dont get any reaction.

I typically do the changes before, or after the lights are on (basically in darkness)

I siphon the water back in, so its slow.

Do you just pour it in? Is the SW PH and SALinity the same?

DeePDiSHeD · 12/02/2010, 01:26 PM

Are you using rodi water or tap water?

Toddrtrex · 12/02/2010, 01:35 PM

If they are reacting that way, something has to be off -- mine show little reaction, to looking better.

Are you matching temp and salinity ?

What are the parameter of your tank water? What are the parameters of your water chance water?

dkh0331 · 12/02/2010, 01:38 PM

You also might try making up your new water at least 24 hours before you change it.

Toddrtrex · 12/02/2010, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkh0331

You also might try making up your new water at least 24 hours before you change it.

Great point, I do that, so it didn't even occur to me to ask.

Why don't you give us all the steps that you use to make your salt water, and how you go about doing your water change.

jadendo · 12/02/2010, 03:14 PM

I bought SW from fish store so all of them are in 5 gallon jugs. My tank temp is running at 79F or so. These are the step that I do.
1/turn off returning pump
2/siphon 3-5 gallons out from sump
3/siphon 3-5 gallons of water in jugs back in sump (they are cold). I figured when they mix with water in sump the general temp would be 1 or 2 degree lower but that would be ok? Maybe not.
4/turn on pump and.. that's it.
5/I use RO drinking water to top off. Is this acceptable or must be RODI?

I think my loose end is where the replacement water is not at the same temperature.

After I am done with water change, I usually test water for everything then add some calcium and seachem Prime to kill amonia/nitrite/nitrates.

Toddrtrex · 12/02/2010, 03:17 PM

Couple of things -- don't know where you live, but for me (( Chicagoland )) that water would be pretty darn cold, so I would heat it up first (( get it close to your tank's temp ))

I would test the water you are buying -- before putting it in your tank -- ideally I would test all (( ammonia, 'trates, 'trites, pH, cal, alk, mag, and salinity )), but should at least test the salinity, and compare it to your tank's.

seafd · 12/02/2010, 03:32 PM

The temp thing and potentially PH are probably the issue. You should be matching Temp and oxygenating the water with an air stone before putting it in the sump. Is the flow from the return the only flow in the display??? Because if it is then the fish may be freaking out because you turn off all the water flow.

jadendo · 12/02/2010, 03:38 PM

Oh i have 2 Hydor Koralia 750 and 1050 running all the time. I think the water i buy from store has a lower pH around 7.5-7.8. I would think those fish store would have perfect water, but they don't. I have decided to mix my own water from now on. That's what those fish store does too. They mix their own salt and water.

As far as RODI water, is there a real difference between RO and RODI? Would you know the difference? My RO drinking water has a 0 TDS and I've been using that to mix with salt. Please advise. Thanks.

jadendo · 12/02/2010, 03:46 PM

Also, when I change out the water, I would also replace the filter sock. By doing this, would I be taking out beneficial bacterias?

12/02/2010, 01:18 PM	#1
jadendo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 172	Water change My fishes and corals seem to react in a negative way everytime I change my water. Fishes seem to be stressed out and swim restlessly. What I do is to suck out about 3-4 gallons of water from sump and replace it with 3-4 gallons of fresh SW into sump. I have a 60 gallon tank. I am scared everytime I want to do water change now.

12/02/2010, 01:35 PM	#4
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	If they are reacting that way, something has to be off -- mine show little reaction, to looking better. Are you matching temp and salinity ? What are the parameter of your tank water? What are the parameters of your water chance water? __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

12/02/2010, 01:38 PM	#5
dkh0331 Es gibt keinen ersatz Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Close to the edge, down by a river Posts: 3,581	You also might try making up your new water at least 24 hours before you change it. __________________ Just found out that grandpa has a drug addiction. He is addicted to viagra. No one is taking it harder than grandma.

12/02/2010, 03:17 PM	#8
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	Couple of things -- don't know where you live, but for me (( Chicagoland )) that water would be pretty darn cold, so I would heat it up first (( get it close to your tank's temp )) I would test the water you are buying -- before putting it in your tank -- ideally I would test all (( ammonia, 'trates, 'trites, pH, cal, alk, mag, and salinity )), but should at least test the salinity, and compare it to your tank's. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

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12/02/2010, 01:21 PM	#2
Kweli Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 221	thats odd, i dont get any reaction. I typically do the changes before, or after the lights are on (basically in darkness) I siphon the water back in, so its slow. Do you just pour it in? Is the SW PH and SALinity the same?

12/02/2010, 01:26 PM	#3
DeePDiSHeD Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Strongsville (Cleveland) Posts: 113	Are you using rodi water or tap water?

12/02/2010, 03:14 PM	#7
jadendo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 172	I bought SW from fish store so all of them are in 5 gallon jugs. My tank temp is running at 79F or so. These are the step that I do. 1/turn off returning pump 2/siphon 3-5 gallons out from sump 3/siphon 3-5 gallons of water in jugs back in sump (they are cold). I figured when they mix with water in sump the general temp would be 1 or 2 degree lower but that would be ok? Maybe not. 4/turn on pump and.. that's it. 5/I use RO drinking water to top off. Is this acceptable or must be RODI? I think my loose end is where the replacement water is not at the same temperature. After I am done with water change, I usually test water for everything then add some calcium and seachem Prime to kill amonia/nitrite/nitrates.

12/02/2010, 03:32 PM	#9
seafd Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 54	The temp thing and potentially PH are probably the issue. You should be matching Temp and oxygenating the water with an air stone before putting it in the sump. Is the flow from the return the only flow in the display??? Because if it is then the fish may be freaking out because you turn off all the water flow.

12/02/2010, 03:38 PM	#10
jadendo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 172	Oh i have 2 Hydor Koralia 750 and 1050 running all the time. I think the water i buy from store has a lower pH around 7.5-7.8. I would think those fish store would have perfect water, but they don't. I have decided to mix my own water from now on. That's what those fish store does too. They mix their own salt and water. As far as RODI water, is there a real difference between RO and RODI? Would you know the difference? My RO drinking water has a 0 TDS and I've been using that to mix with salt. Please advise. Thanks.

12/02/2010, 03:46 PM	#11
jadendo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 172	Also, when I change out the water, I would also replace the filter sock. By doing this, would I be taking out beneficial bacterias?