Lost my first animal

dscheidegger · 06/02/2010, 06:20 AM

So I decided to do a water change yesterday and I put the livestock in a 5 gallon bucket with a couple small rocks and a small power head and the heater. It was all fine until I tried to heat up the new water, I took the heater out of the bucket an put it in the rubbermaid tub where I mixed the salt in and the bucket water temp dropped faster than I thought and it took longer to heat up the other water. So I lost my cleaner shrimp.

Any Ideas on how not to do this next time? Or how much a new one is? And of course it was the wifes favorite thing in the tank. thanks!

balto777 · 06/02/2010, 06:25 AM

I have never taken my livestock out of the tank during a water change. You should not be changing all of the water in a tank, but only a small percentage (10%, 20%, maybe 30% for a smaller tank). This way, your livestock stays happy in its environment and you can change the water without any undue stress. By a small second heater to warm up your water change water.

HTH.

75gsalt · 06/02/2010, 07:46 AM

How big of a tank you got, not that it matters.

noahm · 06/02/2010, 08:14 AM

Buy a cheap $10 heater from Walmart for the mixing water. After it is mixed for at least a day, preferably more, and the salinity checked, siphon out a bucket, and then dump in a bucket. No reason to take out the critters and stress them. As above, only change about 10-25% at a time. I do about 10% every 10 days, sometimes less often. Sorry about the loss.

lisafoster · 06/02/2010, 08:23 AM

leave live stock in the tank . Do 10%- 15% every two weeks.

BIGGQ00 · 06/02/2010, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by balto777

I have never taken my livestock out of the tank during a water change. You should not be changing all of the water in a tank, but only a small percentage (10%, 20%, maybe 30% for a smaller tank). This way, your livestock stays happy in its environment and you can change the water without any undue stress. By a small second heater to warm up your water change water.

HTH.

+1......also if you have spare water on the side I would keep the heater in that water so that it is always up to temp before adding to you tank for a water change.
cleaner shrimp can stress really easily if one thing gets out of whack but just for next time leave everyone there and only remove a percentage like balto said! good luck!

dscheidegger · 06/02/2010, 04:04 PM

Thanks for the info! I had a bad algae outbreak from using distilled water, and the water was greenish. I have a 14 gallon biocube and I replaced about 6-7 gallons. It didnt have much water in it and I thought that would be bad for the animals due to no circulation.

06/02/2010, 06:20 AM	#1
dscheidegger Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Newark, Ohio Posts: 66	Lost my first animal So I decided to do a water change yesterday and I put the livestock in a 5 gallon bucket with a couple small rocks and a small power head and the heater. It was all fine until I tried to heat up the new water, I took the heater out of the bucket an put it in the rubbermaid tub where I mixed the salt in and the bucket water temp dropped faster than I thought and it took longer to heat up the other water. So I lost my cleaner shrimp. Any Ideas on how not to do this next time? Or how much a new one is? And of course it was the wifes favorite thing in the tank. thanks!

06/02/2010, 06:25 AM	#2
balto777 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 421	I have never taken my livestock out of the tank during a water change. You should not be changing all of the water in a tank, but only a small percentage (10%, 20%, maybe 30% for a smaller tank). This way, your livestock stays happy in its environment and you can change the water without any undue stress. By a small second heater to warm up your water change water. HTH. __________________ - Aaron Current Tank Info: 40g Breeder Mixed-Reef

06/02/2010, 07:46 AM	#3
75gsalt Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Southeast Kansas Posts: 286	How big of a tank you got, not that it matters. __________________ 75 ga. reef 20 gal. sump corals GSP assorted Polyps Zoos PomPom Xenia Waving Hand Xenia Blue Mushroom Toadstool Leather Current Tank Info: 75g. reef 125 lbs. live rock 90lbs. live sand 1 Clown small Regal Tang 20 Nass. Snails Turbos hermit

06/02/2010, 08:14 AM	#4
noahm Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 2,736	Buy a cheap $10 heater from Walmart for the mixing water. After it is mixed for at least a day, preferably more, and the salinity checked, siphon out a bucket, and then dump in a bucket. No reason to take out the critters and stress them. As above, only change about 10-25% at a time. I do about 10% every 10 days, sometimes less often. Sorry about the loss.

06/02/2010, 08:23 AM	#5
lisafoster so much to learn Join Date: May 2010 Location: massachusetts Posts: 621	leave live stock in the tank . Do 10%- 15% every two weeks.

06/02/2010, 04:04 PM	#7
dscheidegger Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Newark, Ohio Posts: 66	Thanks for the info! I had a bad algae outbreak from using distilled water, and the water was greenish. I have a 14 gallon biocube and I replaced about 6-7 gallons. It didnt have much water in it and I thought that would be bad for the animals due to no circulation.