Water changes with fish?

[FishyReef]

What's the best way to do water changes when you already have fish and inverts in the tank? Up to this point I've just been dumping new buckets of water in, but now that I have stuff in the tank I think that will be too disruptive for them and worry about too much new water all at once with no acclimation. How does everyone else handle large water changes?

 

[315hottuna61]

If you have a sump, change it there. If not just add new mix carefully

 

[FishyReef]

Unfortunately my sump isn't set up yet and won't be for another 3 weeks

 

[little_fish]

I suck out the junk in the DT with the siphon and then slowly add the water back to the sump. But you can just add it to the DT if the temp is close.

 

[beeguiles]

I just gently and slowly pour it in the tank.

 

[wontonflip]

I've done all the above, but always in the fuge :)

 

[kbuser92]

If you can, use an airhose and syphon it from the bucket to the tank.

 

[FishyReef]

Thanks everyone! I have a few drip-line acclimation kits, so I'll see if I can somehow set those up to siphon new water into the tank. I tried using a return pump and hose last time only to end up with water on my office carpet (whoops!) and a lot more flow than I had hoped for, so not sure I want to go that route again. If the siphon doesn't work, then I'll go the old cup route to get some water out of the bucket before doing a slow pour! Think I'm looking at a lot of water changes for the next few weeks before my sump is up and running!

 

[Bifferwine]

Even easier than using a hose and siphon is to take a cheap powerhead like a MaxiJet, get some tubing that fits to it from the hardware store, and put the powerhead in the tank to pump out the water, and then put the powerhead in the bucket to pump in new water.

 

[yote]

Biffy has the right idea.
Work smarter not harder.

 

[FishyReef]

Which works great until the hose flops out of the tank and sends water all over your office while you're reaching down to turn on/off the pump :umbrella: lol

 

[BL1]

Which works great until the hose flops out of the tank and sends water all over your office while you're reaching down to turn on/off the pump :umbrella: lol

I used to have that happen to me too, now I use one of those potato chip bag clips to hold the hose in place so it doesn't spray water all over the place.

 

[leon1972]

Biffy has the right idea.
Work smarter not harder.

Hey Biffy, are you military? Thats a VERY common military term. hahaha

 

[snyderju]

I used to have that happen to me too, now I use one of those potato chip bag clips to hold the hose in place so it doesn't spray water all over the place.

Those chip clips are handy for so many things :D