How do you all do Water Changes?

[SalviniCichlidFan]

Hi all,

I was wondering, how does everybody do water changes?

This is my routine:

1) Siphon the gravel until 50% of the water is gone.
2) Get bucketfuls of cold tap water and fill the tank
3) Use 10mL of Prime water conditioner
4) Dose some beneficial bacteria
5) Aquascape

 

[Rocksor]

Siphon substrate with each water change, and fill the tank directly with the python, treating total water volume of tank with Seachem Safe (adding 50% in beginning, and then rest halfway through). Cold water used until late November, between late Nov-May mix of hot and cold water.

 

[Deadeye]

Clean algae
Siphon out 80% of water while cleaning open gravel areas.
Fix any messed up plants or decor, clean sponges
Fill back up matching tank water temp.

 

[SalviniCichlidFan]

Clean algae
Siphon out 80% of water while cleaning open gravel areas.
Fix any messed up plants or decor, clean sponges
Fill back up matching tank water temp.

no conditioner or bacteria?

 

[esoxlucius]

80% out. Whilst tank is emptying i spend a couple of minutes putting new floss in my mechanical side. LEAVE THE BIO SIDE WELL ALONE.

Fill back up with temperature correct clean water from mixer taps. Whilst filling back up my dechlorinator goes in.

No vacuuming needed on my systems thanks to powerheads.

When the tanks are nearly full again I give the glass a quick wipe both sides.

Job jobbed.

 

[Niki_up]

Use python to clean sand, clean entire surface area of sand and get in between some rocks and decor. Drain some tank water into a bucket for cleaning filter media.

Once vacuum is satisfactory, use pond pump to quickly pump remaining water from tank into garden (80% water change conducted).

muse thermometer to get refill water temperature about 3-4 degrees cooler than original tank water.

I use seachem pond prime, dose tank for entire column of tank before I start filling with pre-set temperature water from shower.

 

[Deadeye]

no conditioner or bacteria?

I run on well water, so I don’t see too much a need for conditioner. There is also so much decor and gravel there is barely a dent in the bacteria most likely. My fish don’t seem affected, only time something went wrong was when I forgot to plug the heater/filter back in…lost a crayfish.

 

[Daniel36]

I run a siphon through the substrate, usually only about 5gal worth (the snails I keep do a pretty good job at assisting with left over food and waste). Water pump to remove between 30-50% (water pump makes this very easy without having to waste water). Than I fill a large plastic tote/container with tap water and condition. Place pump in tote and pump water back to tank. I got this technique from cave man aquatics, I used to use a bucket.

 

[duanes]

I prefer 30% to 40% water changes every, or every other day, rather than large ones once per week.
When I lived in the US north my water originated in Lake Michigan, and was cold (40'-45"F) so I always blended that water with hot water heater water, even then because the cold water was often super saturated with gases (which can cause gas bubble embolism in fish) I added water to sumps first, instead of directly to tanks.
And because my tap water was treated with chloramine I added dechloraminator to the sump (and always under dosed it).

Here in Panama, water is warm, and I still do 30-40% often daily water changes. Over night I drip about 50 gallons to the garden, and replace it in the morning by pumping in rain water (during the rainy season) or municipal during the dry season.
Because my tap water first travels to a cistern where chlorine dissipates, I don't bother dechlorinating, but still send water change water to the sump first.
Every morning, my 125 gal sump is usually down by 50%. So I fill it, I prefer to run sumps full to the brim

Below, the sump toward the end of a water change, and almostfull

 

[Jexnell]

Use Python to remove any detritus on the sand surface. Fill 5gal bucket with tank water for filter cleaning, rinse bio-rings and sponge. Clean front and side glass if needed. Drain 75/80% of water, use Safe to declorinate entire water volume. Refill with temperature matched water. Water changes are every three days, each tank has 2 AC110'S, one is cleaned weekly.