Water Changes

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Just to be clear... this is an already established, running tank. I am getting it from someone else. So it's not being started completely from scratch, per se. Just to be sure everyone is clear on that.

The plan right now is to add the current water in the tank to a container I can carry here in my van, that is large enough to also carry all of the live rock currently in the tank, to try to minimize die off. Meanwhile, I have about 75 gallons of water waiting here, already premixed and at the appropriate temps, params, etc. Next, I move the tank here (the tank is coming from Pennsylvania... about 2 hours away from me), along with all of the fish. I set the tank up, fill it part way with the premixed water, add the live rock (and the water it is in?), and top off with the remaining premixed water. Does that sound like a doable relocation plan? Or should I ask him if he can rehome the fish, as they may not move well. The current stock that will be making the move: 4 green chomis, 1 white spotted puffer, 1 rusty angel, 1 lawnmower blenny.

You all have been great with the tips, and its going a long way towards me feeling like I can actually pull this off! Oh... and one more water change question... a lot of what I'm reading seems to suggest monthly water changes on SW tanks are about right. Is this correct? I tend to do weekly to bi-weekly changes on all my freshwater tanks.

-Rich
 
Put all the rock in a cooler and cover with the water from the tank. If you can put it all in there great, if not use what you can and top off with new water. As for the fish they should, theoretically be OK to travel two hours. Just make sure that they aren't in the cooler with the live rock. As it sloshes around they could get banged up. So have them in a separate container or ask the LFS for some of the large bags they use to put fish in. You want to make it big enough to have a sizable amount of air in there along with the water and fish.

I would say check the water parameters before moving. if its off a little this gives you an optimum time to do a water change. Save a portion (roughly 50%) then top it off with new saltwater.
 
TMartinez said:
Put all the rock in a cooler and cover with the water from the tank. If you can put it all in there great, if not use what you can and top off with new water. As for the fish they should, theoretically be OK to travel two hours. Just make sure that they aren't in the cooler with the live rock. As it sloshes around they could get banged up. So have them in a separate container or ask the LFS for some of the large bags they use to put fish in. You want to make it big enough to have a sizable amount of air in there along with the water and fish.

I would say check the water parameters before moving. if its off a little this gives you an optimum time to do a water change. Save a portion (roughly 50%) then top it off with new saltwater.
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Excellent! I can do this pretty easily, and hopefully have minimum die off and a mini-cycle that the fish can tolerate!

-Rich
 
Good Luck and post pics
 
Thanks... and just to be sure, the frequency of water changes... the same as I do my freshwater tanks (weekly to bi-weekly), or is it actually cool to do them monthly, like I have a few different people telling me? What you guys recommend here on that (I did read the stickys on here... but I like to ask what others are doing anyway sometimes... hope you guys don't mind)?

-Rich
 
That depends on you as a person. I personally test my tank and when my nitrates get high I do a water change. Som people do 10% weekly some 25% bi weekly some 50% monthly. Kinda all damn near the same thing. Find a system that works for you...
 
TMartinez said:
I tell people that freshwater aquariums are a box you keep fish in. Saltwater aquariums are miniature ecosystems
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Actually, a healthy tank (fresh or salt) is a full ecosystem.

If you are using tap for your fresh tanks and have no issues, go ahead and use it for your salt. I've never used RO/DI or premixed at home. I use just tap water (dechlorinated) and Instant Ocean mix. (It's the best mix I've found, and used by a majority of public aquariums in the US who mix their own.)
 
Zoodiver said:
Actually, a healthy tank (fresh or salt) is a full ecosystem.

If you are using tap for your fresh tanks and have no issues, go ahead and use it for your salt. I've never used RO/DI or premixed at home. I use just tap water (dechlorinated) and Instant Ocean mix. (It's the best mix I've found, and used by a majority of public aquariums in the US who mix their own.)
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I was going to say something similar. And in all honesty, you could probably start by mixing salt in to your tap water regardless (though I'm sure others will say otherwise). Mix it all up, add live rock, treat it, and let it cycle before adding anything such as fish or inverts, and you should be ok. In all honesty, that's what I did to start my system and everything turned out just fine. Just watch everything and don't feel like you have to jump into fish immediately and you'll be fine.
 
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