Evelyn1919

My 75gal aquarium is about 1 week old right now. How often should I be doing water changes

sirdarksol

Once an aquarium is fully established, a water change of about 25% should be done once a week. (This is minimum, you can do more, and it will be good for the aquarium. 25% twice a week would be excellent)
However, if I'm remembering right, you're cycling your tank with fish in it. This means that they will need more frequent water changes to keep them healthy. Daily water changes should help keep the amount of waste product down until the cycle completes. (A Python water-change kit, while a bit of money, would help enormously with this. I am realizing that I need to get one for my 80g)

Evelyn1919

so should I be doing 25% water change everyday?
and yes I'm cycling my tank right now.
Also could you please tell me about a Phythong water change kit?? I really don't care about the money as long as my fish are healthy. Right now there is only 3 left but they seem pretty healthy and active but anything to make the water changes easier!!! I carry around a huge bucket up and down my apartment and that's only because I just got a Gravel Vacuum w/ Wide Mouth Nozzle because before I was doing it with very small containers and it would take me forever!

susitna-flower

Hi Evelyn, IF you have an API Master Test Kit (liquid), which is the most recommended test kit around here, you will want to do daily water testing through your cycle process.

THIS is the ONLY way you will truly know how much water you need to change.

IF your ammonia, and/or nitrite are over 0 you need to do AT LEAST 25% water change. Wait 24 hours test again and change water accordingly.....

This is all a lot of work, and takes weeks to safely develop adequate levels of bacteria to say your tank is truly cycled.

OR

You can get BIO-SPIRA the only bacterial product most here on fishlore recommend.

This may be available through your LFS, if not, it IS available through www.drsfostersmith.com

Well worth the $$$ because your tank will be safe for your fish, and you don't have to do the water changes. AS a matter of fact you are not suppose to do water changes for a week even if your water tests worry you. Your fish will be ok, and after a week you can start adding 2 or 3 fish every week until you establish the fish community that your tank size can support. At this time then you would want to start water changes based on water tests for nitrate, with the goal to keep them under 20.
This slow introduction of fish will let your tank develop the bacteria it needs to without putting your tank into a mini-cycle which would be hard on your fish.

Look up the Articles on setting up a beginners tank, and nitrogen cycle, up at the top of this page under "ARTICLES". It should help to explain in further detail.
Good Luck, I'm glad you joined us!

sirdarksol

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...tt=python&Np=1
There's the Python water change kit.
It attaches to your faucet and uses the water pressure to begin a siphon (of sorts). The waste goes down the drain (rather than into buckets, which are a pain when dealing with such a large tank). You then turn the water flow around, and directly fill the tank (making sure you've got the water temp right, of course).

And yes, I would say 25% a day would be good (one really big reason to get the Python, no?).

COBettaCouple

We recommend 25-40% weekly once it's cycled. Daily or at least every 2 days for water changes really is good if you're cycling with fish. Use Prime for the water conditioner too - it will help minimize cycling damage to the fish.

Peterpiper

OK I think I am missing something here. I get the bit about getting the water out of the tank, but how do you treat the water going into the tank? you can't just pump it straight from the tap ( know this is going to be simple, and I JUST MISSED SOMETHING! LOL )

sirdarksol

All you've got to do is put the dechlorinator in the tank before turning the waterflow around. Dechlorinator works almost instantly, while it takes quite a bit of time for the small amount of chloramine in the water supply to actually harm your fish.

Peterpiper

No need to match the temp?

COBettaCouple

Try to make it as close as you can. You can use a digital thermometer probe to figure what faucet settings give you the water temp you want and then get as close to that as you can when the hose is attached.

Peterpiper

Sounds good! Now I see how it works.. Now we need 1 that can mix salt! lol

Chief_waterchanger

If you don't want to use a thermometer you can feel the tank water and the water coming out of the faucet. For tropical fish tanks (upper 70s to lower 80s) the water should feel cool, but not cold, and both should feel the same. For temperate it will probably feel chilly if not cold. (Our bodies being around 98.6 anything over 4-5 degrees less than that usually will feel cool/cold. )

Evelyn1919

just wanted to say thanks to everybody who gave me advie!!!
My fish are looking good and not sick like before.

I purchased Biospira online and I should be getting it on friday.
Now, after I have the tank cycled what kind of fish can I put in with the ones I have??
At the moment I have 1 long fin rosy barb and 2 red tail rasbora. Could I put neon tetras in the tank? and which other fish can I put in

THAKS!!!

lovemyfroggies