Water change questions please?

Hi all,

Wasn't sure where to post this, figured here is close enough for questions about water changes?

My first question is: I bucket my new water into the tank in a water change (always have), I dose each bucket with several drops of Prime & mix it, then pour it in the tank, I always thought this to be the safest approach & apparently you cant over dose with Prime right? Is dosing each bucket necessary? I always thought of fish safety in this case..

My next question is: I have always used luke warm water from the tap to refill the tank during a water change, feeling the temperature with my wrist. The tanks temperature usually stays the same or may increase by 1c doing it like this. I always wondered about using warm water as the hot tap runs through a copper pipe. Do you think it is safe using the hot water tap for water changes in this case?

My last question is: Once a water change has been performed, how long should you wait to do a water test that would be accurate? I currently leave the tanks over night after a water change and test them the next morning once everything has had time to settle, and before feeding, is this right?

Thank you to anyone that helps out with these important questions I'm asking here

 

You need to dose each bucket or the whole volume of the tank prior to adding water. It is perfectly safe to use hot water from copper pipes there is minimal leaching of chemicals, I would leave overnight to test again just to be sure all water has mixed to get the most accurate readings

 

Hi Decoy.
The instructions on the back of each bottle of Prime clearly state five times the correct dose is an overdose at normal tropical temperatures. AND in the heat of an Australian summer any time the tank water is around 30 centigrade a double dose is an overdose.
Having said that many people think you can’t overdose Prime. However some people have some strange ideas about what is a chemical and what is natural and harmless.
Personally at $60 Australian a litre and 40 odd fish tanks I measure each addition accurately and add a pinch for luck. A hypodermic syringe is about 30 cents at the chemist.

Seacheam say it takes 2 minutes for Prime to work , Thats instantly I reckon?

It is said having a slight decrease in temperature is safer than an increase.

Test the water before a water change. Do the mathematics if you remove 50% of the water you have removed 50% of the toxic substances. If you remove 25% it’s the same calculation . If you wish to test after a water change the next day would do.

Do not over think the copper in the pipes.

Hey Littlebudda when adding Prime to a bucket it is only for the volume of the bucket.
When filling a tank with the garden hose you add for all the tank’s volume.

 

I did say dose each bucket or the full tank volume maybe I should have broken it down a bit better in my brain it made sense but can see how that could be read both ways

 

Littlebudda Beautiful, thank you!

Flyfisha Excellent, thank you for this information!

You have both put my mind at ease, BUT on a side note, I feel I have been over dosing my fish tanks with Prime for 8 years perhaps that why I had so much trouble in the past with fish sickness & deaths!!
I will grab a syringe tomorrow & be measuring exact amounts in the future, omg

 

The caps on prime are all the same in all size bottles and are a measuring device that's universal there is the dropper cap on the small bottle, the bigger bottles come with a standard cap but it's all the same cap size. A full cap is 5ml and the threads in the cap measure to 5ml in 1ml measures along the threading lines.

You don't really need a syringe if you have the dropper cap. 1 drop is 0.05ml.

I buy a big bottle and refil a small dropper bottle for my smaller tanks and a manageable medium bottle for my larger tank which will take usually 5ml for a 50% water change so 1 capful.

You shouldn't overdose it, it's like 2 drops per gallon and I've never had any problem doing 3 drops per gallon so it is safe to go a little heavy handed, just not getting crazy about it. It is an oxidizer and it can deplete oxygen in the tank water temporarily if overdosed. Plus prime is concentrated compared to other dechlorinators and on the expensive side, using just what you need is ideal and the best "cost" over the time using it.

 

SparkyJones I don't have the dropper thing, I have a 500ml bottle of Prime, so the cap thing.. I think I will still get the syringe for my buckets of new water at this stage.. Thank you for the explanation

 

The caps on the bottles sold in Australia are definitely not the same size SparkyJones . Maybe close enough but it’s money down the drain if you use the cap as a measuring instrument.
The one litre cap holds over 11 ml . That is a double dose and dead fish in the heat of an Australian summer according to the instructions .
I am sure Seachem wants you to use more than double each time?

Even the smallest cap on the 100ml bottle is 8 ml not the 5 ml they say .
One litre of Prime isnow $112 Australian. No wonder every ml is important.

 

Thank you to those who have answered here, I feel I have learned something new today!

 

WOW! No idea that was the case, it's not like that here in the U.S. must be different manufacturing and distribution.
All sizes here have a 5ml cap except the 1liter, 2 liter, 1 gallon 4 gallon and 20 liter sizes and just the 50ml has the 5ml sized dropper cap, well it's sort of like how it is there. Just they are odd sizing the ml caps for some reason. thats bad....

1 gallon of prime here in the U.S. is $93.88 USD. (that's like $140 AUD I think) 1 Liter I think is like $40 ($60 AUD)...

Our 1L, 2L and Gallon size look like Bleach Jugs though. the 4 gallon and 20 liter look like the big square pool chlorine type containers.

 

Ok being all you’re doing is adding prime is there anything else being done to your water? Water softener,ro unit? If not then instead of prime invest in an undercounter filter.

I’ve had this unit since 1991. Standard chlorine and heavy metal removing filter. Each filter is good for 10,000g and cost about $3. Lasts over a year!! Much cheaper than prime or any of these other additives. In 1991 there was no prime! Prime does do what it says and I do keep it on hand. In case the water company cleans the pipes. I’ve used a bottle over the years. But for the price and the durability of this filter it’s a no brainer for anyone who is just adding prime to their water.
This system was explained to me by American discus breeders in 1990 at a discus symposium with breeders from around the world.

 

86 ssinit Yep, only Prime, nothing else. I have Seachem Stability also, should I use that also maybe?
Thank you for explaining that filter system, I might have to search for one like it perhaps
Yes, the cost of Prime is high nowadays!

 

The concentration of Prime in single buckets scares me so I use Aqueon dechlor so the drop in each bucket are mixed in by the time the bucket is full. Just makes me feel better. I dont like the unease of dumping the tank volume then adding un dosed buckets. But thats just me.... Im sure its fine. lol

I have copper pipes too and shrimp. It hasnt affected anything so far.

 

A lot of dechlorinators also treat heavy metals, i know at least API does, pretty sure Prime as well. Should say on the bottle somewhere. I stay away from Prime cuz smell of sulfur and my tendency to order 3-4 bottles of API at a time lol