10 Gallon Tank Water Changes & Temperature Changes

If using a bucket then just treat that and accordingly to the quantity that you are replacing, you don't need to treat the entire tank again n again.
 

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Good afternoon,

I have moved your thread from Cleaning and Maintenance to Aquarium Water/Water Changes section of the forum.

Thanks!

Ken
 

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so like saqib said, treat each 5 gallon bucket that you replace.
 
Yeah, I treat my bucket before I even put the water, for the amount of that bucket. lets everything get mixed nice. If you are using a water changer, it's good to treat the entire tank.
 

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If your tank is cycled then there is no need to keep adding the TSS. Just use a good water conditioner to remove the chlorine from your tap water and you should be good to go.

I personally prefer adding the conditioner to the water before adding the new water to the tank.
 
Hi! I was wondering if when I change my water 25% every 2 weeks if I need to add my Tetra SafeStart in the water I'm adding back, I've already cycled my aquarium with Tetra SafeStart, and I do know that I need to add water conditioner after the water change, but do I add TSS after the water change? Thanks!
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You do not need to add Tetra Safe Start after the initial cycle. I would only advise using Tetra Safe Start when setting up a tank, or adding a large amount of fish at once, massively increasing the bio-load.
 

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Hello jac...

No need to add bacteria starter to the new water. There's already bacteria living on all the surfaces inside the tank.

As for the water change, 25 percent every two weeks is leaving quite a bit of dissolved waste in the tank. Your fish are living in their own waste, so a lot of water should be replaced weekly. I change out at least half the water in my tanks every 5 to 7 days. The more water you remove and replace and the more often you do it, the healthier the fish. Just like flushing a toilet. I'm sure you don't flush yours once every two weeks. So, why not give your fish the same clean environment you have.

Just a thought.

Old
 
HI guys..... Now my tank is cycled..(yes!)... Is it OK to do 40% water changes weekly...that's how much I get out vacuuming all the gravel?....thanjs
 
Depends on the tank size and bioload. I do 50% weekly on my 5 gallon betta tanks. That's the least I can do if I do the quickest bottom clean possible.

The key is keeping your nitrate below 40.
 
Keep an eye on your Nitrates...I try to keep my Nitrates 20ppm or below. As far as water changes I do 50% or more weekly.
 
Depends on the tank size and bioload. I do 50% weekly on my 5 gallon betta tanks. That's the least I can do if I do the quickest bottom clean possible.

The key is keeping your nitrate below 40.
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Yeah I agree, it really depends on the size of your tank.
 
Honestly, since the beneficial bacteria live in your filter media you can do 100% water changes if you prefer. The main thing when changing water is to ensure that the pH and temperature of the water matches your tank.
 

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I'm just wondering what does everyone use when doing a water change ???

I'm currently using 6 different products and I'm sure some do the same thing .... do they???

I use
Tetra easy balance
Algae gone
ApI Tap water conditioner
ApI quick start
ApI stress zyme
ApI stress coat
ApI proper ph

Is there any product I should use but don't? Any I use but don't need too ??? Advice please
 
I would stop using everything but the water conditioner. What are your parameters in both tap and tank? Do you or did you have a problem with algae? Is your pH stable?
 
I agree. I don't think there's a need to use all those chemicals.
personally I just use prime and an alkalinity booster in my 90g because my water is too soft for my guppies and platies. But only like once a month if that. Nothing else
 
I use conditioner for large water changes. I don't have chloramines in my tap.
it's become a strategy for stores to sell bacterial boosters, ammonia locks, etc to new hobbyists for every water change, because they cost money. If they can convince people the concoctions are needed, it creates a new source of revenue.
Tetra easy balance : not necessary
Algae gone : probably harmful
Tap water conditioner : needed
ApI : money wasted as long as the tank is cycled.
ApI : not needed. What's the stress? It's clean water, the opposite of a stress.
ApI : a shipping product, not needed.
ApI proper
is a potentially harmful product unless you know exactly how to handle it, what your water hardness is and what pH you are aiming for with the natural histories of your fish.
Easy balance and proper pH seem to be about the same thing, from competitors. You need neither.


So what is your tap pH that it seems a problem? What fish do you have?
 
I'm just wondering what does everyone use when doing a water change ???

I'm currently using 6 different products and I'm sure some do the same thing .... do they???

I use
Tetra easy balance
Algae gone
ApI Tap water conditioner
ApI quick start
ApI stress zyme
ApI stress coat
ApI proper ph

Is there any product I should use but don't? Any I use but don't need too ??? Advice please
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As others have said it depends on the tap water you are using. Most people, I believe, only dechlorinate.
As for me, I am lucky enough to live in a part of the netherlands where my tap water is perfect, so I don't add anything. Only thing I have to keep track of during water changes is temperature.
 
IMO all u need to use is prime after a water change...treat the entire tank volume when using prime...don't be fooled by all those other unnecessary additives ... save your money for better things
 
Was using apI conditioner, quick start and stress coat ..then found seachem Prime, it is in my opinion a better, more economical option for water conditioner ..also using florish .. and stability when adding or moving fish
 
I just vacuume the gravel with of course "a gravel vacuum and use ph 7 and prime to stabilize the water. I also have a Mose ball which helps with the water conditions
 
I only use Continuum Aquatics dechlorinator and have more recently found adding Seachem alkaline buffer keeps my tanks more stable since my tap water is a bit soft. You shouldn't need much else just for routine water changes.
 

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Like the others have stated, just use the dechlorinator. When you've run out of that buy seachem prime. It's just overall better compared to all the brands.
I've been a victI'm to being sold crazy products I didn't need when I first started. A lot of us have.
I would stop using the algae gone and proper ph immediately! Those two can be extremely harmful. Unless you're trying to breed fish for a business, your tap water ph is most likely perfectly fine. You do not need a "7"! I've personally have had anything from 7-8.1 with no issues. If you change the ph you can do more harm than good. It'll be less stressful for your fish to be at the ph you have.
 
I use apI dechlorinator and stress zyme. stress zyme just improves biological filtration but its not necessary. you could just use dechlorinator and you should be fine (assuming that its a cycled tank). if not maybe stress zyme or quick start would help.
 
This won't help you, but I use absolutely nothing. I have a well with perfectly hard water. No ammonia, no nitrites, no nitrates and 8.4ph. It goes straight into the tank and my fish and plants love it. My fish who like water with lower ph just get a little additive to bring it down and that's it.
 
HI guys I asked on another forum and looked it up on the internet but I haven't got a definitive answer.
My question is I have a 20 gallon tank that I got 2 weeks ago and put the water in that day, since then I got all the chemicals in such as the water conditioner and bacteria.
I have 6 fish in it, 3 angels and 3 albino corydoras all young and they've been doing great.
I got my water tested and I saw with my own eyes that it was looking good. I currently do water changes once a week and just changed 1/3rd of the water then.
Should I be changing the water more or am I ok doing it like this?
thanks in advance.
 
HI guys I asked on another forum and looked it up on the internet but I haven't got a definitive answer my question is I have a 20 gallon tank that I got 2 weeks ago and put the water in that day since then I got all the chemicals in such as the water conditioner and bacteria and I have 6 fish in it 3 angels and 3 albino corydoras all young and they've been doing great I got my water tested and I saw with my own eyes that it was looking good I currently do water changes once a week and just changed 1/3rd of the water then should I be changing the water more or am I ok doing it like this? thanks in advance.
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I change my 20 gallon water 25% weekly. Just because theirs more fish that means their is more waste.
I have 2snails 4minnows 2guppys and 2 gouramis.
 
This site may help. Enter your tank size, filter model, and all your fish. It will tell you how much water to change as well as how your tank is stocked. But keep in mind that there's no such thing as changing too much water.
 
Since you just started cycling the tank, keep a close eye on Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates. If Ammonia or Nitrites are not zero then change about 50% of the water. Once the fish waste starts building up in the tank the Ammonia and Nitrites should rise so keep an eye on that. Nitrates are OK up to 20 ppm, but you should do a partial water change if it gets above 20 ppm.
Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle
 
HI guys I asked on another forum and looked it up on the internet but I haven't got a definitive answer.
My question is I have a 20 gallon tank that I got 2 weeks ago and put the water in that day, since then I got all the chemicals in such as the water conditioner and bacteria.
I have 6 fish in it, 3 angels and 3 albino corydoras all young and they've been doing great.
I got my water tested and I saw with my own eyes that it was looking good. I currently do water changes once a week and just changed 1/3rd of the water then.
Should I be changing the water more or am I ok doing it like this?
thanks in advance.
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Forgot to add this but I am currently cycling it
 
3 angles fish is probably the worst combo you can have. To often they will pair up, then bully the loner. Just a warning.
 
this is not a good question to be asking over 4 months in, but better late than never. I’ve been just doing 10% (+/-) water changes on a weekly basis and all is going well. Water parameters are good expect my little 10gal snail and guppy tank for some reason struggles with being too acidic (around 6.4) no matter how much I fight with it. My bigger tank though is fine as far as I know that it is meant to be. Is there something besides the day of the week that I should be basing my water change schedule on? Less often and wait for ammonia to show up? I keep hearing that water changes are stressful for most fish, so should I be leaving them alone if my water is perfect?
 

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There is so much more to water quality than just ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. There are trace minerals that the fish need to be healthy. Some of these they use up while others build up. Most people change between 25-50% of their water weekly. Much more than that and it will stress out the fish some.
 
I'd say that a 25-50% a week would be fine.

For PH, I wouldn't worry about it too much. 6.4 is low, but I think once acclimated, hardy fish like guppys should be okay with it. Its the PH swings you need to worry about, and trying to raise it can cause extremes from one end to the other.
 
You are replicating aquatic environments which almost never stop receiving fresh water inputs. I usually aI'm for 2 x 15% per week. This reduces the chance of shock from doing huge water changes while ensuring an adequate supply of micro nutrients.
 
Water changes are preformed to remove nitrates, replenish minerals in the water, and clean out any gunk that has accumulated. Usually a 25% water change is sufficient for most aquariums but some of us like to overstock and/or understock. For example, I have a 55gal overstocked African cichlid tanks and a 10gal heavily planted betta tank. The nitrate level in the 55gal gets very high very fast so I do roughly 60-75% water changes weekly. The 10gal always has minimal nitrates so I do a water change about 50% every 10ish days and this is mostly to remove all the junk the plants and driftwood create.

So hypothetically, water changes are best based off of nitrate levels, if you are keeping them below 20 then all is well. Of course in heavily planted tanks you will not see much nitrates at all so this doesn't necessarily work for them.

Because every tank is different and needs to find it's own balance, I would say stick with 25-50% weekly water changes. Not once have my fish behaved nor looked stressed during a water change. They actually seem to love the fresh water and in many species a water change will trigger spawning. The only time a water change would stress a fish is if the fish are very young fry, the temperature or pH is not the same when adding water back in, or if you are messing around trying to redecorate.
 
You are replicating aquatic environments which almost never stop receiving fresh water inputs. I usually aI'm for 2 x 15% per week. This reduces the chance of shock from doing huge water changes while ensuring an adequate supply of micro nutrients.
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Absolutely. To the OP - I am a strong believer that large, infrequent water changes really stress fish out. Every time water evaporates, fish pee and poop, the overall quality of the water changes. Doing regular water changes, whether 20 - 50% a week, or smaller ones twice a week will only benefit your fish and lessen how dramatically different the water they are in will be.

I swear I can see mine do a happy dance every time they have a change.
 
There is so much more to water quality than just ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. There are trace minerals that the fish need to be healthy. Some of these they use up while others build up. Most people change between 25-50% of their water weekly. Much more than that and it will stress out the fish some.
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Ok, good to know. It’s difficult to know what to do because I’ve heard so much conflicting info. I was doing larger water changes in the beginning and everyone I talked to thought that was going to kill all my fish. In a 38 gallon, would I still want to change between 25 & 50% EACH week?

I have a 55gal overstocked African cichlid tanks and a 10gal heavily planted betta tank. The nitrate level in the 55gal gets very high very fast so I do roughly 60-75% water changes weekly. The 10gal always has minimal nitrates so I do a water change about 50% every 10ish days and this is mostly to remove all the junk the plants and driftwood create.

So hypothetically, water changes are best based off of nitrate levels, if you are keeping them below 20 then all is well. Of course in heavily planted tanks you will not see much nitrates at all so this doesn't necessarily work for them.
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That is the opposite of my 10 gal guppy tank. I have plants in mine but nota ton. My nitrates are sometimes as high as 15 so would you suggest I add more plants? How many guppy do YOU keep in a 10 gal?
 
By the sounds of it you could get away with 25% water changes since you aren't overstocked.
 
Ok, good to know. It’s difficult to know what to do because I’ve heard so much conflicting info. I was doing larger water changes in the beginning and everyone I talked to thought that was going to kill all my fish. In a 38 gallon, would I still want to change between 25 & 50% EACH week?
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If you keep up on those water changes then when you do actually go away for a few weeks, everything will be (David Bowie's) Hunky Dory.
 

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