Changing Water?

Question

How do you change water in a 16 gallon tank full of 1 betta and 6 zebra danios? Should you net them or scoop them in a small container? Or should you just keep the fish inside?

Answer 1

No need to remove them to change water. Change about 25% of the water once a week. Be sure to use a gravel siphon to clean the gravel as you go and that will keep the tank nice and clean in most situations. An over stocked tank will need additional water removed, more in the range of 35-40%, but that wouldn't apply to your tank.

MM

Answer 2

A 1/3 to1/2 change every 2 weeks is an ideal change , remembering to add tape safe to the water (to remove chlorine) and having the water at a similar temperature to the tank.

You can remove the water by sifen, (this is when you use a pipe and suck the water through until it flows freely in to a bucket on the floor).

You also clean the filter in this water, not under the tap, as the filter sponge harbor friendly bacteria which you fish need, (this bacteria removes ammonia and nitrate from the water, ammonia is similar to compound to bleach and is expelled from the gills, this is similar to urine) If not sufficiently removed and maintained at a safe level it can cause harm and even kill you fish.

When putting the fresh water into the tank you can use the sifen technic, this will require your bucket being higher that the water level in the tank, putting the bucket on the tank is a very useful method, however a tall stool will achieve the desired result.

If you are concerned about sucking fish up the pipe you can press your thumb over the end or use a funnel with a cloth tied to it, this will make it safe for the fish..

Answer 3

Unless it is nasty, you should not change that much water at once.

I reccomend changing about 1/4 or 25 % of your tank at once. You can keep the fish in for this, or if you want, you can take them out.

You should have a container big enough to put 25 % of the water in, which would be four gallons in your cause. Dump the water in there, then you can scoop the fish up with a net and place them in there.

Then, get water ready to put in the tank. Buy some Ph nuetralizer to neutralize your tank. Let it sit 24 hours before putting it back in to avoid shock. Generally, I get the water ready before I ever change it so that the fish don't have to stay in another area. That way you can just move them briefly why you change the water.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I have fish myself. :)

Answer 4

The easiest way is to get a gravel cleaner from the pet store. There are a few models out there. You basically siphon the water out into a bucket, and replace the removed water with fresh treated water. Leave the fish in the tank and change about 25% of the water every week or two.

Answer 5

You can do a partial water change that usually you do every 2 weeks on the tank itself... take out 20 to 30 percent of the water and add fresh water and the conditioner in there and that will be fine, if you take out all the water at once and restart it then it isnt good for the fish, there is bacteria in the water that they need and when you change all the water this takes it out and starts the process all over again. so do a water change and then keep up with them do them every 2 weeks .....i have a 29 gallon and i do water changes every week on it i usually do 25 percent water change and every thing is perfect....hope this helps

Answer 6

Use a siphon (aka gravel vacuum) to remove waste and detritus from the gravel. That also simultaneously removes water from the tank. You do not need to remove the fish. However, if they are skittish try not to mess around in the tank longer than you have to. Treat the new water with dechlorinator and salt (if it is part of your regimen) then pour it into the tank slowly so as not to create too much turbulence.

Answer 7

Use a gravel vaccume and keep the fish in the container. i have 25 fish in a 25 gallon tank and i've never taken them out of their tank.

Answer 8

You dont change that much water only a third because of the chlorine content and they need the bacteria in the water leave the fish in.
Make sure you turn the heater off so it wont crack if you have one

Answer 9

i agree with #3 get a gravel cleaner and suck out the water into a bucket

Answer 10

unless it horribly nasty, I would only change about 1/4th of the tank every so often.