Water change?

Question

How do i do a water change for a 55 gal tank? Like if i do 20% then thats like 10 gallons. So how do i put 10 gallons back in to the tank without chlorine in it?

Answer 1

Tell you the truth on this one, just drain your tank to a select level really. Like if you figure 25% is one fourth of your tank, pick a line on your tank that you feel is about one fourth of the total tank volume, drain to there first. You could use tape marks to pick like a 1/4 line a 1/3 line a 1/2 line ect..

Secondary part, ok dechlorination. Basically just figure like you said. 20% is like 10-11 gallons and if Aqua Plus or whatever dechlorinator says 1 cap for every 5 or 10 gallons, whatever they say, just put in each bucket like a cap ful. Ok if your bucket is only five gallons, you making four trips, you put four caps instead of just two, are you going to harm anything? Nope not at all. You cannot overdose dechlorinator, and a little extra usually helps your fish slime coat, so even adding an extra capful isn't going to require any other actions on your part. I always just gauge an esitmate, on the safe side when it comes to dechlorination, probably adding well over what I would need, but like I said, the logic is, it's not going to hurt anything.

JV

Answer 2

Well now a days you have to use a dechlorinator product that works for both chlorine and chloramines. Water companies now are putting chloramines in city water which wont evaporate out like chlorine does. So what i do is get those orange 5 gallon buckets for like 5 dollars from home depot and fill it with water and then use the dechlorinator product that you can get from a fish store and treat it with whatever it says that will be good for 5 gallons. Let it sit for a bit and then add it back in the tank. here is a good link that may help http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_chlorine.htm
good luck with the tank.

Yeah Jon V is right more dechlorinator wont hurt so dont worry to much about overdosing. a capful or cap and a half whatever .

Answer 3

I have used 5 gallon buckets and i have used the bath tub to treat chlorinated water the day before a water change. I lived on the second floor of an apartment and it just got easier to call a local water company and have distilled drinking water delivered to my door every two weeks for about $0.30 a gallon.

Answer 4

Empty out 10 gallon with will be two 5gallon bucket, then refill the buckets with tap water and add ur chemicals in to the buckets to remove the chlorine

Answer 5

On all of my aquarium forums I frequent the number one product recommended is this stuff called "Prime".

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=4057&N=2004+112993

Not only does it dechlorinate your water but it also takes care of any heavy metals in your water and builds up a slime coat on your fish.

You don't have to use very much. If you fill up your tank with buckets you can just add the appropriate amount of Prime to the buckets. Or you can add it directly to your tank which is what I do. The bottle lasts forever and there is little risk of overdosing your tanks.

I have also heard of some people filling up buckets with water and letting the chlorine evaporate naturally.

Answer 6

You also have the option of purchasing a 'Python' hose, which will drain and fill the tank directly from the faucet and eliminate the need to haul buckets. If you choose this method, you simply add the dechlorinator to the tank water immediately before filling it up.

Answer 7

To add in water after a water change just use tap water, put it in a bucket, add dechlorinator and then slowly pour it into your tank. Do not use distilled or spring water. It doesn't contain the minerals that your fish need, like tap water does.

Answer 8

Just use the Declorinator on it, that's it
Use a bucket where you put the water and then put conditioner in as directed.


Hope that helps
Good luck


EB