maintanance question

[always learning]

I'm just setting up a tank and I like to keep it clean but I don't know exactly how to do proper water changes. In my FW tanks I would gravel-vac and the little pebbels would fall back down but in the SW sand is used and if I gravel vac then the sand will be sucked up won't it?

Or am I just supposed to change the water without gravel-vac-ing?
thanx for all you help,
always learning.

[kreblak]

You can still use the gravel vac, just don't suck up the sand with it. To properly change your water, you are going to need to have a mixing bucket (or a small tank) ready to go with some standby water. To mix, you will need a heater, a powerhead, and salt. First, you will need to match your tank's temperature. Then add salt, and run the powerhead for a few hours. Keep adding salt until you have matched your tank's PH, temp, and SG.

[OrionGirl]

If you have a good clean up crew, there shouldn't be much detritus collecting on the sand. For the rest, keep the tip of the vacuum above the sand--enough that you pick up the solids, but not much sand. If you're worried about the loss of sand, put a nylon baggie (the foot off a pair of panythose works well) over the end of the vacuum where it drains. This will catch the sand and you can return it to the tank.

You do not want to vacuum the full depth of the sand, like in a typical gravel substrate tank. This disturbs the lower layers, where nitrates are broken down by anaerobes. Disturbing the lower layers kills these bacteria, and disturbing the established layers can release nasties into the water column, killing fish and inverts.

[always learning]

could you tell me what kind of clean up crew to be exact?

Thanx,
always learning.

[gcvt]

Originally posted by always learning
could you tell me what kind of clean up crew to be exact?

Thanx,
always learning.

Have a look at Indo-Pacific Sea Farms (http://www.ipsf.com) and Inland Aquatics (http://www.inlandaquatics.com/) - both sell everything you might need in terms of a cleanup crew. :)

[Ray Pollett]

I respectfully disagree with the water change method above. I know that is the way everyone says is proper. If only doing a small 10-20% water change, just mix the salt in the correct temperature water. Then pour it in. You do not need to run it with a heater or pwer head for hours to mix it well.

Ray

[VoodooChild]

You think the temp. change won't matter? My tap pH (sorry to hijack the thread:rolleyes: ) is already at 8.1, so I figured that wouldn't matter, but I always had a 10 gallon ready to go because I thought the heat would kill off anything that's deemed more "sensitive".

[OrionGirl]

I think Ray meant to pull the correct temp water from the tap, mix and use immediately, rather than letting it sit and mix.

[Ray Pollett]

That is correct OrionGirl.

Ray