Water change questions...

[marl_nyc]

Good day! I just got myself a python aquarium cleaner. Before I use it my question is when using the water conditioner (i have Prime) how much should i put in? If I'm replacing 10 gal of the liquid should I put the correct amount for 10 gallons or should I put in the amount for the total volume of the tank (55gal)? Plan to do the wc tommorow... any input will be greatly appreciated.

[Rbishop]

If you are refilling straight to the tank, dose for the volume of the tank, not the volume of the water change.

[Reddog80p]

As Rbishop said dose to the whole amount of the tank. Just add the full amount of prime to your tank AFTER removing the water from your waterchange, and refill.

[duke33]

I'll third that.:)

[BigAds]

It's worked fine for me... if you're filling with the python right from the sink to the tank, before filling add in enough prime to treat the entire 55 gallons. I'll still occasionally do a small water change during the week with a bucket... in that case I just put the prime in the 5 gallon bucket I use (using the amount of prime to treat the 5 gallons only)

[NickD]

:eek3:Wow. That's news to me. I got my python recently and have done maybe 3 or 4 water changes with it. I've only been dosing for the amount of the water change, not the whole tank. I just did a water change a couple of hours ago. I guess I'll go add some more Prime to it.

[allecb]

wait...

ok so i do like 25 percent water changes. (5 gallons out of 20 gallons) and ill siphon out the water into a 5 gallon bucket, dump it out in my bathtub, fill the bucket back up from my tub, then ill condtion the water just enough for 5 gallons, then put it in the tank...

am i doing it right? or am i supposed to condition the bucket of water enough for 20 gallons!?

[247Plants]

just the bucket is enough if yuo are doing it that way.

[b.greene]

Wow, this is news to me as well. Good thing I have well water and don't actually even need the dechlorinator (although I use it anyway, just in case).
Why the discrepancy? If you Python out 30% and then redose for the FULL capasity of the tank, why would you not do the same if using the bucket method (as 247plants stated)?

[KarlTh]

If you put the water in the tank with buckets and then added dechlor, you'd need to add enough dechlorinator for the whole tank. It's the volume you're adding to which matters.

[247Plants]

Wow, this is news to me as well. Good thing I have well water and don't actually even need the dechlorinator (although I use it anyway, just in case).
Why the discrepancy? If you Python out 30% and then redose for the FULL capasity of the tank, why would you not do the same if using the bucket method (as 247plants stated)?

The reason you wouldnt do the same is because when you dose the dechlor in the bucket, then pour it in the tank you are putting dechlored water into a tank full of already dechlored water.

If you are just dumping tap water in the tank and then adding dechlor, then yes you should dose for the tank.

[b.greene]

If you are refilling straight to the tank, dose for the volume of the tank, not the volume of the water change.

Here is the confusion, 247Plants. The above states that you dose for the full volume of the tank, not just the amout changed.

Bob, can you clear up the confusion?

[247Plants]

To clear up the confusion.

If you are refilling tank straight from tap or with regular tap water in buckets, dose for whole tank.

If you are refilling with buckets and want to mix the dechlor in the buckets, there is no need to add dechlor to the tank. You only need to add the amount of dechlor for the bucket volume.

[b.greene]

Thanks!

[247Plants]

Not a problem :)

[Star_Rider]

the reason for it(BTW) comes from Seachem.

they said that some of the dechlor would be locked up when you add it straight to the tank..so to be safe add the amount needed for the volume of the tank.