2nd Question (water changes)

Weedy

AC Members
Mar 22, 2008
18
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0
In the past when I have done water changes, I fill up 40 gallon clean garbage cans, then I put a pump in there to arerate (sp) the water for a half hour or more. Recently, I have been putting prime in the cans plus withthe pump then put it in the tank. My question is: When I put the prime in the can, do I still need to use the pump to arerate the water for 30 minutes? Does the prime do what the little pump did by reducing the chenicals from "tap" water? I would love to save a few minutes without having to use the pump,
As always, thank you in advance.
Weedy
 
I just shoot prime to the tank, for the volume of the tank and fill straight from the tap with the Python.
 
Same here! 'T'
 
The old method of aging the water with movement and aeration is based on the primary agent being used to purify the water as being chlorine. This action helped gas off the chlorine.

Many facilities use chloramine now, which doesn't act this way. Shooting Prime straight to the tank takes care of both and saves a lot of work and time.
 
DANG! You guys are just to fast for me:headbang2:! So just using the prime will work, I'm kinda scared because they use alot of chenicals in the city here in south florida. I'm doing a water change on my daughters tank also, I guess I'll try it on hers first (hehe). Even with large changes it is ok just for the prime, 80 gallons or more? I'm still fighting an algee bloom, so I'm doing more than half for the change.
 
I do 60 gal changes on the 90s all the time and 90 gal changes on the 125 and 135s all the time.

To fight algae, watch over feeding and how many hours of light the tank gets. What is the phosphate reading on your tap?
 
:confused:, I'm not sure. I guess I'm kinda lazy in this department. I (well, the wife does it not me) take the water sample to the lfs and they tell me to do this or that. I have been putting "PhosGuard" in a sock in the sump and change it out about once every 2-2.5 weeks. It has helped a little, well it hasn't gotten any worse. I've gotten it down to a greenish tint to the water, it used to be REAL BAD. The "PhosGuard" has helped alot.
 
In general, never trust an LFS to tell you that your water is okay. They are in business to sell products, wether you need them or not.

For starters, get a good liquid test kit, like that made by API, that can test for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH.
 
Bob,
Ok, jump to my daughters tank (20 gallon w/a walmart filter), I just shanges the filters on her tank and did a 25% water change. I can't think of the name of her filter, but it did have the # 60 in the name. Anyway, I didn't do anything to the biofilter, just changed the carbon filter (by the way, it is a HOB style filter). There is hardly any water coming thru it and I can see were the filter is really dirty. I have been told never mess with the biofilter because that is were the bacteria grows to help keep the tank clean. It is close to being pluged, what do I do with it. I'm sorry for all the questions. As always, thank you for your time and help.
Weedy

PS, Thanks for the help with the previous issues:headbang2:
 
Using some old tank water, rinse and squeeze the filter cartridges out in it. Then replace them in the filter and see what happens.
 
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