EI dosing and water changes

[fjf888]

Was wondering how people who use this method handle the large water changes that are suggested. I have a python, but I will use buckets that I let sit out awhile for my water changes. I have always been a little paranoid about putting water straight from the tap directly into the tank. I suppose you pre-treat the tank before the water goes in. Am I missing something, or is letting the water sit/age just one of those old methods that are no longer true.

Fred

 

[Gerryd]

Hi,

I have a 180 gal and do 50% weekly WC........

I go directly from tap to tank.

FIRST, I dose the remaining tank water with Prime and then just fill it up......

I had your concerns as well, but the prime works well.

The old method is good for chlorine, but not chloramines.

 

[Tom Barr]

If you do large water changes with tap, then adding more tap does not change much in terms of KH/GH.

I do not suggest adjusting KH.

So all you need is add some dechlorinator like Prime or Amquel etc.
I toss the hose from the tap right on the tank, turn it on and add the dechlorinator.

Never an issue in many decades.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[fjf888]

Great that makes life very easy. I did not realize the dechlorinators worked that quickly.

Thanks
Fred

 

[jsrevenaugh]

Why not change kH

Tom,

You said adding tap (to a tap-filled tank) doesn't change GH or KH much and recommended not changing KH. My tap comes out at 2 GH and 3 KH but within a few days, KH will have dropped to 1.5 or 2 if I don't add some baking soda. I don't feel good about a KH as low as 2 (the pH swings from night to day get pretty big). Is your advice not to alter KH a general truism for high KH tap or would you recommend filling the tank and later raising KH?

 

[Tom Barr]

If you lose KH, it's likely due to one of two things: tannins, or Kh is being munched by bicarbonate using plants, eg, you may not have enough CO2 gas.......they will go after the KH then.

In any event, low KH is not an issue.
No KH is not an issue even.

What becomes problematic is when you want to measure CO2.

But a KH of 1 and a KH of 10 are just fine to measure O2, it's when you have very low KH or no KH that you cannot measure it via pH/KH.

A KH of 3 vs 1 makes no difference there however.

Adding some baking soda to keep it at 3 is not needed, however, it does not hurt either.

The real issue is keeping the same rate of CO2 gas being added to the tank, then it does not matter if the KH moved around, the CO2 is still the same in either case.

KH/pH can move around and still have the same CO2.

All we are concerned about really is CO2 for plants and toxicity if the CO2 gets too high, or too low and algae/poor growth of plants.

Fish are pretty good about water changes if done weekly. Your tap is pretty good really. No need to mess with it. I'd focus a bit more on tweaking CO2 is all from the sounds of it. We all can say that

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[rmantell]

Tom:
Thanks for your concise response to the question. I feel much better about the process of water changes. This hobby has certainly changed since 1961

rmantell

 

[Tom Barr]

I got into the hobby in the mid 1970's, so yes, for many, it's changed a lot, much easier to find info, but now you have to wade through it to find what applies.

Water changes however, have never really changed. They still do the same things today as they did back then.Good advice that goes back to the 1970's for marine and FW tanks, breeders, aquaculture etc.

Still, many argue against it.

Some assume that they have to let the water age and add dechlor prior also, but we never did that at the LFs I worked at and I use the same water change method today as I did way back then, a 3/4" garden hose hooked up the shower, add the right amount of dechlor in and turn the water on to refill, the same refill is the also the drain hose as well.

Since the water is still there, I do not even need to start the siphon, it does it automatically.

I can drain and refill 5 aquariums for a total of 460 Gallons, do 60-80% in less than 2 hours.

I trim and clean things while the tank refills/drains.

Yes, 2 hours a week is work, but it's not hard work really doing the water change and keeps the floors dry. the work is really trimming, cleaning filters, stuff you cannot get away from with other dosing methods. Buckets are for the birds. I use them for trimming waste and replant cutting barrels etc. For small tanks, less than 20 Gal, buckets are fine, takes all of 5 minutes to do a 50-60% weekly water change on such tanks.

If 5 minutes is too much, find another hobby.

Regards,
Tom barr