Great discussion on water changing methods

[DeagonTheo]

I'm just going to say one more thing on this subject.
When people come on here to ask for advice, there are a lot of things to consider, not just what works for us on one or 2 species of fish.
There are people from all over Oz frequenting this forum and they draw they're water from numerous councils. God only knows how much Chlorine or Chloramine they put in their supplies.
If I were to tell people to do a water change with a garden hose and their council was putting in double the amount of chlorine to where I come from, its a bit late to say oops when their fish die.
To the people who do it that way I wish you luck, but I would probably refrain from telling other people to do it that way.
Theo

[devz11]

And at what point did anyone say that this is how you should do it??  Advice is all anyone on here can give.. if people choose to use this method or your method or their own method so be it its ADVICE. But you dont seem to give advice on this subject. Hence the reason you pissed me off in the first place. Read back what you wrote from start to finish and you'll see exactly how you manage to rub people up the wrong way! eg. Personal attacks!

[madbob101]

[quote:adb0838679="devz11"] Read back what you wrote from start to finish and you'll see exactly how you manage to rub people up the wrong way! eg. Personal attacks![/quote:adb0838679]

I enjoy Theos honesty and most of the time hes right just saves pussy footing around like most of us do  :lol:


Luv ya Dev  :P

[grokz]

i love yous all so much......... :?

[DeagonTheo]

I'm pretty sure I've never made personal attacks on any one on the forum, what I have done is to try to show people the error of their ways' usually in a humorous way.
Unfortunately some take this as an affront on their person and I can understand that, we all react differently to different situations.
The main thing is that we all come away with something, and I do all the time.
I'm one of the D'heads who has had all the diseases from A to Z so if I can help someone from making the same mistakes I did I'm happy.
Theo

[here fishie fishie]

Well to clear a couple of things.

Chlorine & chloramines are lethal to fish.

A 30% water change with [b:b60f2e02c7]chlorinated[/b:b60f2e02c7] water is about the limit "most" cichlids can endure(without adding conditioner) [b:b60f2e02c7]"but"[/b:b60f2e02c7] any amount of water with [b:b60f2e02c7]chloramines[/b:b60f2e02c7] is dangerous.

If your water only has [b:b60f2e02c7]Chlorine[/b:b60f2e02c7], spraying the water into your tank, eg; with a shower head. This drives off the chlorine(gas) dissolved in the water.

[b:b60f2e02c7]Chloramines[/b:b60f2e02c7] cannot be be removed in this way & can only be removed by or adsorbed by chemicals, eg; water conditioners.
The water can also be cleaned by passing it through activated carbon, but how much carbon removes is varied.

This is why I asked if some people have Chloramines in their water, as airation won't remove them.

Frenchy :D

[turtle]

i don't think i have met any of you but the way you are carying on like drama queens .if it works for you do it !if not try something else but for farksake be a little more constructive .its like my fish is bigger than yours .i thought this forum might be a bit more helpful than it is and from reading back some pages most of you are ,fishie fishie (justin)man you have issues ,do you find it nescessary to argue with every one or is it just your ignorance that leads you into conversations you seem to have little input into except to critisize,you probably work in the industry and would appear you think to have more knowledgeable than most but i bet your just winging it .get your own idea up so that the crap can be picked out of it ,or don't you have any of your own !take your uncostructive argueing to MSN.

[madbob101]

Ohhh are we still going on about this................... :roll:

[ashhhh]

[quote:84202fe738="madbob101"]Ohhh are we still going on about this................... :roll:[/quote:84202fe738]

- an den....... :lol:

but really guys an gals...FFS, you've all expressed your opinions,
now get on with looking after your fish the best way you think you know how, and just agree to disagree.....

[DeagonTheo]

Welcome to the Forum, turtle, its good to see another thought inspiring opinion on the intricasies of fishkeeping from the Ipswich area.
Theo

[IAMRustyBlade]

Seeing this thread has become a water quality subject I'd love to ask some sensible questions on that subject if I may  :)

I do my water changes by filling up multitudes of buckets of town water and leaving them for a few hours to get warm up a bit, and some days I don't dare do it because the tap water smells like bleach  :?  I've only ever used a hose to first fill a new tank up.

I have no clue of what they're adding and when they're adding it and honestly there's no real way of me ever finding the truth out really so if I get these larger containers and leave the water to sit in them for a few days, that will get rid of any contaminants that could harm my fish for sure? Or just most? Do you have to keep them in a cool place (out of sun) or it doesn't matter? Does this water in the containers have a life span before it's no good?

*BTW I've never lost a fish doing it my way either but is it just that I'm lucky?*

[DeagonTheo]

As I said earlier containers nowadays are cheap and versatile, so if you have a big tank use larger containers rather than buckets.

When filling a tank for the first time, just use new water, heat and aereate , but dont add any fish for a couple of days, use a dechlorinater if you really cant wait.

When doing partial water changes leave the water in the drum about 2 days or longer. Use a small power head (or larger one for a big drum) these are cheap nowadays as well, to circulate the water in the drum, you can then add a garden hose or similar to the pump to pump the water to your tank.

I have put fry straight into aged water(2 Days)with no ill effects, so that answers your question about contaminants. If you are still unsure leave it for a longer period.

Theo

PS: You've just been lucky, I've known people to drink and drive for over 20 years and not get caught. That doesnt make it a good way of driving though does it?
When you start spending hundreds of dollars on one fish it pays not to be quite so reckless.

[here fishie fishie]

Looks like turtle has come out of his shell.
(I read, yawn, rolls over & go back to sleep)

Frenchy :D

[cichlidwoman]

thought it appropriate to change the subject heading and let my fronny rest in peace.

[DeagonTheo]

Unfortunately where there is life there is death, all we can do is try to minimise our mistakes to reduce the death.
Fishkeeping is fairly simple, unfortunately in our quest for knowledge, we become confused by the mountains of information out there.
I think for a lot of people, including me, it becomes like a scientific experiment, only to find out, after years of research, that fish are a versatile lot, capable of  adjusting to and breeding in, reasonably widely varying water parameters.
Theo