Re: What should I do about water changes????

[PaulB]

10% per week and keep temp from changing more than 2 deg, in 24 hours.
76-82 F is good.



Ben wrote:

> How often should I change my water? I have tested my water and it is
> fine nothing is out of wack. Should I change the water to keep it
> fresh, or should I leave well enough alone.
>
> The reason for this question is that I have an anemone that is balled
> up. He was doing well as of 3 days ago but the last few he kind of
> sits in the middle with little to no activity.
>
> What about the temp. should that be set at a certain level. My tank
> is a reef tank with three fish (20 gallon).

[Def Lizard]

What should I do about water changes????

Group: rec.aquaria.marine.misc Date: Tue, Aug 5, 2003, 10:36am From:
(Ben)
How often should I change my water? I have tested my water and it is
fine nothing is out of wack. Should I change the water to keep it fresh,
or should I leave well enough alone.
The reason for this question is that I have an anemone that is balled
up. He was doing well as of 3 days ago but the last few he kind of sits
in the middle with little to no activity.
What about the temp. should that be set at a certain level. My tank is a
reef tank with three fish (20 gallon).
************************************************** ***
Anemones are very sensitivie creatures, literally a balloon filled with
water, and as such, require the most pristine of water conditions,
approaching Natural Salt Water composition as humanly possible. They
are in fact, one of the best indicators of water conditions (doing it
the hard way ;-), so, when an anemone is doing what yours is doing, its
telling you something is very wrong with the water! You need to test
your water for those parameters that are the most easily measured, such
as pH (ideal is 8.2 to 8.3) Salinity (measured as S.G. 1.025 - 1.026 at
78=B0 F) Temp. 78=B0F to 82=B0F, Alkalinity (measured as hardness)
450-500 dKH
Besides ZERO Ammonia, Nitrite and <5 ppm Nitrate. I would suggest a 40
to 50% water change, using IO salt mix, and RO/DI processed fresh water,
with a S.G. of 1.026 and a temp of 78=B0F to adjust any parameters that
are off. If the anemone doesn't respond in a few days (4-5, it takes
them awhile to respond), then do another water change. Hopefully it
will come back, and maintain those parameters. I would do a 25% water
change every two weeks, to maintain tank stability. Good luck!
Ciao!


http://community.webtv.net/deflizard/doc
regards, John =

[MikeG]

After your tank is up and running the nitrate levels will slowly rise untill
the become toxic to your tank inhabitants. That is why we do water changes,
to get rid of those nitrates. If you don't live in CA, you can add calupera
(algae) to help reduce some of the nitrates, but depending on howmuch your
fish poo. But even with different ways to reduce your nitrates, you will
still need to cycle your water.

Get a nitrate kit and watch the levels, as they rise, do a water change.
After a while you will get into a groove or a pattern and it just keep it
up.


"Ben" > wrote in message
om...
> How often should I change my water? I have tested my water and it is
> fine nothing is out of wack. Should I change the water to keep it
> fresh, or should I leave well enough alone.
>
> The reason for this question is that I have an anemone that is balled
> up. He was doing well as of 3 days ago but the last few he kind of
> sits in the middle with little to no activity.
>
> What about the temp. should that be set at a certain level. My tank
> is a reef tank with three fish (20 gallon).

[wolfhedd]

oh ive been there and done that, what you need is to keep asking questions,
and stop buying anenomes it sound like, sounds liek hes going to die, those
3 days were all the stress could handle, i have been there ill tell you
again, so dont worry. just learn MORE about the proper water conditions,
test for these if ya can afford it. Phosphate, Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia,
and get salt level up to 1.026 i guess, used to think that was kinda high,
and get temp up to 79 degrees, and make sure YOU HAVE A GOOD POWERHEAD,
meaning ATLEAST two small ones, or a GOOD one with high flow churning up
your water like a tidal wave. without this, that anenome may not be getting
nutrients if he has no water flow. and lighting, he needs probably 150
watts of flourescents of the right spectrum or atleast 55w power compact.
wolfhedd

"MikeG" > wrote in message
...
> After your tank is up and running the nitrate levels will slowly rise
untill
> the become toxic to your tank inhabitants. That is why we do water
changes,
> to get rid of those nitrates. If you don't live in CA, you can add
calupera
> (algae) to help reduce some of the nitrates, but depending on howmuch your
> fish poo. But even with different ways to reduce your nitrates, you will
> still need to cycle your water.
>
> Get a nitrate kit and watch the levels, as they rise, do a water change.
> After a while you will get into a groove or a pattern and it just keep it
> up.
>
>
> "Ben" > wrote in message
> om...
> > How often should I change my water? I have tested my water and it is
> > fine nothing is out of wack. Should I change the water to keep it
> > fresh, or should I leave well enough alone.
> >
> > The reason for this question is that I have an anemone that is balled
> > up. He was doing well as of 3 days ago but the last few he kind of
> > sits in the middle with little to no activity.
> >
> > What about the temp. should that be set at a certain level. My tank
> > is a reef tank with three fish (20 gallon).
>
>