Vacuuming Gravel 10/12/06
Thank you for your prompt response.  I presume to begin the suction you need to suck on the end of the hose? <Can, I use a turkey baster to start it, few other methods out there too.>  Also, how do you heat your small tanks?  I recently added a 7.5 watt heater to my tank but after having left it overnight it doesn't seem to want to heat it above 76 degrees.  <Can the temperature be adjusted?  If not may want to get a different model.>  I'm not sure what temperature unheated water is so I was wondering if this is hot enough. <Ok, a little low but stability is more important than exact temperature for fish.>
I know Bettas prefer temperatures in the 80's. <Ideal>
<Chris>

Water Changes While Away 9/27/06
Hey guys... have a quick question for you. <Sure>  I have a 29 gallon reef with a 15 gallon refugium with some live rock, and a nice big soccer ball size of Chaetomorpha underneath. <Nice>  I have a small hand full of small corals I can list them if you need, I have 2 clowns, a fire fish, and very very small red line angel.  
My question is this.  I am in the military and am deploying for just round 30 days to the middle east. <Good luck and please be careful.>  I usually do 15% water changes every week and am usually very on the spot for the husbandry of the tank.  My problem is I really don't have anyone that I can trust to do water changes and siphoning while I am gone. I can have my brother feed them because all you have to do is get some tank water and thaw a small chunk of the frozen food and feed the anemone a cut up silver side 2 times a week. <Make sure he also knows to top off with fresh water when necessary.>  I will be gone 30 days with a max of 45.  Could I go the max 45 days without a water change? <Probably, but obviously no guarantees.>  Or possible just try and train my little brother to come over and do 1 larger one half way though the month?  
<If you think your brother can handle it, I would pre-mix a couple of buckets of salt water and have him make a couple of 5 gallon water changes.  Otherwise it might be worth trying to find a service company and pay them to do a water change or two for you, but depends on cost.  Otherwise your tank will probably be mostly ok, may have some algae problems but otherwise ok.   Make sure your brother does not overfeed, maybe feed half as often as you normally do.>   
Thanks
<Anytime and be safe.>
<Chris>

Water Changes/Stress
Do water changes promote stress in the fish?
<Should not, more beneficial than anything.>
My Porcupine puffer always freaks out after I do a water change and just sits on the bottom motionless for hours, is this normal? should I worry? I always think that he is going
to die. I have a 175 gallon fish only and I usually change 75 or more gallons when I do the change. thanks for the help.
<Geez, how large is your tank.  Depending on the frequency/amount of the water change, it could cause some stress. If your tank is 150 gallons, and you are changing 75 gallons once a month, and pH is not adjusted to match tank water, some stress can result.  Much better to do a 10 percent change weekly, or a 20 percent bi-weekly, and adjust pH to within .1 of the tank water.
James (Salty Dog)>

Water Changes...Natural Or Artificial Seawater   7/18/06
Hello,
<Hello James>
I am building a new tank with a volume of 1017 gallons
<Yikes!  I'm jealous.>
not including displacement.  I only have 12 fish totaling about 60 inches.  This is a very under stocked tank.  I will  have aqua medic skimmers running  
as well.  I was doing a 10% a week water change on my previous 300 gallon tank.  Is 10% a week still necessary for the new tank with  
it being so under stocked?  If not, what would you recommend?
<With your present condition, 10% monthly would be fine.>
My fish being happy is the number one thing for me.  I like to check each fish and look after them, rather than having loads of fish that  
you don't get attached to as  much.  I want them to have loads of space.
<That they will.>
Also, most of the people here in Cape Town are using real sea water but I am still using salt/ro water mix.  Does real sea water harm the  
system or is it safe enough to  use?.
<Not a good idea, read here.  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seawater.htm>
Kind Regards,
<And to you.  James (Salty Dog)>
James.

Exposing Corals During a Water Change - 07/06/06
Hi crew,
<<Hello Deb>>
I have what might seem like a silly question, but I need to know so here goes.
<<Only "silly" if you don't ask...so ask away!>>
If you have corals in your tank and they are high in the tank and
can't move how do you change a significant amount of water, say 25%, if that will unsubmerge your corals?  Is it okay for them to be uncovered by water for any length of time?
<<See, not a silly question at all...I have done what you describe many times over the years.  Your corals should fare just fine if briefly "exposed" during a water change. A couple things you can do to help ensure they will remain fine are... If you have any corals with large-fleshy polyps you should "gently" coax them to expel their water/retract.  This will prevent the weight of the water in the coral's flesh from causing damage once buoyancy is lost due to the receding water line... You can also turn off your lights to reduce the amount of heat the corals will have to deal with while exposed.  And don't be alarmed by the presence of excess mucus once the corals are "rehydrated" as this is a normal response to exposure to the atmosphere>>
I just haven't seen the answer to this and know I will have this dilemma soon because my corals are somewhat in the upper part
of the tank and changing  1/3 to 1/4 of the water would uncover them for the time it takes to finish taking out the old water and getting the new back in.
<<Not to worry Deb...is not unusual for many of the corals we keep to be exposed to air in the wild during periods of low tide>>
Also, I am having a hair algae problem and have bought several critters that are supposed to eat the stuff including turbo snails, large and larger, a blenny, and a pretty big sea hare.  None of them seem to find the hair algae at all interesting.
Is this unusual?
<<Not at all.  More often than not this is what happens.  I'm afraid there are no "magic bullets" (or magic critters) for dealing with hair algae.  Biological controls are always "hit and miss" as you have discovered.  Best to try to determine the cause and attack the problem from that perspective.  Please do have a read through our data on marine nuisance algae.  Start here (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/avoidingalgaeproblesm.htm) and also follow the many links at the top of the page.  Much info to absorb>>
I have an opportunity to trade the sea hare for another one.  Is it possible that the new one might eat the hair algae even
though the big one doesn't.
<<Is a possibility, yes>>
The snails aren't interested in it either.  
<<As far as snails go, the large Mexican Turbo is probably your best bet.  You mention a blenny but not which species...blennies from the genera Salarias and Atrosalarias will be your best option for dealing with your hair algae>>
Thanks,
Deb
<<Quite welcome, EricR>>

Quality nano vacuum/s   7/2/06
Hi, I've got a six gallon nano tank (saltwater) and was wondering if you guys know of a good quality, battery powered vacuum.
<Mmm, this is sort of a "conflict in terms"... that is to say, most all such battery-operated vacuums are not of very high quality. However, the best of these are made by Eheim (not easily found in the "west", but can be had...>
I want one that will  clean debris from the sandbed and can also be used for water  change siphoning.
<Mmm, will need two for these tasks... I'd get a smaller diameter "regular" one (Tetra has some smaller diameter ones that you can still find about) for the latter purpose>
I've been surfing the web and have come across many  different types/brands but I can't tell which ones are of  good quality. Can you guys point me in the right
direction? Thanks, and  happy reefing, Greg  
<Glad to proffer my opinions here. Have used many makes, models... the Eheim and Tetra manufacturers are excellent. Bob Fenner>

Siphoning/Cleaning Marine Substrates - 04/26/06
I have been reading over emails for a while and I finally found what I was looking for, but not the complete answer.
<<Ok>>
I read that in a reef tank, if you have crushed coral then you should siphon during a water change.
<<Mmm, maybe...depending on depth of the substrate (<1")>>
If you have fine sand, you don't need to siphon.
<<More at play here than grain size/depth but generally yes, with good water flow the finer grain sands are lees likely to accumulate detritus>>
Well, we have a 72 gallon tank with 3.5 inches of an even mixture of sand and cc.
<<Mixed opinions on this...should be fine>>
Should we siphon and how deep?
<<I wouldn't disturb the DSB, but do some reading up on deep sand beds here (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/deepsandbeds.htm).  If detritus settling in/on the substrate is of concern then "up" the flow in your tank to keep all in suspension>>
A greenish/brownish layer is starting to form about halfway down and I don't know if I should disturb it.
<<This is algae that is triggered by the available light coming through the tank front and likely does not extend very far in to the sand bed...nothing to worry about>>
Also, since I am here, I have 50 lbs of live rock in the tank.  I will be adding 50 more lbs that I have had in a separate tank for a month.  Is this going to change all of the parameters in the tank initially?  I just wanted to prepare myself before I see any spikes in my tests.
<<If the rock is fully cured it should not be a problem though having water handy for a water change after the move (disturbing/stirring detritus) is a good idea>>
Thanks,
Chris
<<Cheers, EricR>>

Holy Moley-Yes Folks Aquariums Need Maintenance To Function……  - 04/19/06
Hello,
<Hi Dan.>
     I have very high nitrate levels in my 55 gal. tank.
<Uh-Oh!>
  Can I get rid of these levels by using a combination of Aquarium salt and Cycle?
<Huh? No……?
  I don't want to, but if I have to I'll do the water changes,
<What? Not wanting to do water changes. Sir, excuse me if I sound bold but if you don’t have the time to do at least weekly (ok maybe bi-weekly)….then you should not own any type of aquaria.>
the only question I have about the water changes is...How long do I wait after refill to start again, assuming I will need to do more than one water change to bring the levels down?
<Read WWM re Water Changes for your answers my friend. I will say a few consecutive daily water changes (10% to 25%) over the next week.>
Thank You,
<Mmm-hmm.>
Dan C.
<Adam J.>

Re: Holy Moley-Yes Folks Aquariums Need Maintenance To Function..  - 04/19/2006
I'm sorry I didn't mean I don't do the water changes at all, what I was saying was if I have to I will do the rapid water changes.  I read where you can reduce the nitrates in the tank rapidly by doing a 60% reduction, filling it back up to 80% capacity, then doing a 40% reduction, filling it back up to 100% capacity, then doing a 20% reduction and again filling it to 100% capacity.  This is the water changes I was talking about,  I own two tanks and have had them quite awhile, so I'm very careful of my levels in both tanks.
<Okay, sorry for the confusion. I don't like to perform LARGE changes in one swoop, I would perform 25-30% water changes, but do about 5 of them, one a day or one every other day over the course of the week or two. Also find the root problem that are causing these nitrates to be so high.>
Dan C.
<Adam J.>

Water Changes/Marine/Continuous Water Changes   2/26/06
Hi WWM,<Hello Jason.>
Everything I have read regarding water changes in marine systems indicates that smaller, more frequent water changes are better than larger, less frequent ones (all else being equal, of course). <Agreed> As an engineer, this leads me to wonder if a continuous water change system would be even better than small,
frequent, discrete changes. What I mean by this is a system that slowly but continuously adds new saltwater
(from a separate mixing container) to the main system and drains existing water to a waste sink (container
or down the drain) at the same time. This could be worked out to match the average change rate of 10% per
week, more or less depending on tank size, inhabitants, etc. <Such water changing devices are available.>
Do professionals make use of such open-loop systems? <Most do> Do public aquariums use the ocean as a source/sink in
this manner? <Yes, aquariums near the coast practice this in an effort to cut down operating costs.  The Boston Aquarium for one has their saltwater intake about one mile offshore for purity reasons.>
Thanks for your thoughts! <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Jason

Water Changes/Marine/Continuous Water Changes   2/24/06
Hi WWM,<Hello Jason.>
Everything I have read regarding water changes in marine systems indicates that smaller, more frequent
water changes are better than larger, less frequent ones (all else being equal, of course). <Agreed> As an
engineer, this leads me to wonder if a continuous water change system would be even better than small,
frequent, discrete changes. What I mean by this is a system that slowly but continuously adds new saltwater
(from a separate mixing container) to the main system and drains existing water to a waste sink (container
or down the drain) at the same time. This could be worked out to match the average change rate of 10% per
week, more or less depending on tank size, inhabitants, etc. <Such water changing devices are available.>
Do professionals make use of such open-loop systems? <Most do> Do public aquariums use the ocean as a source/sink in
this manner? <Yes, aquariums near the coast practice this in an effort to cut down operating costs.  The Boston Aquarium for one has their saltwater intake about one mile offshore for purity reasons.>
Thanks for your thoughts! <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Jason

Water Changes - 2/21/2006
About how often and how much should I change out of a 30 gallon marine aquarium with an Ocellaris pair, a Pygmy Angel, and two blue-green Chromis?
<<While I think a 30-gallon is too small for the Angel, I would change 5-10 gals every week.>>
Thanks for your help,
<<Glad to help. Lisa.>>
Mike Lushbaugh

Water Change and Adding New Fish  - 2/21/2006
To Whom this may concern,
<Hi there, Leslie here with you today>
I just change my salt water tank on Friday 02/17/06.
The  water is cloudy and not healthy for my maroon clown fish, it also kill my coral reef beauty
angel.  Do I have wait for the tank to recycle again or it is safe to restock new fish in there?
<I always like to wait a few to several weeks before adding fish to a tank that has had any sort of problems. If your tank cycled properly initially you should not have to wait for the tank to recycle after a routine water change. However since you lost a fish and the water is cloudy I would suggest you test your water for Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, pH and Specific Gravity. If the tests are all fine it should be ok to add a new fish after a few weeks. Quarantining new fish is always recommended to help minimize the risk of introducing disease into an established healthy system.>
My maroon clown is in an emergency tank ( 20 gallons ) right now and looking healthier.
Glad to hear your clownfish is looking healthier. Please do keep a close eye on him and the water parameters in your “emergency tank”. If that tank is without biological filtration you will need to be doing daily water changes.>
Thank You, Mickey
<You're very welcome, Leslie>

Water changing systems
I have recently been given a 400 gal. aquarium by a friend of the family. <Lucky you.> I have been reading about setting up new aquariums and could not pass up this opportunity. The aquarium has everything that is needed  and is running now. It even has a wave machine. <Great> The gentleman had it set up as a reef tank and lost most of his livestock after the FL hurricanes. My question is what is the best way to do water changes in a tank this large. He has it piped into
his house and sewer system. I would like to start it as a reef/fish tank. Is this a good idea? <Yes, do read on requirements/needs/maintenance, etc on our web site.  As far as water changing, a tank this large is going to require about a 30 to 40 gallon change per week.  I'd go with an auto water changing/top off system.  Here is a link to one you can read about. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=13959&Ntt=auto%20top%20off&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=2004&Nty=1  James (Salty Dog)>
Thanks, <You're welcome>
Steve Edmiston

Hydrogen Sulfide - 01/01/2006
Happy new year to you all,
<And to you Will.>
This weekend I had the pleasure of stripping down my 60(UK) gal marine tank for the 2nd time, what a way to end the year but with a nice slow leak...? Anyway all the rocks corals fish etc. are in a nice spare tank set up with heater, filter, skimmer, and sand is in a vat with water and a powerhead. However my sandbed seems to have been producing hydrogen sulfide instead of nitrogen, kind of lucky the tank leaked in retrospect. The sandbed is about 4 inches deep I should imagine, maybe a little under, I have a bout 240lph of flow through the tank <excluding skimmer>. What's causing the hydrogen sulphide? Bed too shallow? Not enough flow? Wrong bacteria proliferating?
<Anaerobiosis, organic build up. Flow must be leaving dead areas.>
And other than the smell what effects does this substance have? Suppressed pH or is it actually toxic?
<Hmm....Being from lack of oxygen, the pH would be depressed, could have a random "die off" of all livestock.>
FWIW soon I shall be upgrading from a Prizm skimmer to a v2skim 400, will this help problems, the Prizm never really does much <other than irritate the family with it's gurgling and bubbling>
<Will likely help as will better flow. Good surface turbulence will help gas exchange.>
Thank you in advance,
Will
<You're welcome. - Josh.>

Water Changes and Adam's Discipline  12/10/05
Bob,
<Actually this is Adam J responding Bob is out right now. I’m responding now so that you know your query was received, I will respond now but will also place this aside so he can respond later as well.>
We would like to know if you would give us a quote for the following:  When making a water change in a marine aquarium: How often and what percentage should be changed?
<This is highly variable depending on the set-up but personally I prefer at least 10% weekly at a minimum for stability.>
What's the rule of thumb and can we put your name as the person quoting it?
<Well personally I’m not a fan of “rules of thumbs” of any kind, simply because there are far to many variables. Some systems are understocked some systems are overstocked. Some systems are big some are small. Some are shooting for a zero nutrient level some are shooting for a slightly elevated nutrient level. However if I had to limit myself to one statement on water changes I would say, “As with anything water changes should be preformed with discipline. Plan out a routine that keeps your system stable and meets its needs and don’t vary from it.”>
Thanks
<See here as this may answer some more of your questions: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/scottsh2ochgart.htm.>_
Eric
<Adam J.> 

The microscopic world, speculations on FW, SW "Dead Sea" effect  11/15/05
Hello again,
<Hi there>
Jonathan here. Have acquired an Observer III microscope to help me diagnose fish problems where I work. Both of the fresh and the salt.
<Another world awaits you>
I can do 40x, 100x, and 400x. I'll be getting another eyepiece so I can do 600x for that just a little bigger than 400x.
<Mmm, much larger>
I've been making dark field / oblique filters to try and see what I see.
<... I, not "i">
I don't want to invest in phase contrast just yet, unless I find out there's no other way. Have you ever gotten decent resolution for searching for parasites at 400x with a dark field filter?
<Yes>
I have to use oblique by slightly moving my filter holder out alignment. That and sometimes giving myself a headache by closing down the iris aperture all the way.  I'll be getting a mount for a digital camera, so that I may attach it to the scope. May I send you an video for feedback?
<Yes>
I may make a website to share my progress with others.
<Outstanding>
I'll keep learning where I am, and try and take a course at my college to refresh my technique. I might have an opportunity to attend the diseases of warm water fish seminar in Florida. Do you think it would be an improving experience?
<Yes>
Or that by working in an aquarium store that I'll eventually see most of what they would show me.
<Oh no... a very good idea to have both experiences to draw from>
Two recurrent problems, which may even be related, in salt; is possible Brooklynella running loose and cloudy eye. Coppersafe is at half dose continuously. Brook is said not to be affected by copper sulfate, which would make sense. The way it looks on the fish is very much the description in books and internet. Have scoped a few scrapes, but I'm too new to say "that's it".  I'm taking action against it, but victory is not yet reached.  [course of action is freshwater baths sometimes with Meth blue 7 -15 min.s every 3 days about, but return to the same tank. I can't pull a clean tank out of the air,
<...? But you can buy a scope?>
and by corporate all tanks need to be full, ha. I could shut off a tank from the central, remove the copper, and hit it with Rid Ich+, which I'm considering, if my bath approach is not getting results..]
<Shotgun approaches are not encouraged>
Would it be possible that ich or velvet could be present in the gills of new fish at such a level to cause death without being present at all on the body & treating at half dose of copper is not enough to solve the problem?
<Yes... a therapeutic dose is just that... less than is more harm than good>
Its a possibility I just recently considered. I think if I see encysted ich or velvet on a newly introduced fish, its probably just temporary. Until it falls off divides and the copper kills the free swimming stage. Cloudy eye I think is caused by our water. Most things I read linked it to environmental issues. Our nitrate is barley registering on our Jungle Quick dip stick, as accurate as that is. I think we may be exporting nitrate by scrubbing algae, and removing and drying out Cyano infested crush coral substrate. 
<Your speculation is worthy>
So that nitrate would not be an entirely accurate judge of the water quality. Only doing 30 gallons out every week or two, may not adequate in a 900 gallon system.
<Uh, no>
I think we actually evaporating and topping off more than we are taking out and replacing. I've noted this on a discus tank we had by using a TDS meter. The TDS value was much higher in the tank than the source water like 3 - 4 times.
<Like potted houseplants, these tanks need periodic large water change-outs to dilute solids...>
Even taking account whatever live plants died or bogwood adds, it gave me a way of showing the problem. Ha, the TDS wouldn't work in saltwater, its over its limit. If hypothetically this we evaporating and replacing say 75 gallons a week, and only did a 30 gallon water change a week. Could this lead to problems?  
<Yes>
Wouldn't over time the whole of water become more mineral rich, and with all the contaminants of the tap. This might lead to a cloudy eye problem. 
<Agreed>
Too much contaminants, too much minerals, too much bacteria supported by those. Any ideas?  I've tried to keep this short.
Sorry and thanks,
Jonathan
<Do please learn to/use your spelling and grammar checking tools... a good learning experience. Bob Fenner>