Hey, i think it should be said that if you misdose or something that one elements gets way to high, never remove it fast. The fast low to high and then fast back will more likely kill the corals then get slowly back down to normal. Always experiencd this with customers, never had problems if the overdosed element was removed slowly
Mouthful? I've gotten tastes when starting acclimation drips, but who starts a water change siphon with their mouth? Fill the large tube with water, lift up above rim and turn upside down to start flow, resubmerge before running out of water in tube.
A trick to avoid sucking a mouthful of water when starting a siphon is put the hose well deep into the tank, seal the dry end of the hose with your thumb and then lift most of the wet end out of the tank while lowering the dry end to start the siphon. No fuss. No mouthful of tank water. My grandfather taught me this for siphoning gas out of cars.
And if you got a trickier tank just hold a little aquarium pump to the submerged end of the pipe and while the other end is in a drain or bucket it will start to siphon and you can remove the pump.
I figured out #4 back when I had my 75g circa '04. Had a 2 story apartment, and I used the downstairs bathroom as a fish room. Bad water down the shower drain, and I had the new saltwater in a 55g bin in the same shower. A bit of kit bashing with the hoses, and I was able to refill the tank just by flipping a lever. That was such a huge time saver.
The idea of testing products to remove heavy metals is a good one Copper is well documented Tin isn’t and it’s a contaminant that keeps popping up on ICP tests, sources can be from the glass making process, Plasticisers in PVC pipes and electrical components that are failing This would be a great review
Nice video, really love it :) I'm a bit skeptical for the part "Using a filtration before it goes to your aquarium" You will lose a lot of mineral and what not no? Some time I turn my light also when I know lot of corals will be expose for long, I splash them with my wet hand to make sure they don't dries
Keeping in mind that a sediment filter captures larger particles... the salt/calcium/carbonate/magnesium/trace elements are not large enough to get filtered out. It's those larger unknown and undissolved particles and impurities that we are concerned with removing via a sediment filter.
Sicce ultra zero pump is awesome! I have two of them. One always lives in my salt water mixing bin which bulls from the bottom and pushes up to the top. The drain down to 2mm of water! Great value pump!
The more I get into the hobby the more I realize we’re just a bunch lazy people.If it’s hard we’re probably not going to do it. Haha I hear that so much.
I've taken my water changes to a whole new level, when I drilled my 125 gallon tank I drilled an extra hole in the back of the tank half way down specifically for water changes. I have a drain pipe inside the tank set at the desired level I want the water to drain down to with a sieve on top to prevent any fish, snails etc going down the pipe, this is painted black so it's almost invisible against the black background. The drain outside the tank then goes through the floor of the house and connects into the plumbing of the house. I have 2 taps on the plumbing on the outside of the tank, 1 drains the tank into the plumbing of the house, once the water gets to the preset level inside the tank it breaks the siphon which takes hardly no time at all. The other tap I connect a reef safe 1" braided hose to, the other end of the hose gets connected to the mixing station and I can fill the tank through the same drain pipe in the back of the tank, which also takes hardly not much time. Over all my water change takes less than half an hour, excluding cleaning the tank and mixing saltwater the previous day, and it just involves opening and closing taps, and connecting the filler hose to refill the tank. Eventually I'll run pvc from the mixing station, under the house, and to the tank so i can eliminate the need for the filler hose altogether.
I have been a fresh water guy for awhile now, I am now starting my first nano saltwater tank yes I know smaller can mean hard to maintain. I asked around on Facebook and other fish chats and everyone says I need to watch u guys so for the last 3 days I have watched this and the 52 weeks of reefing series I feel like I have a small understanding of what I am doing but I have made a lot of friends so I have many places to go for helpful information
@@juli8vdberg562 it went really good while I had time for it as long as you stick to just fish it’s not much harder then freshwater but if you want corals it requires a lot more work on keeping water quality
I had not realized there were narrower versions of that siphon thingy. I use a python on my daughter's 20G FW tank (I missed the fine print where I was being retained indefinitely as the maintenance company) and its hard to get the nasty from the crowded spots. Will have to pick one of those up!
I was only able to get to a place where I could do minimal water changes after I set up a refugium with a healthy stock of microfauna. Due to the refugium the animals couldn't get to the breeding stock of my microfauna so that stock was what the coral fed upon too, mostly at night.
thank you! Question: my aquarium is fully of bioload, he was doing great until yesterday! I added 50 small hermit crabs • for a sudden growth of brown algae around the tank, this morning some corals were looking with white spots and stressed. This is not the first time after adding a new organism, that's why I don't like to add any other animal to my tank but some people recommend me add more hermit and was only a cleaning crew. I did a water change 50% like I always do when this issue happens, 1 shot of nitrifying bacteria and activated carbon. Any comments regarding this issue?
Great video, but could have been so much better if you had done the countdown in the order that you do your water changes. 1) make up the water overnight... 2) check the parameters of the new water... 3) scrub/Remove algae 4) baste the rocks then onto the actual water change section... would have made way more sense (imo)
Im an islander i always use natural sea water in my saltwater tank Fish,liverock,corals all taken from the same source Its only cost filtration and the tank itself for me to build my saltwater tank no cycling needed been doing fine this last 3 years
Okay you jerks, I just ordered that Sicce Ultra-Zero pump. And it's all your fault because of this video. Thanks a lot you dummies. Just kidding, in all seriousness thanks for making us aware of these mistakes and ways to correct them. And yes, I bought it from you ... keep making great content and selling great gear at great prices.
Jake Adams would probably disagree on the no water changes on new tanks 😆🙈😆 his red sea nano 1 day setup tank hasn't had a water change in 2 years from day 1
Thanks guys; a great resource for reefers all over the world! Pretty fortunate in Western Australia, self collected high quality natural salt water then I can clean the rocks (if needed), siphon the sand and drain it out out using a large diameter anti kink hose. I pump it back in using a external pump. Nice and easy with some tunes and a couple of beers!
Went I do water change before do it I use the Turkey baster to clean the rocks the used a cheap power head to create micro bubble and all that stuff go to filter in the sump also the micro bubble clean the corals
Python needs a new adaptor to fit todays modern sinks The old style screw-off aerator are becoming less and less used. Soon to be obsolete in home setting. Come on Python!! -as I fuck with this Fern-co.
The % explanation is a great ADD to the hobby community. This was my number one conversation with in store-customers who were frustrated that their 20% water change did not make a significant impact to the 160ppms of Nitrates they were testing. A simple piece of paper and percentage break down would leave them with greater comprehension as to why a 20% water change was not the solution to see a significant impact in waste levels without proactively approaching the cause and effect and evaluating the equipment that was failing or missing entirely in consistent waste removal - most often a Protein Skimmer and a moderated feeding methodology.
We have spent a lot of time designing our frag systems so that water changes and top offs are effortless. We all know that maintenance can be the reason we quit reefing so these points you bring up are great! It's not for everyone but definitely pay attention to a lot of what's discussed in this video.
You all never tested fritz salt and it says heat water to tank temperature add salt and mix for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes it’s ready to use. Would like to see you guys test items that you don’t carry.
Yeah, I just moved to using Fritz after a bad batch of Instant Ocean. Fritz is awesome, its crystal clear in 5 minutes and the DKH isn't a crazy 11+ or stupid low Calcium like IO salt.
If you have a septic tank, you don't want to be putting saltwater into it. There are many problems it can create by doing this. It is fine if you are pumping it into a local sewer but not a septic system.
I have it pretty easy with just an IM20. I buy natural marine water at my LFS. The guy who supplies it has been bringing water to stores in the Bay Area for 40 years. I change 5 gallons a week. Rain or shine. 5 gallons a week. This is easy to do, fast, and great for that nutrient transport we all want. I do not run a protein skimmer on such a small tank. I let the weekly 5 take of that.
Great video, however i don’t 100% agree with the simple math of 10% 90%, if your doing a water swap (like auto water changes) and nothing else, then yeah it’s pretty much spot on. However, if you turkey baste the rocks, vacuum detritus from the sand bed, and change the filter socks that 10% water change will be potentially removing a lot more than 10% of the pollutants.
Exactly! There's way more involved here than just changing water. I can get the same or better benefits from a 5-10% 'aggressive' water change as opposed to a typical 10-30+% water change that removes only water...... Also, I dont do water changes unless its an ABSOLUTE must. I've only done a 10% aggressive change once in 6 months.
This is good. All great things we know, but often forget as try to cram this great hobby into our busy lives. Thanks for the great content! It sets you apart from the other retailers. I shop BRS consistently.
Could you mention, though, that some fish, like Tangs, like to eat that algae. Also, what is the harm of it if it is alive? Isn't is eating up nitrates? I can understand not wanting it on the front glass or sand, but my Tangs love to eat it and I think it looks cool.
Great video, helps me as a beginner alot. What do you think about pre-mixing and storing Red Sea Reefer Coral Pro salt? I was thinking about premixing alot and i read in many forums that it's totally not recommended, but exactly as you say, if you have a busy time you might skip the change more often.....
Check out our BRStv Investigates Salt series. What we found is that as long as you keep stored with flow and heat, precipitation isn't an issue. That said, Red Sea doesn't recommend storing Coral Pro for longer than 4 hours, so just know that you may get different results than advertised if you stray from the manufacturer's recommendations.
There is always some looser who never watched the video and just goes from video to video to push the dislike. They must have super busy schedules, LOL.
You are incorrect about the size of Rico's tank. Its only around 500 gallons not 1000. It may be near 1000 total. Plus Fritz determined it was his rodi unit was the problem. He made 2000 of water on a single di resin canister. But he blamed it on the salt anyways
i been doing a water change due to having high nitrate level also i am running Refugium i do have sand and do gravel not sure what else do to, also i have a BioMaxx BioPellet Reactor I haven't been using it.
Make yourself a seachem denitrate reactor using a 1 gallon water jug from the grocery store.. full it with denitrate and run a pump that flows 20-30gph and youre peoblem will be solved. My 135 gallon has 5 tangs a foxface and other various fish and i feed then heavily 2-3x a day. I use 2 gallone of denitrate on my tank making my own reactors with 1 gallon water jugs and some barb hose fittings and silicone. And running at 28gph my nitrates can go from 80ppm to 40ppm to 10 ppm in 4 days if i dont feed my fish. It really does work. Feeding my fish it keeps my nitrates around 20-30ppm. And without it ny nitrates would get to over 80 in just a week
"That water is absolutely full of decaying food, fish poop, decaying tissue" also, most reef tank's water is so pristine that using dechlorinated tap water to make your salt water would contaminate it.
I think sensitive is a better word than pristine. It can handle fish shit and dead animal matter but a little bit of phosphate from tap water and here comes the drama.
@@bdawggification I just found it a bit of hyperbole to say you don't want to start a siphon because the water is so polluted. It's actually cleaner than most people's tap water. I wouldn't want to start the siphon by sucking on the tube either, but not because I'm worried about the contaminants.
@@siggyincr7447 It’s not cleaner than most peoples tap water. Fish poop and dead animal tissue is as bad for us as let’s say phosphate and nitrates can be to your fish tank. If you drink fish tank water minus the salinity of course it’s gonna kill you.
@@bdawggification We'll have to agree to disagree. The type of water that can support sustained SPS growth has next to no suspended fish waste. And I still maintain it's cleaner than tap water if you remove the salt. If it were had significant amounts of fish waste in it the nitrate and phosphate levels would rise in a matter of hours. But between the corals actively feeding on any suspended particles and protein skimming reef tank water is generally pristine. And no, drinking tank water would not kill you, though the salt will probably make you vomit.
@@siggyincr7447 I bet you’d start agreeing with me if you actually were presented a glass of desalinated tank water with all the good fixings left. You don’t need to consume a significant amount of fish waste to get sick just like a tank just needs bit of tap water to be f’d up. Yes you will die, assuming you don’t stop drinking it after it making you sick or by ingesting the right pathogen that’s possibly present for your first (and last) time , which in a reef tank wouldn’t be all that hard.
Most of us around the BRS office use a turkey baster, but in this video, we also showed a Neptune Systems PMUP pump being used to blow the rocks off. Basically, any small submersible pump can help with this job.
Thanks, guys, for the helpful and useful advice! My only complaint is you, like many speakers, use the word "actually" too much. It's not necessary and somewhat distracting.
I once thought i was going to die from a vomiting and diarrhea as a result of swallowing something in the course of initiating a siphon...2 straight days of intestinal pain like youve nvr imagined... I do approximately a 25% water change every week on my 55 gallon w a 20 gallon sump because i mainly hate testing my h2o and figure with that high a percentage of h2o leaving regularly that things will stay in check without my monitoring. Also, here in SD, Cali we have a ton of dissolved metals in our tap water so i have to go refill my 5 gallon ato resevoir every month and they also sell premixed salt water for $0.99/gallon. Giving me a reason to go i fill up on 15 gallong of saltwater and 5 of fresh and while im there i always pick up a little $20 or lesser coral frag...without the excuse of needing h2o for a change id not have half my coral. I take pride in taking a $10 frag and growing it to be a full blown colony a year later... I hate my black box leds but am too poor for kessils...maybe no more frags til i save $$ for the lights??
Another great video - you guys continue to change the educational landscape for reefing, thank you! (As a side note, how can anyone give this video a thumbs down when it's free and valuable content? Can't figure that one out, lol!)
Lots of great tips! I ordered a bin from amazon last night on wheels that holds alot of water so I can premix it and just wheel it in to the tank but now think I will either get a pump or the phython and not even have to move it! Not sure if i can use the phyton into the bin though to take the water to the tank or is it the pump that would be best for that situation? I do have a big utility sink in the same room I am keeping the bin so I could drain it into there but cant fill it being its not fresh water. To bad I cant get full use out of it! I also thought about using my big cooler on wheels to drain water into and it has a plug you pull to release the water out. How would I change the alkalinity on a large water change? I dont dose being I do weekly water changes on my 10 gallon so now today I am doing my first change on my 36 gallon and I am going to do a 50 percent being it just finished cycling. Also when figuring percentage do you count sump as total water volume I suppose?
You'll need some sort of pump to pump your freshly mixed saltwater to your tank after you've drained it for a water change. If you need to adjust the alkalinity of your freshly mixed saltwater, we'd suggest using sodium bicarbonate. Unfortunately, you can't adjust it down, just up, so pick a salt mix that most closely matches your tank's water parameters.
@@BRStv Thanks for reply! I nearly killed myself with my first big water change last night and ended up flooding my sump! haha I couldnt figure out why when I got to the end of filling that it wouldnt fill! I moved the drain pipe down vertically just yesterday instead of keeping it horizontally so I suppose thats why! haha. Fun night! Now I am desperately wanting that pump you talked about. You mentioned cj. What is the name of that brand you showed that you can sit in sump?Also, regarding alkalinity and water change. A re there saltmixes that have different alkalinity's. I just bought a 5 gallon bucket, hope I got the right one
I have my pumps lights and heater all on one power strip. Switch the power strip off and bam ready for a water change. Anything else you have that doesnt need to be turned off can be put on a different power strip and leave on. Side note: interesting about the algae bleaching. Kind of makes sense maybe thats what happened. Temp difference in room to water maybe threw them off too? Shocked them or room temp was too high/low? who knows. Anyway, I always turn the lights off simply because I don't like bright lights in my face while working on the tank lol, but nice to know it may be beneficial in some way too!
That would be a Neptune Systems PMUP. Even if you don't have an Apex system, you can plug this one right into any normal outlet: www.bulkreefsupply.com/pmup-t-v2-with-power-supply-practical-multi-purpose-utility-pump-neptune-systems.html
….I think the “old tank” thing happens when the people have the tanks going so good that everyone in there doubles in size after a couple years… but the cleaning schedule didn’t.
As a guy who grew up right near the beach and grew up surfing, I had to laugh at #5. Nobody likes a mouthful of seawater but I can't tell you how much I have had go into my mouth over decades of surfing and never have had an issue with it.
There's a big difference between the open sea and a tiny box full of concentrated fish waste and bacteria. That's like equating drinking from a fast flowing stream to drinking from a pond or a puddle.
You can use a small canister filter and hook a gravel cleaner to it to make cleaning your sand a lot more simple and effective and can be done in between w/c
Great video guys 👍 I use a hang on the side, Power Gravel Cleaner, which has a fine mesh inside, so it traps the muck coming out of the tank and the clean water goes straight back into the tank, I think it’s one of the best bits of kit I have ever bought !
We almost always keep reefers' personal tanks in mind when doing these videos 🙂 Granted, a lot of the same tips could be applied to a tank kept by a maintenance company too
You can get these big blue 75 gallon storage containers with sealing open tops for 50 - 75 dollars. After years I just set up two, one for rodi and one to mix salt in. They are connected so I can open a valve to send rodi to the other one to mix the salt. Both have a tap to fill buckets.. after watching this vid, definitely gonna setup the retractable hose reals .. 6 5gal buckets for a 20% water change is a pain in the buttox!!!
😅im guilty on water change almost lost a heater lucky i saw steam in time and cut the power ,so i leave it to cool before i could continue...😅 i plan beter now..😊
Just about any submersible pump will work for water changes. On the smaller side, the MaxiJet 1200's are great. If you need something a little larger, check out the Sicce Ultra Zero.
My girlfriend is pretty forgiving but the day i put a hose reel in the livingroom is the day i ..well..the day i will suddenly have a lot more money and time for my reef lol... tempting
We use these little Carbon/GFO reactors with a 10"inch sediment filter in them. Easy as can be! www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-gfo-carbon-reactor-single.html
What i do is make my water in one 24 hour day. First i mix it with a aquarium pump and heater that makes the water the same temp as the tank. Then i measure the salinity for the last time both in the tank and the mix. Keep in mind that water does evaporate and the salinity goes up.(this is almost neglectable in 24 hours but to be sure do measure it) because salt cant evaporate from your water. To keep the water level correct first turn off any eqipment that cant run un submerged. (I dont run a refugium.) Then take out the water in the same container you use to fill that way you no how mutch to put back in. If you have any problems with your tank measure before the water change or your measurements will be incorrect. Wait at least 24 hours before measuring again to see any changes (keep in mind that it will always be lower with just added water and some can even be higher due to suplements in the salt.)
Eh i do 50% of water changes in my 135g every 4 weeks. I have to as the corals suck up too many trace nutrients.. and dosing only slows it plus dosing is more expensive. I have 84 corals some are bigger than basketballs. I also dont use rodi i use city tap water.. i just dont feel like doing 10-25% every single week. So thats why i supliment trace dosing and then do a huge water change after 4 weeks. Also another problem with these Pureit stuff taking heavy metal out.. is strontium and molybidium and so forth those are heavy metals... so youll be taking all those out as well. An alternative to buying and expebsive python is to just go to lowes.. get 50 ft of clear tubing.. for 5$ and some fittings for plumbing to hook up to your sink for 5$ and siphon the fish water that way lol.. costs 90% less than a python..
If I set up a new tank.... ??????How long should I wait to clean sand?????? I know I need to build beneficial bacteria will cleaning sand mess that up ????
Siphoning the sand bed will inevitably remove some of the good bacteria. I would suggest only cleaning sections of the sand bed at a time so that you're not disturbing the whole thing right away when the tank is most unstable.
hhmm i'm not sure about what you said about exposing corals when doing the water change and lighting too strong. Think about in the wild, where many reefs around the world are exposed for a few hours, twice a day at low tide, and experience temperatures of 40+ c, mainly sps. Your lights would not be able to produce as much light as what corals are exposed to at these times.
