Water Change (First Time)

[WVI7]

Ok, I've had my tank for almost a year, A Russell's Lion in it for about 2 weeks (Don't ask)

But I'm quite nervous about my 1st water change, last time i experienced one my mother moved a zebra lion from my old tank, then moved the old tank to a new location, then put the zebra back in the tank but put new water in aswell...about a week later it was dead


So I don't want to make the same mistake, so here's what i would like to know...

I have a 55 gallon tank, how much water do i change?

Do i add more salt? if so how much?

Do i need to remove my Lionfish first?

I'm quite the rookie and would really like to be successful at my 1st attempt! so please, help me do this right

Thanks, Liam

[Loverotties]

WOW! a yr without WC! yikes! poor lion fish!You waited way to long! I do one every week!It's going to be a shocked!I'm surprise he's alive!that water must be SO dirty!You need to do a little one and see how he does and then a bigger one in a couple days and try to get it clean for your poor Lion!You make up the water with the proper amount of salt and temp of the tank.Lion can stay in tank,but watch out if you put your arm in the tank!because you could get poisoned!

[aquawolf]

If it has been a year since you have done a water change, then you are going to want to do some testing before you begin.

First off, what is the salinity of the water in your tank? What is the PH of that water as well?

You will want to mix the fresh saltwater in a separate container. Try to use RO/DI water if you have it available, and a marine aquarium salt mix. I would start with 10 gallons and make sure to match the salinity, PH, and to get the temperature as close as you can to the tank as well. Use a powerhead to stir the water and keep the surface agitated, the longer you do this the more oxygen can infuse into the water column, and that should help increase the PH until they are a very close match.

You can leave everything in the tank. Once the new water is ready, you will siphon 10 gallons of water out of the current tank and throw it away. Then slowly pour the 10 gallons of new water into the system.

Hopefully this will help get you on your way, and not cause too much shock to the inhabitants of the tank. You can then continue to change 10 gallons per week and all of your tank mates will thank you for it.

[WVI7]

No no no, the Lion has only been in the tank for 2 weeks. I didn't have to keep changing the water whilst it ran the cycle with the prawn and everything...did i?

All the levels are fine.

[dv3]

did your cycle last a year?

[WVI7]

no i let the prawn sit in a stocking for 8 weeks or so

[biowheel]

Originally Posted by WVI7

Ok, I've had my tank for almost a year, A Russell's Lion in it for about 2 weeks (Don't ask)

But I'm quite nervous about my 1st water change, last time i experienced one my mother moved a zebra lion from my old tank, then moved the old tank to a new location, then put the zebra back in the tank but put new water in aswell...about a week later it was dead


So I don't want to make the same mistake, so here's what i would like to know...

I have a 55 gallon tank, how much water do i change?

Do i add more salt? if so how much?

Do i need to remove my Lionfish first?

I'm quite the rookie and would really like to be successful at my 1st attempt! so please, help me do this right

Thanks, Liam

I'll try to answer your questions because this thread is getting confusing to me ??
To do a water change you need to mix Marine salt with either RO/DI water or distilled water . It needs to be heated up to your tank temp and mixed over night(24hrs).You want to adjust the pre-mix water to a SG (Specific Gravity ) of 1.024-26
You then turn off the circulation and siphon out the same amount you have mixed .
You do not need to remove the fish .
You need either a Hydrometer of Refractometer to test the salinity of the premix water and your tank water .
You want to remove 20% of the water weekly for a healthy tank .
I hope this helps

[dv3]

im confused you had your tank for a year ...has it been full of water that whole time ?