[kickmeqt]

Okay, so I read the Sticky: How to Make a Successful Water Change and I still am left with a few questions.

I have let my tank cycle and it's looking pretty neat right now, both of my clowns are very happy and playful and the little 'critters' that were hiding for the most part have made their appearance recently.

Anyways, It's also time for me to do a water change and I had a few questions but when I read online reguarding this, SO many sources are flip flopped or contrasting the other.

I know I gotta chage like 10-20% and I have the fliter/siphon for that. I have the 5 gal bucket too and the water conditioner. My big stump right now is, am I adding MORE salt mix into this 'new fresh water' that I'm replacing OR is it fresh water with JUST the water conditioner thats going into the tank?

--sorry but my blonde moments sometimes take over my reading ability --

[SouthBayPhoto]

The only time you should have to add freshwater (RO/DI water) only is when you are "topping off" your tank from normal evaporation. When the water evaporates, it leaves the salt in the tank, thus the salinity goes up very slightly. You replace that "lost" water with fresh RO/DI water.

When you do a water change, you are taking the salt out as well because you are draining part of the tank/sump/refugium. Thus, you have to mix up a fresh batch of salt water at the proper salinity level to put back into the tank once you remove the water you are changing.

So, if you are removing 5 gallons during your water change, have 5 gallons of saltwater ready to replace it.

I normally create my "batch" of saltwater at least 24 hours ahead of time. Just to make sure the salinity is balanced and the temperature matches that of the tank.

I hope this helps.

[leebca]

I am concerned about you mentioning 'water conditioner.' Why is the use of that necessary?

My next concern is that you mentioned you 'gotta change like 10-20%.' Who says? There are many choices regarding water change AND you didn't mentioned how often (or the frequency) you will be making water changes. Different quantities (percentages) have their reasons, pluses, and minuses.

Getting to your question. Determine what the total volume of water is in your system. What you remove is what you replace. You will replace salt water with the new salt water, gallon for gallon. Mix your salt at least 48 hours as recommended in that post.

Also, as in the post, the question of what you are using for your source water is important. If your source water quality is bad, so will the new salt water. The source water is the water you are adding the salt to, in the case of a water change.

[kickmeqt]

Yay! Okay cool. I've had a batch of new salt water left over from the time I first installed my tank a month ago and have kept it apart from the tank incase of an emergency. I tested the water and salinity and everything is a go, I just need to make sure the temp is caught up to the tank.

I'm doing my first monthly change and just wanted to be reassured before I did anything silly. I haven't 'topped' off the tank from evaporation yet just because I wanted it to cycle properly. Things are going great so far. Thanks again! I'll need to get some more salt mix for next month

~Mo

[leebca]

Now that you've mentioned you are performing only a monthly water change, you should consider no less than a 25% water change each time.