How to Change Fish Tank Water Without Killing Fish

How to Change Fish Tank Water Without Killing Fish
When your fish tank gets grimy and there's algae mucking up the glass, then it's time to do a water change and clean it up. In this video I show you what you need and how to do it.
I think I got this at petco but on Amazon there is a similar one:
amzn.to/3lTFLSN
Thanks for watching!
👀Get Discounts on Aquarium Products Here:
shrsl.com/3n2il
Get 20% off using the code: tropicalfishguy
👀Get 20% Off Water changer from Hygger using the Discount Code: tropicalfishguy
shrsl.com/3n2j4
Send in your shout out pics to: [e-mail]
Sign up for my free tropical fish newsletter:
Tropicalfishguy.com/signup
Learn stuff about Tropical Fish:
TropicalFishGuy.com
Follow me on Instagram: @thetropicalfishguy
Get Cool Fish Gear:
FishyTees.net
This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which mean if you buy something we'll receive a small commission.

[@TropicalFishGuy]

👀Get 20% Off Water changer from Hygger using the Discount Code: tropicalfishguy shrsl.com/3n2j4

[@hidinfrombiden6251]

One thing I've learned is that if you take your fingers and pinch the siphon hose slighlty, it'll make the gravel drop right out of the siphon instantly, allowing you to cover more area before too much water has been removed. During this process the siphon never loses all vaccum, just enough to drop the gravel. So when you unpinch the hose the siphon instantly pulls waste. This method has allowed me to go from doing around 50% of my gravel each water change, to at least 85% of my gravel each water change. I hope that this tip helps someone else out☺.

[@Shasha8674]

You make the beta very happy. Glad to see fish compatible with the beta. Thanks for the demo! Very helpful!

[@Sweetheartedd_]

This has the be the best fish tank cleaning video I’ve seen!! Thank you

[@jclemons121384]

Thanks for the video. When I had fish as a kid, me and my brother would take the rocks and water out completely and clean the tank. It was an all day job. Glad I watched your video, because I was going to do the same thing with my son, and I was not looking forward to it. You are a life saver.

[@TropicalFishGuy]

I'm glad I could help Jay. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@PULAG]

I would say a full clean like your brother did would be great maybe once a year, though. Other than that, just do it this way, yeah.

[@wandadelacerda6813]

Evil things are done with good intentions sometimes

[@jaz_1jj]

@@PULAG Yeah That's how I do it

[@veevzkdzr]

Literally lol fish life saver lol

[@ssjordan34]

Great practical video. I enjoy your narration.

[@chriscoralAloha]

By looking at your fish tank lids I can see you do not have cats. Lol

[@TropicalFishGuy]

ChrisCoral Ahola I used to have em but my dogs ate em ;)

[@jeanieschmidt3899]

what that bad dog

[@alybeau3719]

Dogs stupid

[@JasonTYoung23]

I kept waiting to see that fake snake to move on the shelf 😂

[@mzzsmilezz23]

This was so helpful thank you so much

[@carlmedley2209]

Great tips and facts and makes it fun to watch too. 👌🏻

[@Mickeythepluds]

You dropped your crown king. Thank you so much for this, very new to my fish tank and it is time for the first cleaning, had no idea how and what to do and so thank you!!

[@viviansan6842]

Great video with information.... Thank you 👍

[@liquidrockaquatics3900]

Always quarantine new fish from petco and petsmart in particular. I got in there early one day and the filter intakes were clogged with dead guppies and 4/5 of my plecos died from petco without any sign of disease. They were all treated with maracyn2, ich-x, and paraclense when I got home. Treating the beta was harder, but one had some kind of parasite and one had ich spots that were extremely hard to see.

[@smoothmellow8490]

Best video ever! Thank you

[@dianavale8488]

Thank you so much! I understood very well. I have my first aquarium with a beta also :)

[@christopherwilliamson6040]

I needed this video will be doing my first water change.

[@kellypatterson9456]

Howdy from Texas dude! Cool video!

[@ogzie6980]

Thanks for the help

[@tomsmith5456]

Great information yet again , but I wish they did a little steady cam for us amateur video makers, I’m quite dizzy now lol .

[@TropicalFishGuy]

Thanks so much Tom!

[@Caitlinbaker2]

Thank you! Super helpful!

[@TropicalFishGuy]

I'm glad you got some value. Thanks for the comment!

[@blazelarson1427]

Good video, thanks I need to help my daughter with her tank. Nice guppy’s.

[@TropicalFishGuy]

Glad to help. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@johnwalsh3064]

I want this guy to just show me how to do things all around the house. "Yeah, uhhhhh, you gotta hole in the wall and other people want to tell you a bunch of steps to fix it. Hahahaha, you don't need to do all that man. Imma show you how to do this with some putty, a scraper, a screen, and some paint. Haha, four things. Etcetera." I'm not making fun. I will watch a video like this over "HEY GUYS ITS DAN THE FISH GUY AND I'VE MADE THIS HOBBY MY ENTIRE PERSONALITY," all day. Keep doing you my dude. This helped me a lot.

[@daniellelewis8043]

Thanks for being straight to the point

[@TropicalFishGuy]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@majesticwonder]

Omggg look how beautiful his Betta is woww 😍 impressive 👏🏼.

[@janellejerrell]

Nice talk on tank knowledge.

[@TropicalFishGuy]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Jovi42143]

Beautiful fish tank...😍

[@DVDrums077]

Thanks. Your betta is beautifull!

[@octopusmob]

hello i have two gold fish in a 10 gallon tank and when i clean them i put them in a different bowl and i manually clean the whole tank in the sink. I clean every rock and decoration. i have had them for a year and just now the biggest goldfish is having some fish rot i think and red spots on them and i think its because when i clean their tank which is every 2 months or when it gets rlly dirty and i just move them into the water without getting them ready for a water change i dont know what to do when i clean my tank

[@jlenora25]

Thanks so much! New tank in October...water looks like it needs to be freshened up. You answered questions I had about adding the water that day. I was concerned about pretreatment like I did before the fish were in. Think I have it now...

[@TropicalFishGuy]

Glad I could help! Thanks for watching and commenting Lenora!

[@supernatureboy13]

I used to do same thing! Rinse everything in hot ass water lol.

[@gailcousins9609]

Hello! Very Informative video!

[@gailcousins9609]

I use Nutrafin Betta Plus Tap Conditioner in the warm tap water that is in the pail. I put Stress Zyme, and Stress Coat in my betta tanks along with a dose of stability and Pristine in my two ten gallon and five gallon tanks.

[@siannarolls1563]

I got a brand new guppy 2 days ago, my first guppy ever and my first fish in 8 years. I accidentally overfed him so I tried cleaning the tank to get all the excess food out, but when I woke up this morning he was dead. I was heartbroken, now I know that I shouldn't clean the entire tank. I'll be getting a new fish in a few days, but I'm gonna prep the water before hand and make sure to learn from my past mistakes.

[@theresaabshire711]

Beautiful Betta !

[@504andmore5]

Really enjoying your videos, what size tank is that?

[@BrittneyHeath-fz8yt]

Is this for a tropical fish tank like corydoras an tetras idk how to change there water with out killing them especially if I had to treat there water for months before they could even get in the damn tank so how do you change the water can they just use purified water

[@dayvisss]

Hi! Love the video! I wanted to ask if you have any suggestions on how to control breeding. I’m thinking about getting a couple fancy guppies or something and letting them breed, but how do I humanely and safely let them breed once or twice and then get them to stop?

[@TropicalFishGuy]

Once they start breeding, there's not much you can do to stop them. They like to mate so that's what they do. My only suggestion is to seperate them.

[@jerrykiner5887]

For a brand new tank, how long should I wait before I do a water change?

[@Shasha8674]

You could clean the aquarium sides before using the siphon?

[@UnKnown-fv3ln]

Can I put the tap water in the tank then add the conditioner

[@mepce7396]

Do we have to wash the scrub before using it..help

[@Kay-to5ku]

What type of filter do you use for your Bettas tank

[@limbotastic7432]

Hey Tropical Fish Guy! I have a question. Do you add water conditioner to the tap water that you’ll put in the tank? And do you have to the same with Spring Water?

[@TropicalFishGuy]

I do put conditioner. I use Ammolock or Amquel. amzn.to/2UQWknq You can use pretty much any brand you are comfortable with. I have not used spring water so I can't tell you from my experience. I imagine it would not have chlorine but I would test a sample to make sure. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@jamestaylor6892]

I use spring water it helped out alot

[@mrkashman0596]

Once u poor out however much fish water u want can u just add the conditioned water/prepared fish water u want to put into the tank straight in after an hour or will it be too cold, should u add a little bit of water at a time, it’s very time consuming tho

[@TropicalFishGuy]

I just add the conditioned water immediately. Just make sure it is about the same temperature using a thermometer.

[@mrkashman0596]

How tho, do u add hot water to the lukewarm water

[@aidanreilly6147]

That purple fish is one of the nicest fish I've seen

[@kolton6952]

it’s a betta

[@DatsRocky]

Your Beta is so pretty! Does he do well with the guppies and does your guppies have to be male or females or does it matter?

[@erichall2106]

Can I ask, what type of fish are I. Your tank with the beta?

[@MatildasMama]

hi ! what siphon is that? i’ve bought three (😂) including an expensive Hygger electric one (which i’m not a fan of ... yet) and with the other two, i can’t get them to suction 😩 i looked online for the one you use but can’t find it. thank u!

[@TropicalFishGuy]

Hi Wendy. I think I bought it at petco but I looked around Amazon. this is not the exact one but it looks similar. amzn.to/3lTFLSN If you want the exact one try Petco.

[@MatildasMama]

@@TropicalFishGuy : thank you! i actually found it THAT day at Petco and four vacuums (including an expensive Hygger 12V DC 5-in-1 Electric Gravel Vac) later: this 17.99 vac IS AMAZING. !!!! i LOVE it and recommend it to ALL newbies .. makes ‘ugh i don’t want to clean the tank’ into ‘yay i get to clean the tank’ 😂 thank u !!!

[@byGynx]

If I empty half of my tank out and put new water in can I put the water conditioner in the tank while the fish are still in there and how much do I use as wont they be water conditioner still in the left over water that’s not been drained out the tank ?

[@shivyapatel2218]

Same question I have... did u get ur answer?? Please help me with that

[@rosemarydudley9954]

To hold the hose in the bucket ...pull the bucket handle over it! Da daaaaaa. Works well.

[@TropicalFishGuy]

Genius! Sometimes the most obvious is elusive. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@isaac-jx3ls]

I have a hang on back filter should i keep it on when cleaning the tank

[@erinlackey2602]

It doesn’t really matter tbh.

[@sarahdonaldson3446]

I never knew you could use hot water from a tap!

[@sararickmore1195]

Quick Qs (I am a beginner) - what size is the tank that you cleaned, and what fish do you have in with your Betta?

[@TropicalFishGuy]

That was a 5 gallon tank and I had a few guppies in with the Betta.

[@jeruss00]

My tank water level is low. How do I fill it up??

[@kadiecurtis4097]

Is it okay if I just use Aqua Safe for the water refill? I have 4 goldfish.

[@TropicalFishGuy]

Aqua Safe is just fine.

[@kadiecurtis4097]

@@TropicalFishGuy thank you! i’m new and don’t really know what i’m doing.

[@BlatentlyFakeName]

The cheapest way is actually using an HMA filter, then you don't need any chemicals. Over a few months of water changes it saves money. You can also use it for drinking water :)

[@franciscoaguilar6182]

I wish I knew this like an hour ago. I ended up killing most of my fish and the ones I have now I don't think are gonna make it :(

[@TropicalFishGuy]

How is he doing now?

[@jeanieschmidt3899]

i have been researching for 1 year before i got fish.be prepared next time come on!

[@islab3084]

@@jeanieschmidt3899 chill

[@zakresuggan6588]

So do you put the water conditioner and the Ammonia stuff in ????

[@TropicalFishGuy]

I'm not sure what you mean but If I would put in the water conditioner and bacteria starter. Hope this helps.

[@zakresuggan6588]

Tropical Fish Guy yea that’s what I mean thanks

[@samfisher2306]

Are those real plants? I have plastic ones. I just bought a 140 gallon fish tank. I have about 22 fish in there. I don’t want them to die lol. I'll buy the suction pump ASAP. Edit: just noticed those are real plants.

[@AOnecookingTips]

Nic video sir 🙏🇮🇳

[@yeascyaldiazz1687]

Where can you buy a gravel vaccum from (not online)?

[@ashley890]

Petco or any pet supply store would have them, maybe even Walmart. You could also try Facebook marketplace or Craigslist for a cheaper deal, that’s how I got mine :)

[@yeascyaldiazz1687]

@@ashley890 thank you! I got mine at a local pet store :P

[@BrynSullivan-pk2hn]

What if you don’t have a vacuum cleaner?.. I need some advice because my first beta fish I had for a couple months have been looking upset

[@J3W3L.B33TL3]

heres some tips for keeping your betta :) 1. minimum 5 gallon tank! i have mine in a 10 gallon with two albino cory cats and im thinking about getting a snail as well :) 2. a good quality filter, i recommend aquaclear, aqueon, or a sponge filter! carbon cartridges are ok as long as you correctly replace them and dont crash your entire cycle, or you can just use filter sponges, filter floss, and biomedia in a mesh bag. also make sure the flow isnt too strong or it could bother your betta, mine likes a stronger flow but not every betta is the same 3. a heater set between 75-80 degrees, i also recommend a controller like inkbird so your fish wont die if the heater fails 4. a good diet with good quality flakes/pellets and freeze-dried, frozen, or live food as a treat 5. 10%-30% weekly water changes, i recommend aqueon siphons 6. api master test kit and weekly water checkups 7. natural tank! you dont have to have live plants, but if it looks natural its much better for your fish 8. decorations that arent sharp so they dont tear your bettas fins 9. always make sure your tank is cycled 10. correctly treat any sickness or disease you notice

[@FloridaKidRIP24]

I have the exact same pump every time I press it air will blast out and blow debris all over my tank

[@kingscorner5990]

Nobody noticed the plans lol😂😂😂

[@jasminehart4245]

I bought one without a pump thing🤦🏻‍♀️ plenty of fish water in my mouth 😂😂

[@TropicalFishGuy]

Jasmine Hart Oh No! That’s not the best tasting water! I’m sorry but it’s kinda funny because I’ve done it too! Thanks for sharing!

[@allys_bs]

This is so relatable it’s sad

[@SnarkyRC]

Lol that's not the best way to get a siphon started. The easiest way to get a aquarium vacuum started that doesn't have the bulb is to put the nozzle in the aquarium and then move the nozzle up and down briskly until the water comes up the hose. Then the siphon will start automatically.

[@wang1116n]

What is ur water temperature

[@TropicalFishGuy]

I keep most tanks around 80 but some tanks that don't have heaters such as shrimp tanks i leave around 72 or so.

[@PENFOLD1962]

I've not had my tank very long and still waiting for it to age! I tried to tidy it up after about one month... It looked like someone had been 'Fly-Tipping' in it. Mine is still cloudy after 6 weeks! I have 3 baby fancy goldfish to help age the tank but it's as cloudy as the first day I set it up!

[@TropicalFishGuy]

Test your water and let me know what the Ammonia, Nitrites and pH are. Also if you want to send pics to [e-mail], I can try and look to see what may be keeping your water cloudy.

[@PENFOLD1962]

@@TropicalFishGuy MY apologies I don't have a water tester! I'm disabled and been housebound for over 10 years, so I find it difficult to get a hold of thing's. I have been recently giving a 25% water change every 3rd day adding de-chloranator plus Photo Synthetic Bacteria in hope that the additional bacteria helps the filter! The water is still as cloudy! I have Java Fern and Anubias plant's to help against toxins etc, they are growing really well! I have the light on between 9 - 12 hours daily. The temp is 24. I have an undergravel filter under black grit using a 4 hose air pump, plus a Tetra 600 internal filter. Yet still cloudy!

[@agustineasturias9132]

Sad, i just clean my aquarium and i kill 1 fish. And i don't know what's the reason

[@chriscoralAloha]

Never go anywhere without your towel.

[@TropicalFishGuy]

ChrisCoral Ahola Ain’t that the truth.

[@tomomahoney7894]

V

[@tomomahoney7894]

Cool

[@LW22p]

how do you water change a shrimp tank

[@kyranmundizel2021]

What happens if a fish gets sucked into it?? That's always my fear lol

[@TropicalFishGuy]

That is a good concern. I put a net in front of the suction. That way no fish get sucked into it.

[@soukvong53]

I’m getting confused if harlequin rasboras are a freshwater or tropical 😅 Also do the like soft waters or hard?

[@TropicalFishGuy]

rasboras are tropical freshwater fish. Tropical does not mean only salt water.

[@ryanthatpizzaguy5792]

if i put snails am i good?

[@undumbguy]

The algae is good, but you still need to do the water change

[@debbiesmith6090]

Great information but please mount your camera still

[@HB-fg8ne]

Use a Python to siphon water and then to fill the tank. Don't carry buckets of water, A five gallon bucket of water weighs about 40 pounds.

[@imslippykid8834]

7:45 is there a snake on the shelf?

[@desireemontoya4396]

K

[@dyloak6450]

Water drips everywhere all over whenever I try

[@jusalii]

No wonder how my fish died because I took the whole water out and the fish 😭🤦‍♂️

[@LW22p]

omg

[@jakereyes278]

There's a snake under your aquarium😅😅

[@jayliche3266]

I usually pour most of The water out Grab a cup, & scoop him out

[@Lily____________]

Don’t do that its going to stress your fish out

[@osoivory]

This isn’t what the title says. Thanks for eating my time. I need to know how to complete empty the water and change the complete water not just half.

[@TropicalFishGuy]

Obviously you’re not familiar with regular partial water changes common to the hobby.