Tips for the BEST Water Change Results!

[@audrameyer9558]

The last tip is the best! Oh how we all probably know this and have experienced the flood of water when we forget 🤣🤣

[@BenOchart]

I have several frantic memories...

[@francinedufresne7514]

yep the last tip is the best lol

[@scotttucker8127]

25% water changes once a week is all you need to do to keep your tanks healthy no need to do more than that much ok...I worked for a Japanese couple at their fish store years ago named Great Barrier Reef in Granada Hills, CA no longer in Business sadly she passed away from Cancer and they went out of business after that. But she taught me a lot Thanks and R.I.P. Jane

[@paulc8728]

I laughed soo hard at that digital thermometer joke😆😂

[@BenOchart]

People with a sense of humor are my favorite people🤣👍🏻

[@paulc8728]

@@BenOchart 😂 same!

[@jeffhester1443]

Boy oh boy shout that last tip from the rooftop. Don't turn your back while filling! Doing the bucket brigade once I had a handle come off a 5gal bucket while lifting it. Yep, that went disaster mode. Thanks for the video, good advice and reminders.

[@BenOchart]

I hope there were no fish in that bucket, LOL!

[@jeffhester1443]

@@BenOchart No fish, but you would not believe how much water is in a 5gal bucket until you tump one over in your living room. I don't even use a python anymore. A new clean garbage can to declor and temp, and a sicce zero utility pump. Refill two vacuumed tanks really fast without having to treat the tanks.

[@PazLeBon]

llol i tend to use like 4 gallon watering cans and realise ive slipped off the tank rim a few times and am pouring into a shelf or similar haha

[@joevasquez1776]

One thing at a time is the best !!!!

[@perrydunn9775]

Hi Ben, here is a great tip for water changes. I use a milwaukee cordless water pump. Instead of using the tap and python i pump the water out to my lawn. The pump is very fast and if you get the larger battery it last a long time. I have 12 tanks in the house from 125 gal to 2.5 gal and can do all water changes on a single charge, of course its good to have a spare battery in case. I use the pump, a garden hose for discharge to the lawn or any drain, a washing machine hose(4' with both ends female), and a python like suction hook made out of pvc pipe and fittings. The hook has a valve and a T fitting at the inlet. I cover the inlet with a piece of filter foss held on with an elastic band so as not to suck up sand pebbles or baby fish. The suction piece is not glued at all and i cut different lengths of pipe to use for tanks of different depths. This method works great for me and no wasted water like the python ventury system.

[@XCaliKev]

👍😎 All good tips. One thing I did is heater’s & filters on separate power strip than lights. So I can see better when cleaning. Little tip that helped me rather than … which plug is which?

[@audrameyer9558]

Excellent tip!! I will implement that one for sure 😊

[@francinedufresne7514]

thats one good tip really,thank you

[@GSP-76]

Good thing you have sumps now Ben... imagine having to carry around 4-5 canisters every few weeks for maintenance.

[@BenOchart]

I'd have to hire help, LOL!

[@cichlid_kings]

Sometimes sticking to the old school ways is the way to go 😎

[@terrellc428]

Good to see ur still at it Ben!!! How bout a top 10 hobbyists STILL n the hobby😄😄😄 😎👍🏼

[@kendracrippen]

Haha I came on KZbin cause I'm about to start my water changes and boom 🤯

[@BenOchart]

Perfect timing!

[@awesomenesss]

Hello Ben! While you were sharing the bonus tip the tank in which you were doing a water change was about to overflow 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣hope you had turned off the tap by then

[@BenOchart]

Yes, it was off (but that would have been funny to overflow while cautioning people🤣🤣🤣

[@1997goldwing]

Good advice Ben!

[@BenOchart]

Glad you think so 😀👍🏻

[@VinnysAquatics]

Great information brother 👍👍👍

[@BenOchart]

Thanks Buddy. Hope you and yours are doing well!

[@avrillloyd8541]

Thanks so much for that advise

[@BenOchart]

You are so welcome

[@PazLeBon]

Ive always used an electric vaccum and attached the hose to that. In my freshwater tanks here with quite high evaporation the top up itself allows me to extend the full change to once every month/6weeks

[@SusanforSLCAquatics]

Thanks Ben!

[@trentinw]

Always great information Ben. Thanks so much. I don't have to do water changes much anymore because of what I've learned from you so Thanks for that as well! 😊

[@BenOchart]

What tip had the biggest impact on being able to extend time between WCs?

[@akhileshthapa_fishbro86]

@@BenOchartStocking, Feeding, Filtration and Live Plants if any... These help with not having to do frequent water changes.

[@brianp6180]

The python is a game changer. Add a Sicce pump and your rocking! I have 2 pythons. I use one to drain and the other to fill. Go through my 4 tanks pretty quickly. 2- 125g, 1- 60g and 1 - 75g. Plus a 29g quarantine tank.

[@kchortu]

I like the get a beer or two and watch it fill up

[@robertsowinski164]

Always great and informative content. Always learning!

[@scotttucker8127]

Good tips

[@scatdaddi3927]

Great info Ben keep them coming 👍🏼

[@BenOchart]

Thanks! Will do!

[@joevasquez1776]

I'm wondering if you got a mini split yet? It's great in my battery powered fish room . Thx to off grid garage tube tube.

[@TheDaisyduke2011]

Love your tank!

[@BenOchart]

Thank you!

[@loganmraz3511]

Hey Ben, have you ever looked into using a whole house filter to filter out the chlorine/chloramines from the water? It would get rid of having to use any chemicals on your tank, and it’s relatively easy to do, and only cost about $30 from your local Home Depot. Besides that great info, and finally someone who agrees on not doing huge water changes, causes a big change in water parameters which is not good.

[@BenOchart]

I'll look into it. The reduced percentage of water changes came about after testing the water and comparing the risk of some nitrates to the risk of shocking the fish with a big pH change. Fish seem to do fine with the 15-30% routine.

[@GreenEyedJade]

I’ve never heard of a whole house filter that costs only $30, but that sounds great. Which one in particular are you talking about and where do you install it?

[@PazLeBon]

@@GreenEyedJade prob means a simple RO system

[@GreenEyedJade]

For $30?? Lol

[@PazLeBon]

@@GreenEyedJade maybe it got stuck in 'reverse' and didnt get the osmosis :)

[@80s_monsterkid28]

Hey Ben. This is a game changer for me. I was normally doing 80% weekly water changes for my common Hap tank. But after watching your last Cichlids and coffee, tank failure is my biggest concern. I’ll start doing 25-30% going forward. Are you doing 25% for your new 300 gallon African cichlids tank as well?

[@BenOchart]

Yes, unless water testing tells me I need to do more.

[@PazLeBon]

whats a hap tank mi amigo?

[@80s_monsterkid28]

@@PazLeBon just your common haps. No predators. Turquoise Hap, Otopharynx Tetrastigma, Electric Blue Ahli, Orange Black Lithobates, Yellow blaze, Taiwan Reef, Star Saphire, Johnstoni.

[@PazLeBon]

@@80s_monsterkid28 never heard that expression :) thanks.. too long in Spain maybe ;)

[@80s_monsterkid28]

@@PazLeBon must be. I hear lots of people use the term, “ common hap”.

[@trentinw]

I only have my 55 and then my hospital or emergency tank so I don't mind the bucket. I can let water drain from tank through my window so not much work there!!

[@TheWalk23]

What point is your trigger point for a water change ? I:m adjusting my schedule as my tank ages. Once the Nitrates reach 40 ppm I do a water change. It use to be once a week but i see I can go 10 plus days or so. I would like to go every two weeks or so, Just curious what is the trigger point you use for a water change.

[@BenOchart]

40ppm - 80ppm will not harm the fish . 40ppm is good, not just for nitrates but for the other reasons we change water.

[@samperson8787]

Is it true that if you only do like 30% water changes,that you possibly won’t remove enough nitrates. I’ve heard that with small water changes weekly,the nitrates left in tank will outpace the small water changes

[@BenOchart]

Depends on bio load, (feeding, number of fish) and if there are nitrates coming out of your tap. If the fish look good, keep doing what you’re doing and do weekly water tests.

[@ernapichry7429]

Biutiful tanks

[@BenOchart]

Glad you like them!

[@PaulKingMetal]

It's better to use a submersible pump than python. It's faster and don't use extra water. Adding water to a tank, you need to have ready water in like a 50 gallon container or barrel. 😉👍

[@BenOchart]

You don’t use extra water with a Python. Once you start the siphon you turn the tap water off. I wouldn’t mind using a submersible pump just to speed things up. A 50 gallon tub is a good idea but not practical for most.

[@PazLeBon]

@@BenOchart i hate syphon tubes :) theres many electric cleaners nowadays that double up as a water changer

[@frankiefingerz8047]

Really u dose the whole tank w safe not just the water ur replacing

[@BenOchart]

Only when going from tap to tank.

[@frankiefingerz8047]

I always hear diff answers on how this should b done. My water changes r always from tap to tank what else is there. I dose only the water im changing not the whole tank This is how i was always told it should b done im not goin against u but whats ur take on this