Top 5 Aquarium Water Change Disasters - Don't Let These Happen!

[@BenOchart]

Want more tips and tricks to care for your fish? Check out these playlists! Best Fish Keeping Tips Playlist is here: kzbin.info/aero/PLr8ew8o8WXoDLeItfzOiRG8DV-1W9qNX4 Lowering and Controlling Nitrates Playlist is here: kzbin.info/aero/PLr8ew8o8WXoD-pzZaHgtIFqurG9HZn2zz Every Live Stream is Here: kzbin.info/aero/PLr8ew8o8WXoApHjaPfc6rdr7oipfEbZ-k The Water Change Tips & Tricks Playlist is here: kzbin.info/aero/PLr8ew8o8WXoCdEYkD0rQa0OWejFk5-bHD SunSun Canister Filter Playlist is here: kzbin.info/aero/PLr8ew8o8WXoCiMWEpBFJFJGxTqJH_MdMg Fluval Canister Filter Playlist is here: kzbin.info/aero/PLr8ew8o8WXoC8gSuqdG1c4nOzlAMFTmiD

[@nospoon4799]

You forgot exploding heaters :-)

[@BenOchart]

@@nospoon4799 True, that's a good one.

[@donnaanderson4480]

I had a established tank of 15 yes grand child put stuff in tank had to do several small water changes tank will not regulate aits murky for 10 days won't clear

[@crumbsy1]

Hilarious. It’s like you’ve been sitting by my tank watching me mess up.

[@BenOchart]

We've all made some of these mistakes along the way. Thanks for watching.

[@Fathernsonadventures]

@@BenOchart hahaha I just did this today I didn't know my house wasnt in the bucket any more and put about 1/4th gallon on my carpet lol a lot of fish food and poop. I test the ph before and after a change. Now I watch the amount of water I take out I am trying to hit rid of all the ammonia but it stays at .25 same fore nitrate at .25 my tank hasn't finished cycling yet. But I only have 2 fish in it right now. I am going to get about 10 shrimp which will help get rid of a lot of poop and old food. And I think we are getting 4 more zebra danio. We had 3 total but one got killed by the leader of the danios and then my betta killed that mean danio with the help of the last good danio.

[@SebastianBlackwell94]

I haven't overfilled a tank before, been in the hobby for 2yrs. But ive done the opposite, flooded my bucket 🤦‍♀️

[@BenOchart]

Yup, me too. I looked away for what seemed like a second ...

[@Anna-tc6rz]

@@BenOchart thats why i fill mine up in the shower lol.

[@skeetskeet4554]

I just stick the hose out my window and let it rain down on my neighbors car

[@miserybusiness7648]

@@skeetskeet4554 lmao

[@georgessciencelab8121]

Same

[@litoloco4fish]

So correct my friend!!! Great video...as I get older man its getting worse..I must sit and look at my tank or I will forget everything. Fish give me a CALMING feeling !!! Except when I have a senor moment

[@BenOchart]

Lito Loco 4 Fish I’m right there with you 😀

[@aquadesignsbymlt4769]

All good points! Years ago, helped a friend do a water change on her big tank. After a couple glasses of wine, I mentioned the water felt prickly. She couldn't figure out why either. Then it dawned on us! Electrical cord was hanging in the water in the back... I was being electrocuted ever so slightly! I don't drink anything anymore when i do a water change. 🤣

[@BenOchart]

Ouch!

[@elayshobeycurrey9496]

Jesus take wheel lol!🤣

[@aquadesignsbymlt4769]

@@elayshobeycurrey9496 😂🤣 I drink only lemon water now, haha

[@elayshobeycurrey9496]

@@aquadesignsbymlt4769 good to know sis🤣😇

[@BreakerInc]

Oh no! ROFL

[@chuckchuck8487]

Doing a water change is the best part of the hobby, it's the Bob Ross part of the hobby! Happy little plant here happy little fish here..

[@BenOchart]

So true!

[@shaunmcgowan827]

Hands down one of the best videos I've seen in almost ten years on here. This is they way all videos should be made. Thank you sir for not selling out and begging for subscriptions. Lol Fantastic content, no bush beating. Hats off.

[@happycat2079]

Just want to say thank you I was new to keeping an aquarium and by accidentally killed all 3 of my fish it was after a water-change and I couldn't figure out what I did wrong but you just told me exactly why everything went wrong and why I couldn't recover in time. from this I have decided to go into a in depth study before I get a new tank and decide to try again this was amazing and super helpful thanks again keep up the informative channel.

[@BenOchart]

I'm very glad that you found this helpful Margaret and good luck with your new tank. If you're on FB, come join the "Ben O'Cichlid" group. There are some real helpful people there.

[@Forestttm]

😂 any fish in that tank ^^^ is not getting clean pristine water ,look up father fish on KZbin .with a natural aquarium you will never have to clean your tank once maybe fill the top due to evaporation,father fish has had a fish tank for 20plus years no water changes no cleaning and it’s full of life 😂 I laugh at these videos man .

[@timpekarek9159]

2:30 Those Cichlids are beautiful! Here is something that I heard of... Someone was using a bucket to add water to their 125 gallon tank and they rested the bucket on the rim of the tank and the tank shattered.

[@susanbriggs862]

Number 5 is a great point that most of us don't consider. Lost a fish last week from aggression day after a water change. Now I know why. They were in spawning mode. Great explanation.

[@BenOchart]

I try to observe for a while immediately after a water change. It can get interesting with males doing breeding dances with each other and other fish trying to clear fish out of area to make a nest. A little less when I do a 20% change instead of a 50%. Thanks for stopping by Susan and supporting the channel. I notice 😀

[@theasceticaquarist3783]

Awesome video! It was less like being told a list of mistakes you could make during water changes, and more like having a conversation with an old friend!

[@BenOchart]

I like that a lot. Thank you!

[@bthearen]

I think a common mistake among beginners(as you said, ask me how I know lol) is doing too big of a water change(75%+) --- when you find an ammonia spike, pH crash, or your nitrates get out of hand so, as a newbie, you freak out and decide to replace all of the water or most of it thinking you're doing the right thing. Instead, the dramatic swing can kill them off. Happened to me and I can honestly say I thought I was trying to save them but ended up losing several fish. It was heartbreaking but, I learned my lesson! I think this would fall under your "shock" category. Just remember that when this happens, slowly acclimate your water back to normal.

[@BenOchart]

Unfortunately Aaron this is the "school of hard knocks" so many of us continue to attend (I don't thing fish keepers ever "graduate", LOL!). Thanks for watching.

[@creativenu4103]

I just did this so many cichlids are dying

[@mtctookie25]

All 5 are certainly true & everyone of us have experienced one of these Disasters.

[@gabriellondon5882]

I haven’t experienced any of them yet, but I haven’t even been in the hobby for 3 months yet

[@mtctookie25]

@@gabriellondon5882 Good luck!!!

[@Aqua_Man84]

Great video.. I used to keep fish many years ago and never had these problems. 15 years down the line I got a tank for my son and he wasn’t interested. So now it’s become my mini obsession 😆. I made this mistake and had a spike in deaths and lost quite a few fish. Straight to the point and very informative. Appreciate your time. Thanks and subbed

[@robertcheever7940]

Another good vid,My water change formula is 1-12 oz beer per ten gallons,be sure to check PH,Amonnia,Nitrite and BAC levels.!!!!!

[@BenOchart]

LOL! "1 - 12 oz beer per ten..." LOL!

[@audramckinney487]

😂😂🤦‍♀️👍👍 that’s 12 for me🤪 *overflows tank while drunk on the floor

[@tracybrandsrud-xx7fd]

I just want to thank you for this post. I suffered a reality check about city water maintenance back in May. I was not aware they were flooding the system with water treatment, and it happened to be my weekly water change. I had treated as normal with a water conditioner, but there was chlorine overload. I lost most of my fish in my 40-gallon, 10-gallon, and six gallon QT. I treated the survivors for about 7 days with melafix due to damaged fins. Remarkably, 5 fish survived but succumbed to death weeks later. From that day forward, i NOW have 2 five gallons, 1 -3.5 gallons, and three 2.5 gallon buckets of water lining my bathtub, with air stones and 5 heaters running constantly. They sit for no less than 24 hours. I had just gotten the tanks cycled and had to start all over. Good bacteria were obliverated by the high consentration of chlorine/chloramine. I have had no losses due to this issue since then. My husband also added a filtration system for me to help eliminate chlorine. But i will always test my water after that trauma. Then, last night, I made one of my personal biggest mistakes when replacing my American Flag from quarantine for fin rot and treatment, back into his tank. I did not acclimate him back to his normal environment. I knew as soon as I put him in his tank that I had just made the most stupid mistake EVER. He instantly went into shock. He couldn't get his balance. He was running into things. my heart sunk. But something amazing happened. His female partner continuously stayed by his side. Uprighting him. Gently nudging him when he started to swim sideways. I was pleasantly surprised he had survived the night. His mate literally kept him moving. He had plenty of air moving in the tank - his survival from this is yet to be seen. BUT I gotta say, a mistake like that gets the heart rate up because you can't undo the damage. Your post reminded me to slow down and think before doing IT. Whatever "IT" may be. I was contemplating euthanasia. But I have hope. He looks more comfortable now. "Just keep swimming!!"- Tracy

[@BenOchart]

I'm sorry that you had to go through this. Unfortunately it's not an uncommon story. I hope that you bounce back better than before.

[@williamjansson]

Good one, this should be posted on all forums across the globe. Fish dying? Question 1, is usually. How long have your tank been running. Under 1month - cycle. Above? Q2 Temp? Ph? Well/city water - additivs. Q3 recently sick fish/newly added fish? Q4 filter, sump? Cleaned it recently? How, with what. Rarely needed to ask more.

[@denisepollitt1021]

Great video. I've never encountered 4 of these disasters. However, forgetting to pretreat the water is something I've done on more than one occasion. That is definitely a biggie for me.

[@hitmanslayer3003]

Denise Pollitt same here

[@BenOchart]

Very easy to get distracted and forget.

[@nicklespale22]

@@BenOchart I'm here because of this. I changed out 50 percent of the water this time since the water was so filthy it was yellow, it's a 55+ gallon tank. The 3 fish I have sunk to the bottom and started hyperventilating in a huddled group, fins down, minimal movement. I dropped several tablets of Jungle:Ammonia Clear in the tank and 2 hours later things haven't changed. Another hour or so later and I dropped them in a 5 gallon Jungle:Ammonia Clear fizz tab treated solution of their current water+spring bottled+boiled tap. Long story short, they're moving and swimming around normally again but they're still hyperventilating for the most part. Googling the situation turned up fruitless as it seems no one has experience with nursing fish back to help after ammonia poisoning. They're big goldfish, all at least 6inches, and I'd really love to see them make it out of this.

[@ultimatefishkeeping]

I always treat the water. I always leave my Fluval FX6 on, I never switch it off. Great video Sir. Have a nice day.

[@appeabbe7199]

Im so glad i have clean water where i live n dont have to treat it.

[@keetam6696]

How often do you clean the filter? I have one

[@joythompson4134]

You got me on the first one. ADHD + PWC = Flood I’ve forgotten to unplug stuff and also forgotten to plug back in. I only forgot the dechlorinater once and remembered within 10 minutes so okay thank goodness 😅 Great video as always 👍

[@BenOchart]

I love honest fish keepers 😀😉 Thank you for watching Joy!

[@brooke3140]

Yep I've forgot to add it to my water once too. It was also about 10 minutes but I felt so bad. I've been guilty of over cleaning. Had a 10 gallon tank given to me and thought how hard could this be? Ha! My first water changei tore the whole thing down and scrubbed everything. Even changed the filters. I had no test strips nothing. I could tell they werent happy so I took about 30% of the water out every other day until they acted right again. Those poor little guppies! One even got a horribly curved spine but still loved 2 years! No idea how! I feel like a noobie again because I'm adding rooted plants, mystery snails and 6 sakura cherry shrimp. I'm so lost with which fertilizers are safe for them and the plants and no more carbon in my filter. I feel so bad of and when they die on me because I know it's something I did

[@fishwhisperer262]

excellent video Ben. will be sure to add myself to the fb discussion page for sure

[@plushpossum]

I love that slow mode feature!!!!

[@carlosdaniel00325]

Nice video ! All points are on straight. In my experience I would also add: the release of gas pockets that are created inside the gravel or sand by decomposing food or organic material. When vacuuming the gravel or sand that gas can get release into the water column. Sometimes fish can get poisoned by that. In my tanks, I tend to decore with rocks, and lately I have decided to avoid rocks because uneaten food gets trapped in between. And when I move them to vacuum, those uneaten food and poop get out on the water and I can’t avoid fish to go for them as food. I have lost some fish because of that

[@BenOchart]

True. It amazes me when I lift rocks just how much waste has worked its way under there. Doesn't seem possible but there it is. Thanks for watching!

[@metrotrain]

Wow. #5 I can definitely say that is true. I have seen this happen after every water change.

[@grekobmc9119]

Great video!!! A lot of common sense. I do the same, connecting tap water directly to the tank, but something critical I do is turn off filtration x 30-45 min and turn on a little pump (inside tank) to mix well and rapidly the prime with the new tap water accelerating the dechlorination time and reducing the negative impact to the bacterial load. Never had problems. 4 years in the hobby.

[@BenOchart]

Hey, if it's working, then it's the right thing to do. I usually let my filters run (as long as the water line isn't too low.

[@davidgyde7771]

I loved you wonderful comments on this perfect water change attitude. Thank you for your wonderful contributions to help others learn more about keeping their Aquarium in perfect condition.

[@paulone65]

i glad i am not the only one that flooded the house,thanks for the info

[@BenOchart]

There's some comfort in knowing that we're not alone ...

[@matesratesmowingmaintenanc7760]

Thank you for this info ! I've learnt some hard lessons, also nice to see I'm on track with my changes.

[@HalfManHalfCichlid]

I do all my WC's on the same day. I pretest the tap water for total chlorine and ammonia. This catches the days when the water company bombs the water with chlorine and chloramine. Takes less than 3 minutes using test strips. Economical, practical and an insurance policy against a disaster. Great video btw

[@CraigersFish]

Totally agree. Here lately our water out of the tap has been showing 3.0- 4.0ppm ammonia on API test kit. I test tap water before every water change to help me determine my Safe dosage for my water changes.

[@BenOchart]

Great safeguard. An ounce of precaution ... Thanks for stopping by John.

[@emiliomolina5778]

Great Vid Ben!!! It happens to all...I learned a lot long ago when I had a salt water tank! I took that into the cichlid tanks and haven't lost any since unless it got bullied and taken out...I have a 55 gallon drum with a heater and powerhead. I prepare my water the day before, usually on Saturday cause I do my water changes on Sunday. I fill it with tap water, live in the city...treat it and add the trace, safe, buffer and it's ready for my change the next day!!! Only takes me 1\2 hour to make and I run it overnight and it's perfect conditions to avoid shocks...Even though I flooded several times filling the drum....lol.....It's been a fish changer ever since!!!! Hope this helps others!! Thanks again!!!

[@BenOchart]

Sounds like a great system Emilio!

[@signetulupan]

Do I need three trace, safe and buffer?

[@jupiterkingoffire3992]

Maybe you had a few beers 🍻😆😆😆that was funny. I do like to have my Hennessy while working on my tanks😉but I’m focused on what I’m doing

[@BenOchart]

Well, not drinking too much is good advice during a water change, right up there with "Never take a sleeping pill and a laxative at the same time." LOL! Thanks for watching.

[@Whey2010]

Very true! You nailed it Gangstah Ben!

[@BenOchart]

“Gangstah”🤣🤣🤣

[@vblackwell3347]

@@BenOchart It's so nice of you to actually take the time to read AND respond to quite a few of your followers.

[@ABN6565]

Just subbed! I use to collect Cichlids back in 1983-1988. Had a 55 gallon tank with dual filtration. Always used a mini 10 gallon tank when changing water. Makes it easy to introduce fish back into the water and it gave me a chance to have water checked. Back in the day you had to take water samples to a pet shop where I lived in east Orange NJ. I loved this hobby, going to be starting a 30 gallon tank for my 2 grandbabies. I always looked at water changes as to jumping into a cold shower. Very uncomfortable and I wouldn't want the fish to be uncomfortable. Never had any issues. Thanks for the channel and will soon be starting my own. Something I also llearned was to have filters plugged into 2 different wall outlets if you can. Just a precaution if one gets unplugged. Same for the heaters when needed.

[@BenOchart]

Thanks for the sub Dark VadeR! Good tips and welcome back to the hobby!

[@johndimalanta8822]

very good discussion of the dangers of water changes

[@bparker4457]

If you're filling a tank and get distracted, you'll probably mess up. If you don't get distracted, you'll probably still mess up.

[@Backcountryhiker]

You know, I have a tank ordered but the more I research all this, the more "afraid" I get with what can go wrong and more importantly, I don't know if I want to put this much work into the whole process! Lots of thinking to do here---your video was important for that too! Thank you.

[@fishtalk3379]

Great video. For me having treated water setup the day before and adding a heater to match the tank temp are essential. Using 32 or 64 gallon receptacles on wheels makes moving from room to room quite easy then simply pumping the water back into the tanks with a small to moderate power head has saved more than half the time to do my water changes. Additionally I use a DIY water changer to pump the tank water out to my garden or into the wash and for 10 tears now I have never lifted a bucket.

[@BenOchart]

That's awesome. If I was still using buckets I'd have 24/7 back pain.

[@heathervestal2382]

2 weeks ago I started a big project of combining 2-20 gallon aquariums, 1-10 gallon and 1-5 gallon into a 60 gallon. I went the cautious route and acclimated all my plants,bacteria,shrimp and fish over a 12 hour period. By the end of it, I was exhausted and wasn't paying as much attention as I should have. Long story short, I flooded small areas of my living room 3 times that night. No alcohol was involved but I thought that night would be a great night to start drinking.😀 You gave some great advice.

[@BenOchart]

Hate when that happens

[@FullMoonAquatics]

Telling on us all!!! 😆 Great topic, Ben. Thank you.

[@nathanblizzard9336]

I use a milk jug to fill up my water tank so I avoid the floods.

[@wyomingadventures]

I've flooded my floor 2 times last month. Great information. 👍😊

[@BenOchart]

Is it a wood floor or carpet? I hope not. I've had some good spills and you've never seen someone throw down towel faster than me, LOL!

[@Skysmeller1]

A few years ago I did a 40 gallon water change on my tank and left the hose inside the tank and got distracted and took a shower. Needless to say I came into my living room with the entire thing flooded and my Gardner and his entire team came into my house and helped me clean everything up. Five years later, he is still my Gardner and I will never leave him.

[@michael-ev5fk]

All good lessons Ben. I plan on running my water through a charcoal reactor during water changes when I get my 200G up and running this summer. Hopefully that will take care of any surprises from the water company. Will pay attention to these lessons. Thanks Ben 👍

[@BenOchart]

Smart idea Michael!

[@TechAndTravelWithKapil]

Superb. I learned lot from you like bacteria disaster and now mistake during water change 💕💕

[@fishlover9353]

Hi Ben. My biggest problem is adding to much of things As everything shows how much for 50 gallons and I have all 10 gallons so for me it’s trying to get the right amount of prime or meds etc. great video as usual,get to see some of the beautiful colors on the 🐠 👍👏🏼

[@BenOchart]

I hear you. Fortunately with most of those formulas you can be over a bit and it doesn't matter.

[@fishlover9353]

Thank you 😄

[@nicolacacioppo4811]

Thanks great info for new fishkeeprs

[@BenOchart]

You are welcome!

[@DavidJHarrisonEssex]

I always put a plant quite near the inlet pipe so it moves slightly with the incoming water so I know the pumps on at a glance

[@michaelskuse4019]

Hi Ben, you're right as we get older we do get more distracted with things like watching the fish or just relaxing for a minute while things are going on. I've gotten to the point now where I built myself a overflow alarm out of a smoke alarm with two wires attached to the test button one on the terminal on either side started to the back of it strip the wires back keep them to the floor directly under the tank or in the sum area of your cabinet then when your water overflows you at least have an audible alarm before it flooded the entire house.

[@BenOchart]

That's a smart precaution Michael.

[@vblogger22]

Though I am just a few days into the hobby, I feel that during water change we should not try to bathe the fish (they are always in bath) and we shouldn’t try to create a tidal wave. It’s your hobby take your time and enjoy each process longer.

[@Zezhuanth_Irthos]

Thank you dude I love you for this ❣️❣️❣️

[@BenOchart]

You’re welcome 😀👍🏻

[@earljoshvonfabian5868]

flood while watching your filter video about canister hahahah

[@BenOchart]

Blame me, LOL!

[@joythompson4134]

😂😂😂

[@litoloco4fish]

Lollllll😂😂😂😂

[@dbirdtyrewright]

Lol

[@wintersoldier2087]

My dad use to flood the living room almost all the time ..🤣falling asleep on the couch

[@bojohannesen4352]

Not very bright was he

[@catfishcave379]

I have only been guilty of flooding the floor (many times in the house, countless times in the garage) and draining too much water (99%-twice) in my aquariums. I have also forgotten to plug the filter back in. (holy hydrogen sulfide, Batman)

[@BenOchart]

An honest fish keeper. All I can say is, "been there , done that!"

[@timelapses4529]

You should put a line on your fish tank to know how much water to take out it’s a lot of help

[@gameova77]

@@timelapses4529 yeah I just use buckets

[@almonday2244]

Yr video showed up at the right time. i just stared up my new 36 gal tank 2.5 weeks ago and i am researching everything i can to give them the best life i can. its been 16 yesrs since i ve had a tank. i did a water change last night. it was my third one so far but it is the first time i mess up, and listening to u I did many things wrong and three of my babies die right then and there. i c now i under treated the water and i did not add stree coat thinking they did not need it..water temp was good i used an electronic one pretty good. was not in a hurry. right now i have all the time i need to spoil them and do things right. thank you very much for helping me understand the extra things that could happen. i will be looking out for those things as well. have a great night.

[@BenOchart]

Thank you for the feedback and I’m glad you found the information helpful. Welcome back to the hobby 😀👍🏻

[@pman8130]

Something I do which I think helps my cichlids is, I skip feeding my fish for a day after a water change. I think it gives the good bacteria time to build up and reduces the ammonia spike in the tank

[@joythompson4134]

P Man that’s a good idea. I always feed them after so they like me again, but your way makes more sense 👍

[@urbansk8r231]

What you can also do is add bacteria starter of any brand. Make sure though it's the right bacteria. Anaerobic and aerobic bacteria - The one that are used in the nitrogen cycle. But don't get the bacteria that's used to break down uneaten food & debris in your aquarium. Sinead the bottle.

[@Blu3ni0000]

@@joythompson4134 haha! little did u know.... they hated your guts. lol

[@airplanegeorge]

I do my refills from a roof filled rain barrel with a sump pump hooked up to a garden hose. never had a problem, except maybe the flood caused by too much beer.

[@bearythoughts1849]

I rinse out detritus out of filter pads out occasionally when doing water changes but mostly don't and just replace media once it's exchausted it's effectiveness. I stand water in buckets and boil water from the cold tap and not hot tap as bad bacteria in the emersion tank kills fish. Never rinse pads with flowing or still tap water because of chlorine and chloramine and metals added to the water for our consumption.

[@bobbymalta73]

Cheers mate thks for sharing.

[@blah03]

I feel so dad and I’m so sad... all of my fish died today when I did a water change😭

[@BenOchart]

That's terrible. Did you figure out what went wrong?

[@RIOOPRODUCTIONSTM]

Mines also today

[@nikolaj1316]

Bloody morons

[@rizkhan8926]

Experienced same today 😥

[@jeffharris96]

niko hall 😆

[@StuartOliver83]

Super polite helpful chap,thanks mate 👍🏻🇬🇧

[@dominic.h.3363]

The flood, yep. Half an hour later I made a super simple water level alarm with a computer motherboard tweeter I put on the rim of the bucket in which I siphon the tank water.

[@BenOchart]

We get real creative and effective after a mishap. I like the alarm idea!

[@laceytopmiller794]

Excellent video..thanks for the helpful advice

[@BenOchart]

You're welcome Lacey

[@dangerdan2592]

Thanks for the video. I have an additional question. When you say treat for the entire volume, do you mean that even when you are only doing a partial water change, say 20% water change in a 5 gallon tank, you still put enough drops into your tank to treat the full volume of 5 gallons even though it's a partial water change? Thanks for any help you can give.

[@BenOchart]

Each brand of conditioner lists recommended instructions. If going from tap to tank you would usually treat for the full volume of the tank (not just for the amount replaced). When refilling from something like a bucket, you can just treat the water in the bucket before adding.

[@sabinegray1450]

Good question!

[@ravenspurlin5361]

Don’t clean your filters the same day you change your water.

[@rmk22sr.2]

Great video Ben I learned the hard way on my heater I didn’t unplug it while I was doing the water change which did damage it

[@todddiedrich9106]

Nice video at some point of keeping fish you will have water on the floor. What I’ve found is to have at least 2 power strips 1 for lighting with timers and cabinet lights and other for pumps,power heads,heaters,anything you want off when doing water changes so all you have to do is turn off switch and turn back on no unplugging anything and of course their high up so water doesn’t drip in them

[@BenOchart]

Yes! Great tip. I'm doing that with the 150 but need to do it with 60 and 100. Thanks!

[@shesellsfish]

Having kept fish for over 30 years, I'm guilty of a couple of these more than once. 👍💕👍

[@Zapton5]

Me too you would think with all this experience we would know better.

[@jeffharris96]

My fish love their water changes, I can pretty much guarantee spawning a couple of days after one, it amazes me the number of people that don’t dechlorinate their water, a colleague at work asked my why his tank always went cloudy and the fish were sick after he changes the water, turns out he was filling straight from the tap with nothing to make the water safe, it’s not just the fish that are affected by chlorine the beneficial bacteria is too, ever since he’s been treating the water and had no problems.

[@7205buttas]

Jeff Harris I fill straight from the tap never had a issue. My levels all stay in check

[@jeffharris96]

7205buttas yes, as I said many people do, chlorine and heavy metals wouldn’t alter you PH, nitrate, ammonia so won’t show if you tested afterwards, I guess it also depends on the percentage of the change, 10 or 20% and the affect is reduced compared to a 50, 60 or even as with the guy I mentioned 70% water change. Chlorine even in small amounts will give your fish chemical burns and will kill bacteria, after all that’s why they add it to tap water, for the cost and time associated with conditioning the water it’s a very small act that will benefit your fish. Think of it like this, not everyone used their seatbelt, they may say they don’t need to as they’ve never had a crash but one day they will, it’s not worth the risk for a moment of extra effort. 😉

[@7205buttas]

Jeff Harris I have a 90 gallon and have the “python water changer” it would take me forever to treat my water for a water change and be 5x the work. I tend to do about a 30% change weekly. I can prob go 2-3 weeks as I have a lot if plants but I just like to do them before anything builds up. Also have 2 canister filter that I don’t touch on the days if water changes to make sure I don’t mess up too much of my bacteria and throw my tank into shock. I clean 1 filter out a month, so essentially I clean out my canisters every 2 months.

[@jeffharris96]

7205buttas sweet, you could add prime to the tank by simply dispersing it across the surface before you start refilling, the process of filling back up will mix it through and neutralise the chlorine 😉

[@7205buttas]

Jeff Harris I guess but considering I have a 90g with 2 canister filters that prob hold like another 4 gallons each I prob have around 90g 4-95 gallons total when you take the rocks and decorations into account. Only changing about 25-30 gallons out a week isn’t really gonna harm the fish. Also have 2 power heads so the water mixes up pretty good and I never take it down low enough to have to swap the filters out. I also don’t really vacuum the gravel I just use the power heads to get the detritus kicked up and suck up as much of it out as I can and let the filters do the job on the rest

[@laceytopmiller794]

Hahaha..I flood mine bc I'm staring at another tank

[@joythompson4134]

Lacey's place same here 😂

[@shaneimlach9800]

New to the hobby thank you for this info I1 question do I need to do a water change even if everything is reading right

[@BenOchart]

Some do as a preemptive measure. Better to be a little early than too late.

[@jerrymartin4047]

Flooding happened once. Great topic.

[@jacquelinekariuki4055]

I've done it once or twice! That's a terrible feeling you get when you start hearing trickling. "OHHHH NOOOOO"🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@BenOchart]

I can get a lot of towels down real quick when water starts spreading on our wood floors! It's a real fire drill!

[@johnmartinez4943]

It seems the bucket method is not subject to any of these issues except perhaps the municipal water supply chemicals being added. A self contained and premixed auto top off system can even smooth out the water supply chemic issue since it trickles water in preventing shock.

[@BenOchart]

You're right. Less shock, especially if you have a larger tank to spread out the additives.

[@SimonAElson]

And my wife wonders why I insist on sitting in front of my tank watching it whilst it is being filled via the hose.

[@BenOchart]

It fills faster when we're not looking, LOL!

[@pamelamorrisonn]

I have an albino pleco too..her name is Sally 💜💜I rescued her...seems like albinos are rare by the reactions I get when telling people

[@Fyyt]

Depends where you live, I guess. I'm looking for one for my new mbuna cichlid tank!🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

[@pamelamorrisonn]

@@Fyyt I'm in Edmonton..

[@Fyyt]

@@pamelamorrisonn Winnipeg for me!

[@Fyyt]

@@pamelamorrisonn so....how's Sally doing? Lol

[@pamelamorrisonn]

@@Fyyt Excellent..love her so much😁Garry is in the tank with her but hes not albino..

[@Vikingsroar]

Lol my only water 🌊💦 change disaster is causing the circuit breaker to trip because I accidentally poured the bucket 🪣 of water right over the cover of the tank and it trickled down the back of the tank onto the power sockets on the cabinet top which is directly behind the tank 😂😂😂 my entire family came running out 💨 and they knew it must be me who caused the power trip haha 😂

[@Faith-Hope-In-Jesus]

Just dont change more then 30 percent of the tank water and use Prime conditioner. Make sure you let your water run for at least 5 to 10 minutes before adding fresh water from tap. Siphon your substrate only once a month and never clean your filter at the same time you do a water change. Wait at least two weeks, then clean your filter. Follow all of this and you will be perfectly fine.

[@Faith-Hope-In-Jesus]

@Apollyon 2 I would only change about 15 to 20 percent of the water in your 10 gallon. I would do a water change more frequently on such a small tank. Maybe every three to four days. You can siphon it while you take out the water, but I would not clean or change the filter media at the same time you do a water change. By changing the water and cleaning your filter it would only crash your tank and wipe out the beneficial bacteria your fish depend on. Yes, add your condition after you do the water change. Just make sure you allow your tap to run for at least 5 to 10 minutes before adding fresh water. Do this and you should be good to go.

[@aarongonzalez4458]

@Apollyon 2 dont listen to this idiot you do not have to clean the tank every 3 to 4 days that's bullshit especially with very little fish I clean it every month and a half it's a 10 gal and the water is mostly crystal clear unless I stir up the bottem and when I clean it I do a 90 percent water change and change the media and leave 10 percent of the water for beneficial bacteria after 3 hours of the water running in the tank I put all the fish back

[@iiomqblue]

Wild G4MING What? A 90 percent water change isn’t good. And you take out the fish when you do a water change? You’re are wrong, not the other person. There is no beneficial bacteria in water. Research before talking crap.

[@aarongonzalez4458]

@@iiomqblue I'm doing everything right cause if I wasn't my fish would of been dead but there not

[@iiomqblue]

Wild G4MING Yea they are living, but that doesn’t mean they are thriving.

[@therangler2808]

Hey, could you make a video on what would happen if you added too much chlorine conditioner to your tank

[@kevinwaterman7140]

Years ago our than five year old son tried to cook a tank full of fish by turning up the heater to the max! When I noticed all the fish swimming near the top I noticed the water was very warm. I tossed in some ice cubes to cool things off and was able to save some fish, has it continued much longer I would have lost everything in the tank.

[@migscott8850]

My new koi guppy and other fish died and they are all pregnant 😭😭😭 so heart breaking

[@mechanism4185]

I did the same mistake

[@hemkeshyeole4630]

Samee😭😭

[@GSP-76]

Ammonia is the biggest problem with water changes because it's regularly used by water departments across the country...you would see it more in the winter than summer but they do add it so be careful. Ben the stir up is real...water changes change the make up of the tank and the temperature usually changes with the water change...I had this happen yesterday and the temp of my tank went up from 79 to 83 after doing a 40% change...it definitely caused a "stir" and several fish became more aggressive for a few hours.

[@BenOchart]

Gurvinder Parmar Ammonia in the water. I doubt it’s even safe for humans 🤔 My venustus went after my polystigma real hard after a water change. Thanks for watching Gurvinder 😀👍🏻

[@GSP-76]

@@BenOchart Yes, as crazy as it sounds, they do treat water with ammonia along with chlorine.....I think the sudden temp change is also a big factor in their sudden aggression...cichlids in the wild generally mate in warmer seasons so I think that is a trigger...but in my tank, the water changes don't come every week like they used to in the past. So now, when that change comes, I think it affects them more because they aren't used to it.

[@BenOchart]

Makes sense. Creates mass confusion in an all male tank.

[@rhondapalmer8948]

I would add 1mm distilled white vinegar per gallon to neutralize the ammonia. It will save your fish.

[@thebear6529]

Yes sir great video, and very true. Your a kool dude Ben,god bless.

[@BenOchart]

Thank you!

[@lindacheaton5419]

Thank for information,learn a lot good tips.

[@BenOchart]

You are welcome Linda. Thank you for watching.

[@lindacheaton5419]

Thaks!!!!

[@jiro7446]

great info keep it up Ben

[@alexm1755]

Good information

[@briancronin3790]

Hi Ben, great video. Yes you do need to concentrate on what your doing when doing water changes. I'm a bucket guy. Can I please ask what species of fish is that blue one you have with the white lips ? Stunning fish.

[@BenOchart]

That fish is a Mdoka White Lips. A placidochromis. And thank you for watching!

[@c-wrongakas8tanictattooist707]

Ben Ochart totally meant to tell you I LOVE THAT WHITE LIPS Modoka beautiful ...bet you got it from James at Cichlid Shack😎

[@ARod-br2ui]

I can honestly say that in all my years in the hobby, never experienced a sudden die off after a water change.

[@ashscichlids7057]

Good info! Beautiful fish!! New sub!

[@BenOchart]

Thank you!

[@rswyltk]

I’ve been battling an ammonia issue. It’s been a total ammonia not free ammonia issue, and I’ve been pulling my hair out. On a whim I decided to test my tap water, 4ppm out of the tap. Went to a LFS that I know sells RO. I explained what was going on and the first question she asked was “do you live in city X, Y or Z” yep, I do. Evidently they have run into this a lot. She gave me 20 gallons of remineralized RO water to see if it helps, and said in the future it was only 30¢ a gallon.

[@colleensgotcha]

Hey, I really enjoy your channel btw! I have a question, I use containers to add water to my 30-gallon tank after a water change when can I add the water conditioner? i have been adding a little with each container but in doing that my measurements aren't really accurate, can I add after I fill the tank without the chlorine hurting my fish?

[@BenOchart]

A little with each container is fine. Stir it around a little and you're good to go.

[@colleensgotcha]

@@BenOchart Thanks for getting back to me so quick I am planning on a water change today. Have a great day!

[@stayathomecichlidmom3579]

Omg just yesterday I asked my son to turn the water off, about 15 min later I heard water and my sump was overflowing, he turned it the wrong way. Thank God I didn't start doing something else. I don't ever do more than 50% I'll do them every other day if something is going on, there's so many different elements that even if you match kh/gh ect. There's a good chance there's something you don't test for and at 50% if you fill it with cold water your not going to shock them because it's not going to change the temp significantly enough. Imo many don't even know why they do 80% w/c they've just been told to do so. Ben how do your Fossochromis Rostratus handle w/c? Ive found they are just sensitive all around. Great video!

[@BenOchart]

Hello! Just between you and me I've cut my WCs back to around 20% max. I get less or no flashing which tells me that the fish are not reactiving or getting irritated by a pH shift or temp change. I haven't noticed the Foss Ros acting any differently than other fish during a WC (however, I did have one go under the gravel while vacuuming with just his eye sticking out!).

[@stayathomecichlidmom3579]

@@BenOchart My Male (think actually 1 of my "females" are a him. Lol) he is definitely the most sensitive of the bunch. Lol. He's never sand dived though and at this point idk if he'd be able to without getting hurt considering his size. He's already huge and not even 1. Lol. I swear allot of people in this hobby seem to think the larger the water change and starving your fish is bragging rights. Most would keel over if they knew how much I fed my fish yet I've never (knock on wood) had an issue with bloat ect..not to change the subject but maybe it's all the breeding, burns calories. Lol. Ben your tanks always look great and your fish look healthy (that redcap omg 😍)

[@abhishekchaudhary2613]

How is your aquarium so calm, my cichlids are always crazy 😤

[@0trideste6]

slow motion video

[@abhishekchaudhary2613]

@@0trideste6 no the video is not in slow motion

[@0trideste6]

@@abhishekchaudhary2613 3:36

[@abhishekchaudhary2613]

@@0trideste6 that is just a small part of video in slow motion at 1:10 that video is in normal play speed and still his cichlids are so calm

[@Michael10755]

Again thanks for the informative video Ben. That has definitely been me mr. Forgetful LOL, I have to admit you saved my behind on this one! I appreciate all you do for the community, as well as the hobby! ☕🤝

[@MyTinyBalcony]

I never touch my filters or vacuum at the same time. And will water change 48 hours after adding new fish.

[@nicoletiana]

Very helpful!!!!!!!

[@susanbriggs862]

Great video! I'm guilty of a few of these disasters 😱. I try to get into a Zen state of mind and only focus on the tank. I've found that multitasking just doesn't work with fish keeping (at least for me)! Question. When treating the whole tank with Prime using python water changer, does the Prime have enough time to detoxify any toxic metals in the tap water (or from old copper pipes)? Is the reaction instantaneous as with chlorine and ammonia?

[@BenOchart]

I believe that it is instant (and I add it at the area where the water is entering the tank). Never had a reaction after a water change doing it that way.

[@signetulupan]

@@BenOchart thank u

[@mollychrisa1]

Wow, thanks 🌊🌿🌡⚡️☯️☮️🧘‍♀️😊

[@johnireland3521]

I got a small tank that I fill up get the water to the right temperature right pH then do the water change

[@BenOchart]

Sounds very safe. Thanks for watching.

[@MysticcGlitcH318]

When I do a water change, and i'm not vacuuming I run my line to my washer drain line. Well I forgot to put the washer drain pipe back into the drain behind the washer and well......Did a load of cloths and it was bad. 99% of mistakes come from getting sidetracked like you said.

[@jameswhitejr5291]

The 5 Deadly Venoms... I'm guilty of 4 out the 5

[@litoloco4fish]

Awesome!! Toad 🤙🤙🤙🤙🤙😂😂😂

[@lilybeaumont683]

I find bucket filling helps in both one and two...and even number four if you let your new water stand ... I've also heard that things that make your tap water safe can also take oxygen out the water so I make sure extra Oxygen is in the tank water change days...since doing all this I lose no fish after a water change..