What’s the best way to do major water changes in an aquarium? I have two 5 gallon buckets and a siphon for my 10 gallon tank, and while moving the water isn’t a problem, I don’t know how to get that amount of new water up to temperature in a timely manner. ‘Buy a second tank just for water and put a heater in it’ seems impractical but might be the best bet.
You should only change the water 25-30% never major unless you suspect something in the tank or your ammonia/nitrate/nitrite/PH levels are off. One Bucket is enough for that. To maintain temperature try and keep the water no higher than 76F and no lower than 72F for a betta, they can survive in higher and lower but it’s not recommended
I don’t have a betta. My tank is only plants now. I’m doing several major water changes over the next few weeks in the hopes that whatever parasite or bacteria that might have killed him does not remain in the water column and infect future inhabitants (probably just shrimp, I think).
My main concern is how to heat the water. I hesitate to use warm water straight from the tap because hot water heaters can introduce minerals and metals that I don’t necessarily want in my tank, but heating it manually even for small water changes has been a pain in the ass. I’ve boiled a little and mixed it, and I’ve filled a gallon with dechlorinated water and then let it sit in warm water until it comes to temperature, but if I do that for more than 2 or 3 gallons it’s going to take hours to do a water change.
Actually, bettas should never go below 78 degrees. Most tropical fish shouldn’t. Some people keep bettas at more like 80 degrees.
The vast majority of parasites that infect fish don’t infect shrimp, they’re too different. Also, they’ll all die out if you just let the tank sit for long enough without fish in it, they need hosts to survive.
A big bucket with a heater stuck in it should do the trick. Plants will definitely tolerate a pretty big temp swing all right, though.
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