Needs some help.

[Chrexis]

So I just setup my 26 gallon tank and I am seeding it from my 5.5 gallon. I was wondering if someone could help me out with when I should do water changes, and how much per. I'm not used to larger tanks so the advice would help.

On another note, can you add too much Prime? It says 10 gallons per mL and I'm scared if I don't take out enough water that I'll be hurting the fish. Also I'm not too sure what to do since all I have is a 2 gallon bucket to vacuum the water in to, any ideas on larger containers?

[Kenny G]

For a tank that size I would recommend doing 50% every 2 weeks if its filtered/cycled. Regarding containers you can check your local department stores for larger containers that can hold more water. For water changes that large you sometimes have to be creative and think outside the box. Maybe even a large garbage container might be helpful.

Now regarding the Prime here is a breakdown: 5 ml = 1 tsp = 10 gallons

Follow that and you will be fine.

[Chrexis]

It says on the bottle 5mL treats 50 gallons.

[Shadyr]

For a bucket, maybe one of those big heavy duty paint ones from the likes of a Lowes or Home Depot? I think they hold about 5 gallons, which is probably as much or more as can be easily toted about.

[Chrexis]

The reason why I ask about Prime is because I can't just add 10-12 gallons of water back at once from one container, so if I am adding maybe a couple gallons at a time would Prime be still good to use on that small amount of water?

[thekoimaiden]

All cycled tanks should have at least one water change per week. It's the only way to get rid of dissolved organic matter like hormones that we can't test for. Depending on your stocking level, you should do between 25% and 50% weekly water change.

While you are doing a seeded cycle, you'll have to test the water daily for nitrite and ammonia to determine how much water you need to change. Just remember, doing a 50% water change reduces the ammonia and nitrite by 50%. When I did a seeded cycle, I ended up changing 50% of the water every 3 days, but I also seeded from a tank of equal size and had fast-growing live plants.

Prime can be used in doses small enough to treat a gallon. When I refill my betta tanks, I use a one gallon bucket and dose it with 0.10 mL of prime. I use a diabetes syringe to get the dosing right. I don't think I could do it with just the cap.

[Hallyx]

Originally Posted by Chrexis

The reason why I ask about Prime is because I can't just add 10-12 gallons of water back at once from one container, so if I am adding maybe a couple gallons at a time would Prime be still good to use on that small amount of water?

I think I understand your concern. Yes, it is OK to put the whole dose of Prime into one bucket of refill water, even when you're using several buckets to refill your tank.

1 mL = about two drops. For a 26gal tank, that's 52 drops. Yeah, you're probably better off using a measuring syringe.

Water weighs eight pounds per gallon. My biggest bucket is two gallons. I'm pretty strong, but I won't handle water that weighs more than a bowling ball.