Changing Water w/o damaging substrate in 3 gal?

[LegalEagle2009]

Just bought my first tank for Bilbo (3 gal) and planted it with some live plants. Have the first 50% water change coming up today or tomorrow and then a 100% water change over the weekend.

How do it I do this without messing up the plantings/substrate? Can I change water with Bilbo in the tank (the 50% change, anyway)? When I do a 100% change, how do I do it? And what do I do with Bilbo during that change?

Also, when do I test his water? I tested it last night to see if water needed changing yet, and things all seemed ok. (Need to get a book to log stuff in, I think). And are there ways to treat problems with water if issues do come up (i.e., PH without having to buy lots of products to treat each individual thing). Thinking more frequent water changes help with some of it, but I'd like to see if I can get the plant life inside the tank (and maybe some snails) to do some of the work itself, so more frequent water changes are unnecessary. (Just a thought).

Trying to get prepared in advance of the actual water change. (I.e., get all supplies I need).

Thanks!

[MyRainbowBettaFish]

for the 50% leave him in. for the 100%, cup him gently in a cup, and take a gravel vaccum and siphon out all the water, leaving the gravel.

[LegalEagle2009]

Ok, so I need to go buy a gravel vacuum too.

My boyfriend is going to laugh his heinie off at me when I get yet another thing for this fish tank. I've spent as much on this tank as he spent for he and I and his 2 kids to go to the fair (where I won the goldfish that started this all!). LOL

[LegalEagle2009]

Does the cup then float in the water when it's time to transfer him back to the tank? When I transferred him from the bowl to the tank, I put him in a ziplock baggie I left completely open and floating at the top but that was awkward getting him in and out of. He doesn't appreciate my disturbing him. He's a fast little bugger who runs from the net whenever I try to snare him. LOL

[aokashi]

if you have plants in your tank you should certainly never have to do 100%changes. stick to 2 50%s a week. it does depend on your stocking of plants as well.

A gravel vaccum is fine, if you do indeed have gravel. make double sure you do not agitate the substrate too much, so that the plant roots are as unaffected as possible.

Plants are very good at keeping your water parameters safe. test regularly, and if you don't need to do more than a 50% WC. don't do it :) hope it helps