3 Tips for New Tank Water Changes [Don't Make this Common Fatal Mistake - Watch This!]

Ben Ochart
Ben Ochart
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Published 2022-05-01
#cichlids
#africancichlids
#southamericancichlids
#centralamericancichlids
#hugefish
#hugetanks
#waterchages
#newfishtank
#waterchangeandnewfishtanks
#benochart

Here are 3 tips for those of you setting up a new tank. Based on common questions I hear over and over there seems to be some confusion regarding whether or not to do water changes while setting up a new tank. Unfortunately new fish keepers make a very common mistake and it ends up killing off fish. Should you do water changes right away with a new tank? Watch this and don't make that mistake!

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All Comments (21)
  • @jonstfrancis
    Good points, this is a difficult subject. People should know that ammonia causes irreparable damage to fish gills. Definitely adding a sponge or filter media from an up and running filter works.
  • @nayanmistry4641
    Great video Ben, it's good to see some confirmation. Cheers 👍
  • @trentinw
    Thanks Ben. I set up a 2nd tank just the way you taught us in previous videos and it worked! thanks so much!
  • @rockyandmiles9889
    I set up a 10 gallon a week ago. Put used poly fill from another tank,added Dr Tims ammonia and Fritz 7. Will monitor for a couple of weeks before adding neon tetras, which is to quarantine til I put in main community tank.
  • @sandraschwan358
    Good suggestions. I am new to fish keeping. Started in August. Learned a lot. Lost two fish due to circumstances out of my control. I am always trying to learn more. Thanks
  • @Jackcrow955
    Thank you so much for this, Golden advice...you saved my life.❤️❤️
  • @cichlid_kings
    🐠 Best way to keep your fish healthy 🐠 This is vital information 😎
  • @cholotg9177
    Good morning Ben from south Florida. 🙏for sharing
  • @bguen1234
    I've been keeping fish since the '70s, fresh and salt, breeding, and I've NEVER done a 50% water change. Maybe 20% at most. Smaller changes more often. My favorite is doing a half gallon a day continuously, because it's so easy.
  • @klownz666
    I watch a lot of fish youtubers and this is the first one I have seen point out if you use bottled bacteria to make sure your water is conditioned and pure first so as not to kill the bacteria.... I wouldn't have thought of that myself but now it is pointed out to me it really is very intelligent advice.
  • @100bgeagle
    Just set up a new 100 gal acrylic tank.put 30 lbs of new sand in and took my old tank 60 gal sand and rocks , put on top. My old filters 2- 406's transfered to the new tank. Also my plastic plants kept in water till transfer. Added my fish, with this I had one day of semi clouded water and over night it cleared completely! Didn't put in any additives. Just shows keeping as much bacteria alive started my cycle quicker and safer!
  • @harshtruth9148
    So I recently set up a 75 gallon with a new fluval 407 canister. My brother in law had a 60 gallon sponge in a tank running for years so I threw that in my tank to help establish....it worked out beautifully. Kept the sponge for 2 weeks and gave it back. added fish and no problems. Then I had a massive issue.....ICH!!! One of the Electric Blue Acara I bought had ICH from the store and since im new I had no idea what it was....my brother in law said what to look for and boom...first fish in my new tank had ich so the next 7 fish I added all got the ICH as well. you know when you treat ICH they call for water change after 2 days then treat then water change again so I had to do this to my newly established tank. I got lucky and all the fish survived and I cured the ICH as well. My tank has been running for 2 months now, fish about 2 to 3 inches roughly all healthy..... 2 electric blue acrara, 2 Geophagus Tapajos, 2 Geophagus Red Line, and 2 Albino Threadfin Hecklii.....I love it but it wasnt easy. If not for chanels like yours I wouldve lost them. Oh btw, yes I squeezed all my brother in laws filters into a bucket and poured it into my tank as well in the beginning. The Red Line Geo's were mislabeled as Tapajos but are suriname so they get to about a foot, looks like I will have to donate them when they reach about 6", tanks just not big enough for them.
  • @chrispixx
    I have set up a new tank using established media from other tanks like sponge filters, or sponges out of Hobs and actually squeezing the sponges into the new tank of treated water. But what I don't understand is why the big YouTube guys like yourself, the king of DIY, aquarium Co-op, don't talk about fishless cycling using pure ammonia. Which I have also done in the past with great success.