water change

[emperorangel]

Hey Marc, I read your article on water changes. Very nice. But I was wondering when would be the best time to change your water. Day/Night/noon/dinner?

[melev]

Hi emperorangel,

[welcome]

For me, the best time is when I'm feeding my tank. That is the time when the return pump is already off, the sump is full of water including what drains down (when the pump is off), and the fish are busy eating. When the water change is completed, I turn on the return pump and the fish never know the difference.

[will_w]

Marc, Thanks for the article. The one thing that I think you did not mention was that at the time the water is changed the temperature of the new water should be the same as the tank temperature. I think you mentioned using a heater when aging the water, but I think it is even more important to insure the water temperature prior to changing the water out.

[melev]

Yep, that is in the article:

Before changing any water, you first need to match three measurements - salinity, temperature and pH. The new saltwater and the tank’s water need to be matched as closely as possible to avoid stressing your fish and corals.