The Puffer Forum

I thought it would be useful to have and article on how to do a water change so I decided to make one.

First of all, you will need a bucket/container to store the water in so that you can prepare the water change a few days in advance in order to let the salt dissolve. You must make sure that the bucket holds the right amount of water for the amount you are changing.

Fill the bucket with the required amount of water, then add a dechlorinator. Read the instructions on the bottle to know how much to add to the volume of water you are using. I use Nutrafin Aqua Plus but there are others such as Seachem Prime. You should add the dechlorinator in advance so that it has time to take affect on the water.



After you have added the declorinator, you must add marine salt. After this, you should add an air pump and a powerhead (optional) and heater (optional). The air pump will help dissolve the salt, the powerhead will help circulate the water and the heater will keep it at the same temperature as the tank.



I leave my water running for 48 hours before the water change so after 24 hours, use a refractometer/hydrometer to check if you have the right amount of salt. So you will have time to adjust the salinity. If the salinity is too high then simply empty out some water and add fresh water. Remember to add a dechlorinator because even though you are leaving the water with an air pump for 24 hours or more it will not get rid of the chloramine. I am aiming for 1.005 since I have figure 8 puffers. A refractometer will be more accurate since hydrometers are temperature sensitive.



After you have done all that, you are now ready. You will need to get another bucket to syphon out the water from your tank to the bucket. You should empty out about 50% of the water.



Once you have syphoned the tank, you must clean the filter in the tank water you emptied. If you were to clean it under a tap, the chlorine would kill off the living bacteria on your filter media.



Now it is time to get the bucket that you used to prepare the water change and empty it out into the tank.



Please remember, water changes should be done once a week.

Nice post. There is one like it, but yours is much more thorough. This might even be a good idea to Sticky, for Newcommers? Admins, if you see this, think about it.

http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/vie ... php?t=4315

Don't you measure out the salt somehow? I see a pic of just pouring it into the bucket.

I do use spoons but that was the day of the water change, not preparation so I did it just for the picture since it was already at 1.005.

Thats pretty nice Raph. I think with a bit of tweaking it could be worthy of being sticky-ified.

I have just now slightly tweaked it.

ok, a question...


what if you have a 55 gal BW and need to do water changes? that is like 15 gals (25%) or is it not the same as fresh? and don't correct me on the numbers to be exact it is (13.75) but anyway should I keep 3 5 gal buckets ready at all times or is there an easier way to handle this?... not all BW tanks are small from what I read on this site so what do you do with a 55 gal setup? Cant I just do a once a week water change and add as needed? or do I HAVE TO have salt water on stand by, or is it just preferred?

and after my last post , I really just want REAL answers please not NEGATIVE! criticism, I have 6 Puffers and I want to treat them well and care for so POSITIVE replies will help me do that!...negative will just result in a worthless sidetrack debate......and not help me take care of these guys as the need......


Might I mention: and I will....!~ that I got them from Wal-Mart in the Cichlid Tank!!!! so i think I can do better and want to do better for them.......also what and how many tankmates can I have in this setup, I will post pics if I dont get reamed as last time... to help.

thank you for all answers....

6 Puffers, 2-GSP & 4 F8's, 55 Gal Tank 1 EMP 400 & 1 AquaClear 500/110 (dead) coral decorations, crushed coral sub, and some fake plants and some real driftwood from home ...they eat very well just want more info, I have had them for about 2 months now.

So, I'll take it you have 6 GSPs in that 55 gallon?

I know you don't wanna hear it, but its our job, and your killing your fish, little by little... If they are in fact 6 GSPs in a 55 gallon, the toxins they give off is suffocating them.

But if your INSISTENT on keeping that many and not returning any, the Bio-load WILL be EXPONENTIALLY larger, so you should do a water change every other day, alternating between 25% and 50%. Yes, you HAVE to prepare the water outside the tank to get the SG right and rid the chlorines and chloramines. You'll need an air pump and air stone, and should have a heater, although you can get away without one... [NOT RECOMMENDED]

Now, if you had the proper amount of fish in there, you could do 25% water changes every week... But you don't, so if you just NEED that many, than take the advice above. Otherwise I can all but guaruntee they all die within a few months, but I can guaruntee an extremely early death... The only way LFS get away with it is because those tanks ar merely holding tanks, not meant for a fish to stay in for an extended period of time...

But, just FYI, putting them in a better environment than Walmart isn't saying anything.... I could be sick and go #2 (Being nice) in a toilet and put the GSP in there and it'd almost be better than Walmart....

Please do the right thing, treat these fish as REAL pets, not furniture, and return at least 4... Having 2 GSPs in a 55 is still pushing it, but its better than 6...

Its always sad to see these cases though...

Best--You can premix within a few hours but overnight is best.

Not the best--If you have a HOB filter & know exactally how much salt you need to add, you can mix the salt into a bucket & slowly pour the salty mix into your filter (mixing it further) while filling the tank w/FW (after adding dechlor).

If they are GSPs, then I wouldn't get any tank mates, till the tank is upgraded. (30g/adult min, w/o extra tank mates). I'd also be doing 50% weekly water changes--much easier to calculate too.

Man... Ok, I'll agree with PP to an extent, but with all due respect, SIX GSP's is entirely too much to keep in a tank sufficent enough for only one, not even two... At an adult size of course... But still, SIX!!! Even young, thats way small.

Your GSPs will probably stop growing soon and remain very small. Sorry to hear your lack of care.

And PP, not disrespect please, I'm not trying to step on your toes, I know your only trying to be nice, but this kid needs to hear it...

I totally missed this:

6 Puffers, 2-GSP & 4 F8's, 55 Gal Tank

As long as they are juvies, a 55g is probably ok for both species.

Best plan--keep the 55g for the F8s & add assorted other BW fish--could be a really cool tank! Then get a 75g for the 2 GSPs.

OK plan--Keep the 55g for 2 GSPs & get a 45g for the F8s--no tank mates.

I'd move the GSPs out by the time they are ~2" or they will get aggressive towards the F8s.

I know it only makes a little difference but I believe his post says he's got 2 GSPs and 4 F8s in there.

Oh... I missed that too...

6 Puffers, 2-GSP & 4 F8's, 55 Gal Tank

But nonetheless....

Another Idea - Return either both GSP or all 4 F8's and you'll be ok... not perfect... but ok.

sorry guys, i thought I said 2 GSP and 4 Fig-8's and all are 2" not grown, and i have had them for like 2 months and NO problems fighting or anything they eat well, and swim all the time, I traet them as FW so I do a 25% water change every week, and siphon the gravel/coral at that time because as I read and found they are dirty!...I just want to make them happy, I have had Cichlids forever , but never Puffers and want to make a nice home for them, when I saw them at Wal Mart I died, knowing they were not right there...as I do Cichlids sometimes so I take them home to give them a better life.


Ok,here are some pics of current home......

They may be small now, but they'll never live their lives out or grow to their full potential if you don't give them the space they require. Not to mention the GSP's get much larger than the F8's. So its just not a good long term plan, you need to start planning at least one additional tank if you want to keep all of them. Simple facts, not picking on you, just telling you the truth. If you don't care about their quality of life, go ahead and stuff them all in there. Puffers can live up to 15, 18 years or more if kept properly, managing to keep them alive 2 months is not a huge feat. Come back in 6 years with them alive and healthy and that will be something to earn some respect.

As far as premixing larger quantities of salt, you can pick up a larger rubbermaid container like a garbage can (even with wheels if you'd like). That way you don't have a ton of buckets laying around. But you'd also need a pump to pump the water up out of the garbage can into the tank, since you won't be able to pick up the garbage can to dump it into the tank like a 5 gallon bucket.

Always be careful with premixing saltwater and using heaters in plastic containers though, you don't want to melt through your container! Leaning a piece of glass against the side of the container and attaching the heater to that is a good idea.