💧 Water Changes

1. Water Change

Water changes should be performed weekly, replacing 25% of the water. Ensure appropriate valves are open and closed when performing water change. Test storage tank water to ensure acceptable levels of pH and salinity before replacing water.

A water change consists of:

  1. Removing old water by opening the valves on the tanks or siphoning water out manually. Be careful that the room does not flood and that the drain pipes are placed over the floor drain! Close drainage valves when finished.
  2. Replacing the exchanged water with new water. This is done using water from the storage containers and using the plumbing system and pump. Make sure to check where the water will do and have the appropriate valves opened.
  3. Once waterlevels are restored make sure to turn off the main pump by unplugging it and close all appropriate valves.

Valves and plumbing is color coded:

  • Rack 0 (Quarantine) = green 🟩
  • Rack 1 = yellow 🟨
  • Rack 2 = red 🟥

Open valves are oriented as such:

  • Valves on floor near storage tanks: Horizontal with pipe, with bump on the left.
  • Valve on floor in between storage tanks: Vertical with pipe, with bump on top.
  • Hose valve: vertically aligned with pipe
  • Valves above storage tanks near door: Horizontal with pipe, with bump on left.
  • Valve for Rack 1: Aligned with pipe, with bump inward to wall
  • Valve for Rack 2: Aligned with pipe, with bump outward from wall
  • Sink hose valve: turned upward

Closed valves are oriented as such:

  • Valves on floor near storage tanks: Vertically perpendicular with pipe, with bump on top
  • Valve on floor in between storage tanks: Horizontally perpendicular with pipe, with bump on left.
  • Storage hose valve: perpendicularly aligned with pipe
  • Valves above storage tanks near door: Vertically perpendicular perpendicular with pipe, with bump on top.
  • Valve for Rack 1: Horizontally perpendicular with pipe, bump on left
  • Valve for Rack 2: Horizontally perpendicular with pipe, bump on right
  • Sink hose valve: turned downward

Leave ALL valves open, EXCEPT the two valves closest to the storage tanks

💡 Water changes should be recorded as X in the corresponding column of the husbandry sheets. If no water change was performed, it is best practice to leave a - symbol instead of leaving it blank. This makes sure that it wasn't overlooked or forgotten!

2. 🫧 Water Treatment

For every 100 gallons of water, add:
2.5 cups of salt
50 mL of stress coat
0.25 teaspoons of acid buffer
Allow storage tank water to aerate and mix for at least 24 hours.