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Hello everyone! I'm not only new to this board but to the hobby. I recently purchased a 20gal tank and allowed it to stabilize for a couple of days before buying my first fish. I'm armed with a ton of research and ready to ride out the first "cycle".

My question, which I haven't seen addressed in any of my research so far, is should the fish be removed from the tank for vacuuming/cleaning and water changes?

Should the heater, filter and air pump be turned off during these events?

Should the new water be conditioned in a bucket, if so how can I ensure the temperature will be close enough when added?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

No dont take the fish out for waterchanges as its uneeded and it would stress them bad. I always turn off my heater but never my filters. You should turn off the air pump as its uneeded during the water change. If you leave the filter off during water changes and its more than an hour then you should empty all the water in the filter as some bacteria have died off and it could kill the fish. You can condition the water in a bucket as thats the safest way. To keep the temperatures close you can use a thermometer but I just go by how it feels to me. Good Luck

Thanks for the reply greenmonkey. I'll make sure to leave the little guys in the tank.

When doing water changes its a good idea to have your fresh water in a bucket which has set up for at least 24 hours. This allows the chlorine in the water to evaporate. If allowing the water to sit isn't possible or practical then use a good dechlorinator to remove the chlorine. As for turning things off, I use a power strip on my tanks. Flip the switch, everything is off, flip it back and everything works again. No more what does this plug go to. Another thing to bring up if you are new to the hobby, make sure to place drip loops in your wiring to prevent electrical shorts. A drip loop is simply a point where the cord hangs down below the level of the plug allowing any water which may find its way onto your power cord to drip off before contacting current.

A note to add to the above post:

Many cities are now adding chloramines instead of chlorine to their water. Chloramine will not evaporate, so it is necessary to use a dechlorinating product that removes the stuff on chloramine-treated tap water. To find out whether your city/area is using chloramines, you should be able to get a copy of your city's water report, or find it on their website, or just call in. This will also tell you about the pH and hardness of your water, as well as any other additives that might be in there. Just bear in mind that things the city does not add can seep into the water supply, such as phosphates.

If you don't care about the water report, just use a product that removes both chlorine and chloramines. That will do just fine.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Great advice everyone. I'll be sure to check my local water company's website. I did buy some "AquaSafe" when I purchased the tank, but I'm thinking I should scale the dosage based on the amount of new water and not the volume of the tank. Recommended dosage is 5 ml (1 tsp)/10 gal. So if I'm adding 4 gals back (20% change) to a 20 gal tank I should add only 2 ml or 1/2 teaspoon to the bucket, right?

Thanks again everyone. I feel like a new dad all over again...is the milk the right temp, etc.

That's correct, however add the dechlorinator to your water in a bucket before you add the water to your tank. No need to wait or anything, just add the dechlor then dump the water into the tank.

I turn things off as the water level gets low. That way my filters aren't off the whole time and I don't have to worry about the bacteria dying or my biowheels drying out. I do half of my waterchange or more before I have to start unplugging things. Just don't leave a filter to run without water circulating through it or the motor could overheat. A heater can shock you, break, or overheat the water if it's left plugged in and the water level is lowered too much. I add the dechlorinator to the bucket then stir it real quick before dumping it in.

sham, the filter has a very long intake...almost 12", so I'll be sure to leave it running so the biowheel doesn't dry out.

Thanks again everyone for all the helpfull advice. I think I'm ready for my first water change when it comes.

I heat up water for water changes by pouring hot water from a kettle into the bucket. I assume the boiling gets rid of the chlorine.

I think it is a good idea to turn off all electricity to your tank turning water changes. Why take the chance. Your filter media won't dry out as it only takes about 15 mins. to gravel vac and add water.

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If at first you DO succeed, try not to look astonished.

True, I do have dips in my cords, but even then I don't want to electrocute myself the first time out.