Cycling and water changes

Acronuts · Oct 13, 2009

How soon after cycling your tank should you think about doing a water change?

m and m · Oct 13, 2009

You can do then while your tank is cycling. i believe its reccamended, just make sure you use ro water its alot better then tap

AZDesertRat · Oct 13, 2009

Don't change while cycling, it prolongs the process since you are exporting the foods (ammonia and nitrites) the bacteria (nitrosonomas and nitrobacter) need to grow and multiply. Wait until the cycle is complete and nitrates are rising before your first water change.

tydtran · Oct 13, 2009

Exactly what AZDesertRat said. You do water changes to get rid of bad stuff and replenish good stuff. Right now, you don't have either requirement so don't bother.

jason534 · Oct 13, 2009

i would just add water at this time. Because they are right changing water will make you tank cycle last longer.

TheRedOx · Oct 13, 2009

I've read, in a couple of places, that the first WC should be 50%. Everyone agree with that? I just did a normal change (about 20%) for my first one.

revhtree · Oct 13, 2009

Honestly if it is cycled and you are showing no Nitrates, Nitrites, or Ammonia, I would not do a water change.

Acronuts · Oct 13, 2009

Well.....I must admit a bit of different opinons. In my case I am cycling the tank with my previous systems water, LR and sand from the older system as well. On week three I noticed of course some brown diatom algae on glass. Snails and kole tang are doing a great job of lapping it up.
Week four will be this Sunday.
I have had no ammonia or nitrite spikes at all. Nitirate has been in the 5 to 10 range each week.
Therefore with this info would I still need to do a water change or would I just need to let the parimeters like nitrate get higher to lets say 20 or 30 before doing a water change?

tekken · Oct 13, 2009

IMO, if you used everything from your old system, and your water is stable in regards to ammonia and such, i would assume that your tank is fully cycled and you do do like a 20% water change.

starfish · Oct 13, 2009

A large water change will set the tank back. I would go with what Rev says no water change. Water change will disturb the bio of the tank that is trying to establish.

Electrobes · Oct 13, 2009

If your tank is new and the cycle is happening I would wait at least a couple months before doing a water change. You need to let the bacteria go up and down till it settles out.. then start doing water changes... IMO

Acronuts · Oct 14, 2009

It does make sense. I will wait a bit longer.
So far I have never seen my sps's PE so great! The millies are just out. As of this evening I happen to look at my sps's and noticed growth!!!
It is the beginnings of what should become and turn into small branches.
Any transfer their sps's to a new tank and start seeing growth in just 3 weeks?
Will photograph tomorrow to show you what I mean.