Water Change After Cycle?

[Kasey Grohowski]

Just wondering what % water change should be performed after cycle is complete. My ammonia is at 1 nitrites at 2-5 and nitrates are at like 60 maybe higher. Also how long should the nitrites take to drop? Theyve been at the same level for about 4 days now it seems. Ammonia is being processed and nitrates are abundant so I don't think my cycle is stalled.

 

[Big G]

Hobby grade test kits can be a bit unreliable. Not unheard of for them to register a bit of ammonia instead of zero when it should be zero. And the same goes for registering some nitrite when the NITRATES are high. That being said, the nitrite cycle takes a bit longer than the ammonia cycle. How long has the tank been cycling?

 

[Idoc]

Typically you will do a 50-75% water change once the cycle is complete. But, for chuckie probably isn't complete if you have ammonia still present. When your tank can cycle 2ppm ammonia in 24hrs, then you are cycled and ready to go.

Your nitrates are really only going to be reduced via a water change, so if you have 60ppm now, a 50% water change should leave you with 30ppm.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Hobby grade test kits can be a bit unreliable. Not unheard of for them to register a bit of ammonia instead of zero when it should be zero. And the same goes for registering some nitrite when the NITRATES are high. That being said, the nitrite cycle takes a bit longer than the ammonia cycle. How long has the tank been cycling?

A week, but a ton of bacteria was put into the tank

 

[Big G]

A week, but a ton of bacteria was put into the tank

Usually takes my QTs about 30 days to completely cycle using ammonia. But as @Idoc posted the first water change will make the biggest impact so a 50% is a good idea. Then the next 50 % will have lowered the nitrates to a total of 75% of the original, if that makes sense. It's amazing how much water you need to change to get nitrates down to the "good" range. Usually about 100% when all said and done.

 

[Vitaly S]

Glad I saw this post, had similar question, been cycling for 30 days now, week as ammonia and nitrite is reading zero, but nitrates at max...