Water change

[Pricey95]

Hi there.
When should I do my first water change. Cycled the tank with live bacteria and a couple fish and 20kg of live rock. My lfs tested the water and taught me a lot and clarified its fully cycled..?

Been testing water every 2 days and it's seems stable. Got a couple sps and a few softies and all seem very happy.

When should I do my first water change?
It's been up and running from the 18th of December. Going to try stick to 8kh and see if they stay happy with that. Will be dosing eventually when more corals are added.

(I'm waiting on a delivery of Calcium and magnesium tests kits) got 3 buffers from red sea.

Parameters:
Salinity 0.25
Alk 7.7
Ph 8.0
Nitrate 0.25
Phosphate 0.016

 

[Cachemoney]

No reason for a water change until one or more paramaters get out of wack

 

[Pricey95]

No reason for a water change until one or more paramaters get out of wack

What would you call iut of wack?
I'm still quite new to this side of the fence.

Ehich parama to go out would you require a water change

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hi there.
When should I do my first water change. Cycled the tank with live bacteria and a couple fish and 20kg of live rock. My lfs tested the water and taught me a lot and clarified its fully cycled..?

Been testing water every 2 days and it's seems stable. Got a couple sps and a few softies and all seem very happy.

When should I do my first water change?
It's been up and running from the 18th of December. Going to try stick to 8kh and see if they stay happy with that. Will be dosing eventually when more corals are added.

(I'm waiting on a delivery of Calcium and magnesium tests kits) got 3 buffers from red sea.

Parameters:
Salinity 0.25
Alk 7.7
Ph 8.0
Nitrate 0.25
Phosphate 0.016

If it's a new cycled tank, and you have not done any water changes, nitrates reading 0.25 are impossible.

There is something wrong here.

Once the tank is running you should start 10% weekly water changes as there is a lot of microbacterial activity in a new tank.

Once a tank is stable > 6 months you can back off on water changes.

 

[Pricey95]

If it's a new cycled tank, and you have not done any water changes, nitrates reading 0.25 are impossible.

There is something wrong here.

Once the tank is running you should start 10% weekly water changes as there is a lot of microbacterial activity in a new tank.

Once a tank is stable > 6 months you can back off on water changes.

Thanks for the reply.
I have no idea then as I've just done a Nitrate test and thus is the result.

Looks like it says 10 on the chart

 

[Pricey95]

Am I reading it wrong?

 

[gbroadbridge]

If it's a new cycled tank, and you have not done any water changes, nitrates reading 0.25 are impossible.

There is something wrong here.

Am I reading it wrong?

You read the Salifert test from directly above with the test vial sitting on the white part of the card.
You need a well lit area with daylight lighting, not warm lighting

A new tank that has had no water changes I'd expect > 40ppm nitrate.

Regards
Graham.

 

[Pricey95]

You read the Salifert test from directly above with the test vial sitting on the white part of the card.
You need a well lit area with daylight lighting, not warm lighting

A new tank that has had no water changes I'd expect > 40ppm nitrate.

Regards
Graham.

Thank you I appreciate that.

When should I water change then? When it gets to how many ppm would you say.

Thanks
Elliot

 

[Idech]

Thank you I appreciate that.

When should I water change then? When it gets to how many ppm would you say.

Thanks
Elliot

Do you have a skimmer ? Do you top off regularly ? Do you feed lightly or heavy ?

I have a new tank also and since I top off 7-10 gallons per week and run a skimmer 24/7, I’m not so preoccupied with water changes. I make sure my parameters are stable (Alk, mag and CA) for the corals.

I waited about 4 weeks before doing my first (I didn’t run the skimmer for the first month, but didn’t have many fish either).

I have done a few WC since then. Water changes are all about exporting nutrients (decaying food, fish poop etc) and adjusting parameters with new saltwater. So if those two are taken care of, then WC isn’t as crucial.

 

[Rmckoy]

Thanks for the reply.
I have no idea then as I've just done a Nitrate test and thus is the result.

Looks like it says 10 on the chart

To confirm it’s correct . Looking through the side gives one value .
if you look down from the top match the colour .
it should be 10x the side value .

 

[40g Nano]

From my experience, 10-20% water changes every week are very beneficial

 

[casey012293]

If you are working on a low maintenance, I would do weekly water changes starting now. Once you get your dosing and everything set up, gradually decrease your water changes to every couple of weeks while monitoring changes, then monthly, every two months, three, etc. and do 2-4 changes at each interval change. This will allow bacteria to keep up with the changes. SPS are sensitive so I wouldn’t start off with no changes to begin with. I dose AFR and am at about once every 4 months for a change. I use a refugium for some nutrients and bring phosphates down with elimiphos from TM in lieu of water changes. Am considering carbon dosing instead of the algae reactor refugium I have but need to upgrade my skimmer before I switch to that.

 

[casey012293]

Also carbon bags monthly to remove chemicals and use gloves as much as possible to reduce Introduction of chemicals.

 

[Pricey95]

If you are working on a low maintenance, I would do weekly water changes starting now. Once you get your dosing and everything set up, gradually decrease your water changes to every couple of weeks while monitoring changes, then monthly, every two months, three, etc. and do 2-4 changes at each interval change. This will allow bacteria to keep up with the changes. SPS are sensitive so I wouldn’t start off with no changes to begin with. I dose AFR and am at about once every 4 months for a change. I use a refugium for some nutrients and bring phosphates down with elimiphos from TM in lieu of water changes. Am considering carbon dosing instead of the algae reactor refugium I have but need to upgrade my skimmer before I switch to that.

So you reccoment eventually dose an all in one dose? Which would you reccomend?

I was going to buy the red sea KH, calcium and magnesium and do it separately.

Okay in two weeks today I will do my first water change once a week for a month thene try 2 a month then 1 a month and so fourth keeping an eye on the parameters.

So I want to be keeping the Nitrate below 5 on the chart and if its above 5 I need to water change?

 

[Pricey95]

Do you have a skimmer ? Do you top off regularly ? Do you feed lightly or heavy ?

I have a new tank also and since I top off 7-10 gallons per week and run a skimmer 24/7, I’m not so preoccupied with water changes. I make sure my parameters are stable (Alk, mag and CA) for the corals.

I waited about 4 weeks before doing my first (I didn’t run the skimmer for the first month, but didn’t have many fish either).

I have done a few WC since then. Water changes are all about exporting nutrients (decaying food, fish poop etc) and adjusting parameters with new saltwater. So if those two are taken care of, then WC isn’t as crucial.

Thanks for your reply.

I've just popped the skimmer on yesterday running 24/7 and am topping up every other day to keep the Salinity to 0.25

I've got 4 fish in total

 

[Idech]

I've just popped the skimmer on yesterday running 24/7 and am topping up every other day to keep the Salinity to 0.25

You should be topping off once a day at least. Just keep a jug of water near your tank and start a routine.

Even better, if you can afford it, get an ATO.

 

[Uncle99]

So you reccoment eventually dose an all in one dose? Which would you reccomend?

I was going to buy the red sea KH, calcium and magnesium and do it separately.

Okay in two weeks today I will do my first water change once a week for a month thene try 2 a month then 1 a month and so fourth keeping an eye on the parameters.

So I want to be keeping the Nitrate below 5 on the chart and if its above 5 I need to water change?

The Red Sea 3-part is fine, consistent and readily available.
That way you can control the levels individually.

Be ready to test all three.

You can change 10-20% anytime you like, but you can achieve greater stability if you do the same amount on the same frequency, so for me, weekly, 10%, every week, forever.

 

[Pricey95]

You should be topping off once a day at least. Just keep a jug of water near your tank and start a routine.

Even better, if you can afford it, get an ATO.

I'm running a canister so not getting much evaporation to be topping up. The Salinity stays pretty stable for two days a time. I stoll check it every morning and top up if needs be to keep it at .025

 

[gbroadbridge]

To confirm it’s correct . Looking through the side gives one value .
if you look down from the top match the colour .
it should be 10x the side value .

No, Looking from above gives you the number on the card.

If you look from the side you divide the number on the card by 10

 

[Rmckoy]

No, Looking from above gives you the number on the card.

If you look from the side you divide the number on the card by 10

Correct ..
sorry I was backwards