Johmanda
Well-Known Member
Set up my tank on 08/01/2012. It's beginning to cycle with good peaks of Nitrite and Nitrate. Do I need to be doing water changes during this period? How often and how much? Thank You! Johmanda
Water changes on a new set up?
- Thread starter Johmanda
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muteturkey
Community Member
Don't do a waterchange, it will slow the process down. You want it to drop naturally while the bacteria cultivates on the rock and in the sand. Depending on the size of tank, usually takes around a month, sometimes longer.
Trex
Valuable Member
What type of rock are you using? Dry or live?
I have always used live rock, and want to preserve as much of the life on the rock as possible -- therefore I treat a new set up as if it has been running for years. That means water changes, running the skimmer, etc. One advantage is that the bacteria population will build up to the carrying capacity of the tank, as opposed to over shooting it if you don't do any water changes.
I have always used live rock, and want to preserve as much of the life on the rock as possible -- therefore I treat a new set up as if it has been running for years. That means water changes, running the skimmer, etc. One advantage is that the bacteria population will build up to the carrying capacity of the tank, as opposed to over shooting it if you don't do any water changes.
Johmanda
Well-Known Member
The tank is a 46 gal. bowfront. I put 50# of live sand, 40# base rock, and 50# Fiji Live rock. I also got a bunch (about 30-40) of free, small blue-legged hermit crabs that I put in. They are doing well and looking for new shells. I guess the Fiji rock was 'well cured' as I have not seen the 1st hitchhiker come out of it.
Mr. D
Well-Known Member
Sounds like you got a great deal there. It's truly amazing what hermits can go through and survive.
As already stated...don't do a WC until your cycle is complete. After that you can begin doing your WC's like normal. I'd recommend once weekly or bi-weekly for best results.
As already stated...don't do a WC until your cycle is complete. After that you can begin doing your WC's like normal. I'd recommend once weekly or bi-weekly for best results.
Trex
Valuable Member
I, personally, would do water changes to limit the ammonia spike -- better for those hermits and other hitchhikers that you want to keep. Doing a water change is not going to screw up the cycle at all.
Here is a nice graph from a man who knows a great deal about this,
