It also states to only do 1 water change every month, even from the get go. share. Nitrate will have nowhere to go and build up over time and it shouldn't get higher than 40 ppm in 2 weeks before the water change. I was going to do another one today, but I don't want to stress her by doing it too often. When it comes to maintenance, why would people do multiple water changes a week do better than someone who does water changes every two weeks when in essence they are changing … At least we are agreeing on most of this. The nitrites have slowly increased until 2 days ago, when they spiked to 2 ppm, and today the nitrites are at 5 ppm. Thank you so much for your thoughtful replies. Water Changes when Cycling? Every couple of days, do a 10%-15% water change, and after about a week, take a sample of your water to a fish store to get it tested. After that, you can continue changing the water according to the standard … Newer guidelines recommend 10-25% once a week for optimal health. The fish are wonderful creatures that will do most of the process for us. Don't change the filter cartidge unless it is falling apart. I have a fluval accent 95 and the instructions don't mention the cycle at all so I can't really trust what they say. So after the aquarium cycling process has completed, test aquarium water before and/or after a partial aquarium water change. report. Performing a fish-in cycle with Seachem Prime Step 1: Set up your aquarium . miami754 Posts: 373 Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am. If you can maintain this schedule you may be able to add more fish. And, that includes all the equipment – heaters, filters, air pumps… Get it in there! I started with 4 ppm of pure ammonia, which has slowly decreased to 1-2 ppm as of today. In my opinion fresh clean water is the number one preventative for disease in the tank as well as other issues like algae or diatoms. 100% Upvoted. During the cycling process what amount of the water should be changed? If you do stock fish during the cycle, keep the overall number of fish low and be aggressive with water changes to attempt to avoid ammonia and nitrite poisoning. save. Posted by. I guess my main question now is how often should I do partial water changes on this tank since we did not go through the cycling process? Water changes will not harm the nitrifying bacteria since they do not live in the water column. I'm using a combination of fishless and normal cycling. Have the diatoms, and the Nitrates are dropping, so everything looks well. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. If this is so, this is incorrect. A water change of 50% and a heavy dose of Prime every 2 days can keep the ammonia under control until the bacteria catch up. Fishtanktv = http://fishtanktv.com/profile/FotisThis is how I've been doing my water changes now that im at the end of second cycling week. The more I learn the less I realise I know. High Ammonia and Nitrites levels are needed to build up the required bacteria populations to start and maintain the Nitrate cycle. hide. 1) FAQ. We all do them (well, most of us do...) but everyone seems to have developed their own routine. Anything above 20 ppm is bad and above 40 ppm is very toxic. Just to clarify a tiny bit more on the bio-wheel, as I also have one...it is acceptable to rinse this (in used tank water), but only advisable in a very-much so established tank when it may become so covered in new/dead-decaying bacterial colonies/other gunk that it actually doesn't rotate well or at all anymore (it could also be the bearings which you can just wipe off with a paper towel--that is those little purple grooves the wheel sits on), and the only instance this will probably happen in is if your tank is about 6 mos established or much more. Also, do I add chemicals every water change during this process? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. What is the ph of the tap water, after it has been sitting out for a day? had a problem previously myself with high nitrites and cloudiness that took a while to clean up. Thank you all. If so, what do I add? by spongebob4460 » Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:31 am. Here’s exactly how you cycle the water in your aquarium while keeping the fish inside. Also, do I add chemicals every water change during this process? Note that this advice assumes you are doing fish-less cycling throughout start to finish. If you are just starting out with a brand new tank and have fish inside, it is best to do frequent water changes during the water cycle. I want my fish to be living in the best possible conditions. You seem to have a good understanding of what you're doing, and the motorized gravel vac sounds pretty cool. Close. If you plan on introducing fish mid-cycle, which we do not recommend, you will need to perform very frequent water changes to keep ammonia or nitrite accumulation or fluctuation from causing damage or death to fish. It’s time to set up your aquarium. Cycling with a lot of fish can contribute to a foul smell coming from the tank. Too much water during short, high-intensity bike rides has the potential to cause stomach upset such that it reduces performance by as much as 2.5 per cent when compared with no fluid intake. 5. You should NEVER touch the biowheel itself, this is where beneficial bacteria grow. I have a fluval accent 95 and the instructions don't mention the cycle at all so I can't really trust what they say. This blue filter pad will also contain some good bacteria, but I personally remove it and put in a new one every month, as the fresh carbon helps keep the water clearer and smelling better. When to drink on the bike The key point to remember is not to wait until you’re thirsty but to drink little and often right from the start of your ride. Mine is a fluval edge 6 gallon. Also, aquarium water testing is important to monitor for Ammonia poisoning. Researchers speculate it may be due to a build-up of prostaglandins–hormone-like chemicals that help expel the uterine lining during menstruation by stimulating contractions (the cause of menstrual cramps). I bought the renewal pack which came with conditioner and biological enhancer and I know to add this once a month when I do the water changes but am I supposed to add it every time I do a water change during cycling? Common amounts if you do weekly water changes to do 10% water volume and if you do bi-weekly then 20% water changes. The frequency with which you change your hydroponic water is … This is because in cold weather your body will want to reduce the supply of blood going around your body. Ammonia and nitrite levels need to spike during the cycling process in order for the cycle to continue and finish it's task. 9 comments. Please go there and keep it going. If you are not adverse to buying additional products, using bio-start additives with live bacteria can also help the aquarium to catch up with the ammonia production. If I do fish-in cycling I do a 25% water change at least every other day, bare minimum. There seems to be quite a lot of different opinions out there so I'm quite confused. Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks. How often should I be doing water changes during this process? Forums >Freshwater / Planted Tank Discussion > How often to change water during cycling (pg. Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks. You don't need to change it this often but you definitely do need to be cleaning this blue pad, not the wheel however. The effectiveness of water changes is determined by two factors: their frequency and the percentage of water that is replaced. This is the only case in which I recommend a water change during the cycle. The maintenance is easier, no fish are stressed, and you can fully stock right away instead of adding fish gradually. Hey anyone! Water changes should be kept to a minimum during cycling (as compared to your normal water change regimen) although water changes don't tend to slow the cycle too much. Water changes Perform a small water change every few days during the cycling process. Except for certain special circumstances, If you change more than 50% of the water in a tank, there will be a sudden and significant change which can have a negative effect on the aquatic animals. During the cycling period, test your water chemistry frequently to measure ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels. Testing tank water early and often during the aquarium cycling process helps hobbyists understand how the buildup of organic fish waste and Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate are related. Why wouldn't you just do a complete fishless cycle? The blue cartridge can be cleaned in tank water (the water you pull out during a water change) by shaking it in that water. How To Cycle The Water Properly. The subreddit for anything related to aquariums! Been wondering, I have a 4ft tank with 30 kg of live rock, and has been cycling for about 4 weeks now. Also I plant to cycle the tank with the fish by using Seachem Stability, testing daily for nitrates and placing an ammonia sensor inside the tank. Most of the chemical processes will take place inside the fist themselves when they eat the fish food containing nitrogen. I don't see the benefit in changing the approach halfway. Another person just told me Yes keep up with water changes during cycling . Most pet shops will test fresh water for a minimal fee, or even for free! If you are doing frequent water changes, 2x a week like u say, then the ph should remain somewhere around the ph of the tap water you are using. Depending on your system you may change it more or less often to maintain optimal pH and nutrient levels. It took only about 4 days for the nearly cycled filter to finish cycling but each day I repeated that water change. Without actually seeing the tank I can't think of anything wrong with what you're doing except that you said your nitrites and nitrates were high. by spongebob4460 » Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:31 am, by Peterkarig3210 » Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:41 am, by Zambize4899 » Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:12 am, by Peterkarig3210 » Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:48 am, by spongebob4460 » Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:22 am, by Tmercier834747 » Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:00 pm, by Zambize4899 » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:09 am. The rising Nitrite levels indicate that the first part of the cycle is kicking in and a water change now would be a disaster, it would stall the cycle and you'd be back at square one. … There are a lot of different water test kits on the market. Press J to jump to the feed. :confused1: Second, it is best practice to know the exact condition of the water before changing. During the cycling process you don't want to disturb the gravel too much (which you wouldn't be doing anyway during a fishless cycle). If so, what do I add? During the tank cycling phase, however, ammonia or nitrite may be the substances that need to be diluted and removed. Archived. No one addressed the biowheel you have... it sounds like from your post that you clean the biowheel and don't touch the blue pad filter cartridge in it? But it really depends on filtration, stocking, etc... My community tanks are heavily stocked and even with a bunch of live plants there's no way I could do water changes only once a month without suffering water quality issues. My ideal is 25% every day, but that is not always a reality when you work 50 hours a week and have nine tanks. The only thing that constantly will go up is nitrate. Come here to enjoy pictures, videos, articles and discussion. Likewise, if medications have been added to your tank, they may need to be removed after they've served their primary purpose.