1st waterchange
- Thread starter chemjoey
- Start date
cthegame
Reef enthusiast
Do you have livestock in the tank, like started fish, etc? If so, i would do a water change.
reeffreak
Reef pro
What did you just say?
If ammonia and nitrite is at zero and you are getting nitrate above zero then do a water change.Then you should be ready to add your first fish and cleanup crew.
If ammonia and nitrite is at zero and you are getting nitrate above zero then do a water change.Then you should be ready to add your first fish and cleanup crew.
Piggy
Reef enthusiast
No water change yet. Ammonia and nitrites need to be zero.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
I agree with Piggy, do a water change once the nitrites drop to zero.
reeffreak
Reef pro
You are not ready yet like Piggy and Bifferino said.
Doc
I don't work for anybody
a week and a half is pretty fast for a cycle. My guess is it will take another week and a half. Be a bit more patient and you will be ready to go
-Doc
-Doc
Ironman
Reef enthusiast
patience is the key, like everyone has said let those nitrites zero out, even then dont go crazy with a water change, if you change to much you could go through a mini cycle. what size tank are we talking about here?
The solution to pollution is dilution. Only small to moderate amounts of pollution is needed to establish an adequate beginnings of a biological filtration system. A mini cycle is a problem induced by overstocking commonly, and if you initially overstock any thing but a very mature system you will get a mini cycle. The solution to that problem is all make small additions of stock to your tank, not by trying to establish a "super" biological system with your first cycling. Always error on the side of water changes. It is sorta like if you find a diabetic unconsious, you should always give them sugar. It could very likely save their life, but if your wrong in that treatment it will make almosyt no difference. The results will, at least, give you a clue to what is going on. Water changes are a reefers besr friend. Just make them small and frequent unless there is a catastrophe which might cause the need for large water changes. This however is not common. I like 5 percent twice a week, or at the least 10 percent once a week. Small water changes are very simple to make in comparison to large ones. It should be very simple with a tank as small as a 30 gallon. As you have after displacement for sand and rock you only have around 22 to 25 gallons of water (also consider most tanks will not hold their stated gallonage). I personally would just change a gallon every three days. With a small tank changes can happen rapidly in comparison to large tanks, so the practices of a large tank person does not always reflect the needs of a small tank person. Frequency of monitoring and water changes, as well as filter maintenance and such are more necessary with small tanks. That is why large tanks are more commonly successful. They allow poorer maintenance and more errors without resulting catastrophes.
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Reefgyrl
Reefing newb
being very patient is hard with this hobby, but I would wait atleast another 2 weeks and do a water change
There is never a reason to wait to do a water change if there is a problem with any water parameter. Do a water change, it is safer than doing nothing. The worst that could come from an unnecessary water change is the expense of the salt and your labor. The fact that you have nitrates is testimony to your having an active functioning biological system. Do not try for a super system. Bacteria do not work that way as a colony. To strong of levels of pollutants produce at the end smaller levels of bacteria than if the nutrient levels had been lower.
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IraqVeteran
HOOAH
I agree with the frequent smaller water change. I change 3 gallons every saturday on my 30gal and clean my mechanical filtration at that time as well. Doing it this way also helps to ensure the replenishment of certain trace elements and calcium that is contained in the salt mixture. Depending on what you keep in the tank you might need to use supplements in addition to this though.
I waited about six weeks before I added a small cleanup crew to my 30 gal. The mexican turbo snails do a great job grazing on the intial inevitable brown algae. Patience is the key to success as well as research. It is very important to make sure the water change water is the same SG and PH and Temp as the tank water before adding it to the tank.
I waited about 4 weeks before I did my first water change and the first two changes were each week at about 25 percent and then I started the 10 percent each week after that. I seemed to have had pretty good luck with doing it that way.
I have always kept my tanks lightly stocked with coral/fish. I would love to have a huge tank, but I dont have the room for one.
I waited about six weeks before I added a small cleanup crew to my 30 gal. The mexican turbo snails do a great job grazing on the intial inevitable brown algae. Patience is the key to success as well as research. It is very important to make sure the water change water is the same SG and PH and Temp as the tank water before adding it to the tank.
I waited about 4 weeks before I did my first water change and the first two changes were each week at about 25 percent and then I started the 10 percent each week after that. I seemed to have had pretty good luck with doing it that way.
I have always kept my tanks lightly stocked with coral/fish. I would love to have a huge tank, but I dont have the room for one.
Ironman
Reef enthusiast
I know this is off topic and im sorry! But thanks for your service to our country Iraqveteran. I have alot of respect for you!
IraqVeteran
HOOAH
Ironman.......I really appreciate the support and respect. For those of us who serve those comments make a huge impact on us. It's the simple "thank you" that makes serving that much more enjoyable. I've been doing it for 11 yrs now and I am still in.
IraqVeteran
HOOAH
I hold 2 mos':
25L20 (cable systems installer/maintainer)
25Q20 (multi-channel transmitions systems operator/maintainer)
I served august 2005-november 2006 OIF4 Camp Speicher in Tikrit
25L20 (cable systems installer/maintainer)
25Q20 (multi-channel transmitions systems operator/maintainer)
I served august 2005-november 2006 OIF4 Camp Speicher in Tikrit
Bifferwine
I am a girl
My fiance, NoobDeBiff on here, was in the Special Forces for close to 10 years. He served overseas, but not in the Middle East. Thanks to all you guys for your service.
Eleven years, wow I only did six. I got tired of them always saying time to move. I did enjoy my full stint in the service. Even Viet Nam was an experience I would repeat. I respect all service people and believe it the best experience a person can ever get out of life. I really feel sorry for those who do not serve. I was a medic.
