Calcium/pH question

[InsanityPrawnBoy]

So I am doing my first water change in my 10 gallon tank. It has cycled and has been recommended to do a water change to raise calcium and lower Nitrates/ites. The pH is 7.8 in the tank and the water I am going to put in is 8.2. Will that raise the pH in the tank enough to notice(1.5 gallon change)? My calc in the tank is 360ppm and I tested 400 in my WC water. Should I add buffers to either of those? I have both sets of Kent marine liquid buffers.

Thanks

 

[Bifferwine]

Don't worry about calcium. Calcium isn't important at this point. Don't worry about the pH either -- 7.8 is normal and fine. You shouldn't need to use buffers.

You also don't need to be doing a water change right now either. Unless you have animals in the tank that need the levels lowered, there's no reason to do one.

 

[InsanityPrawnBoy]

Would it encourage my tank to have a diatom bloom faster(or be ready for a CUC)?

 

[Bifferwine]

A water change encourage diatoms? It depends on what kind of water you're using. If you are using tap water, then you may never get rid of diatoms. Either way, you will get diatoms.

You will have to wait until your cycle is over before you add your CUC. Doing a water change isn't going to speed it up.

 

[InsanityPrawnBoy]

What is the indicator of the cycle being over? I had the ammonia spike....and it has been almost a week. I get jumbled responses and I don't know what to make of all of it after that making my decisions harder...

 

[yote]

When ammona and nitrites have been 0 for a week or so,then its time to do the water change and add CUC critters.

 

[Bifferwine]

Yes, when ammonia and nitrites are both zero, the cycle is done.

 

[InsanityPrawnBoy]

So nitrite go down by itself? I do not need to do a water change for that? They are both at .25ppm right now so I'll keep an eye on them.

 

[Bifferwine]

Nitrite will go down by itself. Nitrite turns into nitrate.

 

[InsanityPrawnBoy]

Oh ok. Thank you! I have never really cycled a tank before...I have had 3 FW tanks never cycled one... but SW I know to be more careful...especially since it cost me ALOT of cash.

 

[Bifferwine]

Yeah that's for sure!

 

[InsanityPrawnBoy]

Can I use it to add more volume to the tank? When I took the rocks and made them smaller it made the volume alot less. Would that be ok?

 

[bjohanson1234]

I am not sure what you are asking. Could you clear it up a bit more?

 

[InsanityPrawnBoy]

I have the mixed water to do the WC that I am not going to do anymore. My water level is a bit lower then I would like. Could I use some of the water I mixed to raise the water level without screwing up the cycle or whatever?

 

[BL1]

it depends, if your water level has dropped due to evaporation then no, do not use your WC water to fill it. But, if your water level is just low then yes you can use it.

 

[InsanityPrawnBoy]

It's low because I had to take some rocks out to make smaller and they chipped...which dropped the water level. So I can I take it.

 

[BL1]

Yep, you can then.

 

[Bifferwine]

Yeah, fill up the tank with the extra saltwater.