Aquariums: How much of a water change do I need to do here?
Fish in cycling
Posted by Material_River_2290
8 Comments
chrystalevonne on
Depends. Do you have fish in this tank? If so, I’d do 50% every other day until the cycle levels out. If not, it’s okay to let it go. Either way just make sure you don’t disturb the bacteria in the rocks or filter until the tank is cycled.
Few-Mail3887 on
Definitely 50% until it evens out
bigkingj on
AFAIK nitrite is more damaging to fish than nitrate, and both less damaging than ammonia
You have low ammonia levels which aren’t immediately concerning as you’re effectively 75% the way through a fish in cycle so they’re at a good concentration. Don’t change your feeding patterns or add new organic matter just yet.
Your nitrite is what I’d be watching closest. As it is I’d be rapidly doing a water change if it was my tank, 50% as the other commenter suggested. Do a check and water change every 2ish days until the only non zero indicator is nitrate, then it’s fully cycled
After that there’s a bit of personal preference but for me once the nitrate colour starts to become a deep orange it’s time for water change, and if it goes into red it’s a huge flag and I stress a bit. Realistically it won’t make them just drop dead and people keep dis happy enough in a lot worse, but that’s my rule of thumb. Numbers wise less than 20ppm is my ideal
LazRboy on
Any detectable nitrites are dangerous.
MHenrichs48 on
If you have Prime it detoxifies nitrite. Can help the beta out without you having to do as much work every day. If it gets higher than that I’d still do the water changes though.
OrganizationLower611 on
test your water from source
a lot of people’s water supply has chloramine in there cheap test is a bowl or cup of the water exposed to air for 24hrs, test for chlorine, if nothing it’s just chlorine, if chlorine is shown, chloramine is in the water
when chloramine reacts with dechlorinator it makes ammonia in the reaction and can cause your levels to spike
chlorine when it reacts with dechlorinator it makes salt ions, which reacts to mostly sodium or whatever else is available to react, really negligible levels
chlorine and chloramine will actively destroy your bacteria, good bad and all between
TTV_dumfukss on
You need to do at least a 439% water change
Illustrious_Flan_629 on
You can also try prime and stability they really helped my fish during a fish in cycle. It makes the ammonia and nitrite non toxic for 24/48 hours and also stability adds nitrifying bacteria. Constant water changes make it harder to cycle. Daily water changes is preventing it from cycling fast.
8 Comments
Depends. Do you have fish in this tank? If so, I’d do 50% every other day until the cycle levels out. If not, it’s okay to let it go. Either way just make sure you don’t disturb the bacteria in the rocks or filter until the tank is cycled.
Definitely 50% until it evens out
AFAIK nitrite is more damaging to fish than nitrate, and both less damaging than ammonia
You have low ammonia levels which aren’t immediately concerning as you’re effectively 75% the way through a fish in cycle so they’re at a good concentration. Don’t change your feeding patterns or add new organic matter just yet.
Your nitrite is what I’d be watching closest. As it is I’d be rapidly doing a water change if it was my tank, 50% as the other commenter suggested. Do a check and water change every 2ish days until the only non zero indicator is nitrate, then it’s fully cycled
After that there’s a bit of personal preference but for me once the nitrate colour starts to become a deep orange it’s time for water change, and if it goes into red it’s a huge flag and I stress a bit. Realistically it won’t make them just drop dead and people keep dis happy enough in a lot worse, but that’s my rule of thumb. Numbers wise less than 20ppm is my ideal
Any detectable nitrites are dangerous.
If you have Prime it detoxifies nitrite. Can help the beta out without you having to do as much work every day. If it gets higher than that I’d still do the water changes though.
test your water from source
a lot of people’s water supply has chloramine in there cheap test is a bowl or cup of the water exposed to air for 24hrs, test for chlorine, if nothing it’s just chlorine, if chlorine is shown, chloramine is in the water
when chloramine reacts with dechlorinator it makes ammonia in the reaction and can cause your levels to spike
chlorine when it reacts with dechlorinator it makes salt ions, which reacts to mostly sodium or whatever else is available to react, really negligible levels
chlorine and chloramine will actively destroy your bacteria, good bad and all between
You need to do at least a 439% water change
You can also try prime and stability they really helped my fish during a fish in cycle. It makes the ammonia and nitrite non toxic for 24/48 hours and also stability adds nitrifying bacteria. Constant water changes make it harder to cycle. Daily water changes is preventing it from cycling fast.