Cycling and water changes
- Thread starter Acronuts1
- Start date
I will only change water (past tense here) if I have animals in the system and parameters are becoming too dangerous. Otherwise I want the beasties to do their thing.
The other issue with water changes in a newly cycled tank is to not disturb your new cultures of bacteria. Another lesson hard-learned by yours truly is to go easy on the vacuuming if that's what you're doing. Go very easy. Best, IMO, is to simply siphon water out and not worry about removing a whole lot of detritus for the first couple of months at least. Just get what's on the surface rather than digging in. Also, DON'T clean the tank sides, just the viewing front, especially if you're having problems getting the system cycled. Remember, all of these bacteria are benthic and need a home.
The other issue with water changes in a newly cycled tank is to not disturb your new cultures of bacteria. Another lesson hard-learned by yours truly is to go easy on the vacuuming if that's what you're doing. Go very easy. Best, IMO, is to simply siphon water out and not worry about removing a whole lot of detritus for the first couple of months at least. Just get what's on the surface rather than digging in. Also, DON'T clean the tank sides, just the viewing front, especially if you're having problems getting the system cycled. Remember, all of these bacteria are benthic and need a home.
Well.....I must admit a bit of different opinons. In my case I am cycling the tank with my previous systems water, LR and sand from the older system as well. On week three I noticed of course some brown diatom algae on glass. Snails and kole tang are doing a great job of lapping it up.
Week four will be this Sunday.
I have had no ammonia or nitrite spikes at all. Nitirate has been in the 5 to 10 range each week.
Therefore with this info would I still need to do a water change or would I just need to let the parimeters like nitrate get higher to lets say 20 or 30 before doing a water change?
Week four will be this Sunday.
I have had no ammonia or nitrite spikes at all. Nitirate has been in the 5 to 10 range each week.
Therefore with this info would I still need to do a water change or would I just need to let the parimeters like nitrate get higher to lets say 20 or 30 before doing a water change?
If you're using rock from an existing system and it literally just came out of the other system I wouldn't worry too much about a cycle. Will it cycle? Sure, there's new tank walls that need to be colonized, however will it be enough to really throw things for a loop? Most probably not. Now if the rock was sitting out then sure... the sand... well if it had a lot of crap in it you kicked up then sure.. but the short of it is it's not anywhere half as bad as getting some rock fresh from the pacific that's been on a plane for most the day in a cardboard box..
It does make sense. I will wait a bit longer.
So far I have never seen my sps's PE so great! The millies are just out. As of this evening I happen to look at my sps's and noticed growth!!!
It is the beginnings of what should become and turn into small branches.
Any transfer their sps's to a new tank and start seeing growth in just 3 weeks?
Will photograph tomorrow to show you what I mean.
So far I have never seen my sps's PE so great! The millies are just out. As of this evening I happen to look at my sps's and noticed growth!!!
It is the beginnings of what should become and turn into small branches.
Any transfer their sps's to a new tank and start seeing growth in just 3 weeks?
Will photograph tomorrow to show you what I mean.
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
