3 month old tank, Maintence, water changes etc?

[Fltekdiver]

Let me start, water is always crystal clear, haven't lost a fish yet, but not sure if my tank is cycling enough. Water changes?

I been spending hours reading on here, making notes, and getting more confused

I have a 40 Gallon Breeder tank, I'm doing water changes of 20% 10 gallons once a month

I also remove all my decorations, wash them under the facet, which takes a hour to do

I also vacuum my gravel, going up and down the entire tank, then do the sides of the tank, removing the algae off the glass

I then remove my canister Fuval 406, which is good Upton 100 Gallon tank, which has sponges as the first layer on the sides, next on the bottom is a finer sponge, then I have Fugal Bio balls , Activated carbon, which I'm removing now, Zeolite Carbon, which I'm removing now, Polishing pad on top.

Water flows from bottom up through top of filter

I was told at Petco, to by new sponges every month when I do water changes, new Carbon etc. I been spending $40 a month + on water changes

I'll be adding Seachem Matrix Bio Media in the middle basket

I also add Fuval Phosphate remover to help with the algae

My lighting is Marine land double strip LED lighting with blue moon lighting

I have ( 2 ) of the LED lighting, as the tank is wide , rather then tall

I been reading people are doing water changes once a week ?

Also Where do you find dechlorinated water ? And should I be using a primer ?

I read Seachem Prime seems to be very well liked

Thanks for your help, I want to start off right without loosing fish

I'm only 3-4 months into this

Lastly , my water got real cloudy during a cycle when I fist started it up, but doesn't seem to be doing that now. How do I know when it is cycling?

And when do you water change, during the cycle, after?

 

[BettaGal]

You need a liquid test kit to know your water parameters. That's how you know where your tank is in the cycle.

Don't ever change your filter media unless its completely falling apart. The media has the bacteria your cycle builds up. When you change it, you lose that bacteria.

Weekly water changes. Monthly and your numbers will be off the charts. The water changes get rid of the product buildup from your bacteria as well as replenish minerals that will keep other things in check. During your cycle, you may have to do them daily to keep your numbers below toxic. Usually you end up with big water changes like 50%.

You don't buy dechlorinated water. You buy dechlorinator to add to your tap water that you're using for your water changes. Seachem Prime is excellent.

 

[calfishguy]

Let me start, water is always crystal clear, haven't lost a fish yet, but not sure if my tank is cycling enough. Water changes?

I been spending hours reading on here, making notes, and getting more confused

I have a 40 Gallon Breeder tank, I'm doing water changes of 20% 10 gallons once a month

I also remove all my decorations, wash them under the facet, which takes a hour to do

I also vacuum my gravel, going up and down the entire tank, then do the sides of the tank, removing the algae off the glass

I then remove my canister Fuval 406, which is good Upton 100 Gallon tank, which has sponges as the first layer on the sides, next on the bottom is a finer sponge, then I have Fugal Bio balls , Activated carbon, which I'm removing now, Zeolite Carbon, which I'm removing now, Polishing pad on top.

Water flows from bottom up through top of filter

I was told at Petco, to by new sponges every month when I do water changes, new Carbon etc. I been spending $40 a month + on water changes

I'll be adding Seachem Matrix Bio Media in the middle basket

I also add Fuval Phosphate remover to help with the algae

My lighting is Marine land double strip LED lighting with blue moon lighting

I have ( 2 ) of the LED lighting, as the tank is wide , rather then tall

I been reading people are doing water changes once a week ?

Also Where do you find dechlorinated water ? And should I be using a primer ?

I read Seachem Prime seems to be very well liked

Thanks for your help, I want to start off right without loosing fish

I'm only 3-4 months into this

Lastly , my water got real cloudy during a cycle when I fist started it up, but doesn't seem to be doing that now. How do I know when it is cycling?

And when do you water change, during the cycle, after?

Okay first of all welcome to aquarium advice.

I recomend that you change your water change scheduel. Depending on your stock you should most likely be doing a 20-60% water change once a week. Why? because you need to eleminate the nitrate that your fish create. FIsh poop is basically ammonia that is then is turned into nitrites wich is than turned into nitrates wich is then removed by water changes. Your bb or beneficial bacteria does this.

Frequent water changes will also help with the algae. As for the sponges in your filter they should not be changed. When you throw them out you are eleminating your bb. So you need to restart your cycle. As you already know carbon is useless unless you're removing meds.

To dechlorinate your water you need to use a dechlorinator. Many people including myself use prime by seachem.

To figure out if your tank is cycled you must first purchase a test kit. The API freshwater master test kit works well.

You can get your water tested at most LFS,

What is your current stock? Is your tank planted?

I think I covered most of your questions. If you have any others do not hesitate to ask.

 

[Fltekdiver]

OK, so water changes of how much once a week?

Do I need to spend all that time vacuuming the gravel each time?

Also I let the water sit over night in the buckets to reach room temp, then dump them in, do I need to do that?

So I add the Seachem Prime to the tank or the new water?

Forgot to mention, I have a API Master kit

My levels been OK, PH was 8.2, I started to lower it, down to 7.8, but my water is hard, someone on another thread said PH numbers arnt important as much as stability of PH

 

[Fltekdiver]

Stock is only 8 fish as the tank is 3 months old, so I stocked it slow

Started off with 4 Tetra's, added 2 Dwarf Gaurmi's, which I love they are so peach full and shy, and added to yellow Platties a month ago

 

[Aqualady40]

You need a liquid test kit to know your water parameters. That's how you know where your tank is in the cycle.

Don't ever change your filter media unless its completely falling apart. The media has the bacteria your cycle builds up. When you change it, you lose that bacteria.

Weekly water changes. Monthly and your numbers will be off the charts. The water changes get rid of the product buildup from your bacteria as well as replenish minerals that will keep other things in check. During your cycle, you may have to do them daily to keep your numbers below toxic. Usually you end up with big water changes like 50%.

You don't buy dechlorinated water. You buy dechlorinator to add to your tap water that you're using for your water changes. Seachem Prime is excellent.

+1 agree

 

[calfishguy]

OK, so water changes of how much once a week?

Do I need to spend all that time vacuuming the gravel each time?

Also I let the water sit over night in the buckets to reach room temp, then dump them in, do I need to do that?

So I add the Seachem Prime to the tank or the new water?

Forgot to mention, I have a API Master kit

My levels been OK, PH was 8.2, I started to lower it, down to 7.8, but my water is hard, someone on another thread said PH numbers arnt important as much as stability of PH

30 % a week would probaly be a good place to start.

you could clean half of the gravel one week than the other half the next week. And so on.

Try to temp match the water as much as you can by touch. It is not the end of the world if the temp changes a little bit.

You are right ph stability is more important. I would not try to mess with ph.

Can you give us the exact numbers of your okay water?

 

[Fltekdiver]

Ok I'll test everything now, even though it's all most 11PM

Give me 15 min

 

[Fltekdiver]

OK, API Master test kit results ! You guys are great !

NITRATE NO3 = 10ppm

NITRITE NO2 = 0ppm

High PH test = 7.8 PH

AMMONIA = 0.25 PPM

tank has no plants in it, their all artificial

 

[calfishguy]

OK, API Master test kit results ! You guys are great !

NITRATE NO3 = 10ppm

NITRITE NO2 = 0ppm

High PH test = 7.8 PH

AMMONIA = 0.25 PPM

tank has no plants in it, their all artificial

Okay my guess is that you are partially cycled but not fully. I would do a 50℅ water change tomorrow. Continue to monitor your params for the couple weeks and do water changes as necessary.

 

[Fltekdiver]

OK, what indicates that it's cycling?

In the future, what goes up & down when a tank cycles

Thanks for your help

 

[calfishguy]

OK, what indicates that it's cycling?

In the future, what goes up & down when a tank cycles

Thanks for your help

That fact that you have ammonia no nitrites but nitrates indicates that it's cycling. The nitrates are telling us that some bb are present and the ammonia tells us that there isn't enough yet.

First ammonia builds then it gets turned into nitrites then it gets turned into nitrates.

 

[jlk]

Can you also please post your tap water parameters? With all the media being replaced and cleaning you have done, I am suspect that you may have nitrates in your tap and this is behind your nitrate reading in your tank. If this is the case, you are just beginning a fishin cycle. Thanks!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html

 

[Laser]

You mentioned you were using zeolite. This removes ammonia and with your light stocking your tank may not have cycled at all if you were replacing the zeolite or recharging it.

 

[Fltekdiver]

Thats a good point. I did a 1st cycle, I didn't know what it was. The water got real cloudy, and I went into the LPS and they said the tank was cycling

Right after that first cycle, They told me to add carbon and zeolite. Now I haven't seen it cloudy again

 

[Fltekdiver]

I'm doing my 50% water change today

When I vacuum the gravel on one side one week, then the other side the other week, why am I only doing a 1/2 side?

Also do I put the vacuum all the way through the gravel, or just skim along the top of it?

 

[Laser]

I'm doing my 50% water change today

When I vacuum the gravel on one side one week, then the other side the other week, why am I only doing a 1/2 side?

Also do I put the vacuum all the way through the gravel, or just skim along the top of it?

Doing 1/2 of the gravel at a time is only a suggestion to make the vacuuming easier on yourself. Also, some of the beneficial bacteria resides in the gravel. If there is a lot of detritus in the gravel I would vacuum it all personally.

For gravel you should put the vacuum all of the way through. With sand you do more of a skim across the surface.

 

[Fltekdiver]

thanks so much for the quick response now I understand since I have to vacuum all the way throughI always had a hard time trying to vacuum the entire timewhat I will do for cosmetic reasons is do half the gravel and just brush the top on the other side so it looks good assistant time to get to work! Thank you

 

[Fltekdiver]

I'm starting my water change, but I don't do the Fuval 406 Canister filter weekly right?

I'm taking out all the chemical outta the filter, and just doing Mechanical and Bio

 

[Laser]

I'm starting my water change, but I don't do the Fuval 406 Canister filter weekly right?

I'm taking out all the chemical outta the filter, and just doing Mechanical and Bio

No, I wouldn't touch it for awhile to allow your tank time to cycle. I like to clean my filters out completely about once every 1 or 2 months depending on how dirty it gets. While I'm cleaning the filter I let the media soak in a bucket of tank water. Every couple of weeks I rinse the filter media out in tank water in a bucket. Using the tank water prevents shock to the beneficial bacteria on the media since that is where most of it lives.