When too start doing water changes?? please help!

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I'm fairly to the hobby and this website. I have done quite a bit of research and I think I pretty much have everything covered except one last thing that there doesn't seem to be any real straight answer for. I thought I would go through my situation and see if anyone could help. I've got my tank fully stocked and it's been running smoothly... ...let me back up a bit to make it a little more specific. Bought a 20 gal "starter kit" that came with UG, after researching the filtration topic I pulled that out and switched to an aquaclear 150 HOB. Cycles 150 gal/hour, the reason for the bigger filter was the general theme was so such thing as too much filtration. I then added 6 tiger barbs (love those crazy active little guys). Tested water everything was ok. just over a week later added 6 Serpae tetras, again tested regularly, everything ok. By this time the tank has been up and running a little over three weeks. Used the cycle liquid before fish and when adding new fish. Never poured lfs water in with my tank, heard it's ano-no. About another week later after everything was still ok I added my last and fav the red-tailed shark. I'm now at 4-1/2 weeks and heard not to start cleaning water until bacteria has set-up. I've read that to be 7-8 weeks after setup. How true is that and I know it depends on size of tank, filter and fish, so her goes a quick recap: 20 gal with aquaclear 150. Gravel base, plastic plants. 6 tiger barbs, 6 serpae tetras and one red-tailed shark. tank up for just over 4 weeks. I hope that by giving the specifics I can get some clear advice on when too start cleaning my tank, I have a gravel syphon and would like to do it once a week. I like regularity LOL. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[LAGlocker]

Well one question first. You say you tested and everything was ok...What do you mean by ok? What were your levels on amonia, nitrites and nitrates? Or did you use one of those quick dip tests strips? Also you probably added the fish wayyyyy to fast. As for cycle, and I bet most of the people on here will agree, its pretty much a waste of money. Usually its best to change out your water every couple of days during the cycle period, or at the very least two times a week, until the ammonia is at 0 ppm, nitrites at 0 ppm and nitrates between, for my tanks, 10 to 40 ppm. Once my tanks are up and going, after being cycled, I do a 25% change once a week, and once a month I gravel vac.

 

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Dip strips as for the testing. I was told to add the schools about every week as long as the water tested ok. Like i said I'm, this is my first tank and still researching so thanks for the input. I was told the dip strips were all I needed. Any suggestions on testing/testing kits?

 

[LAGlocker]

I dont know about anyone else on the board, but I use either the Master test kit for fresh water, or when I can afford it, Lamotte test kits. I am not sure if you can get the Lamotte where you are, but most lfs carry the master test kits.

 

[Allivymar]

Your water parameters should dictate your water changes. Keep in mind ammonia and nitrites are deadly to fish; if theres any in the water you want to water change ASAP. Once the tank is cycled, you shouldn't have detectible levels of ammonia or nitrites, but you should have nitrates (unless the tank is heavily planted). Most of us don't let the nitrate levels go above 40 ppm. I usually water change once a week 10-30% depending on which tank.

Even though you are cycling, you'll still want to gravel vac (you've got to get the waste out of the gravel or it will cause more ammonia in the tank). Thing is, a lot of the nitrifying bacteria live down there as well. You may want to gravel vac half the tank a week; this way you are not removing all the bacteria, but at least are getting some of the detritus in the substrate out. The bacteria will colonise all surfaces, so there will be bacteria in the filter media, on the decor etc as well. And don't change the filter media; just rinse it out in tank water so you don't lose the bacteria in there as well.

Oh, and the liquid/vial tests are much better then the dipstick; they are much more accurate. I'll use the dipstick mid-week to see if my nitrate levels appear to be high (and let me know if I need a water change) but to formally test my water parameters I use the liquid/vial tests.

It generally takes 3-6 weeks for a tank to cycle, but as you know there are no set numbers.

 

[Kwenbee]

Definitely go get the liquid test kits. The strip tests told me my nitrites were "okay", but when I did the liquid they definitely weren't.

I am cycling a tank right now. Basically, I do a water test just to see the pretty green and purple test tubes. Then I do a water syphon. There are only two fish in this tank, so there isn't much gravel waste (Sugar the Catfish does a REALLY good job!), so I just usually suction towards the top of the tank. I also need to do that because Bill the Betta is fascinated with the vacuum and I'm scared I'll suck him up in it.

In the 10 gallon, which is completely cycled, I do a test once a week just to be sure the levels are okay and do a half a gravel vacuum every week. Last week I vacuumed the right half of the tank. Tomorrow I will vacuum the left half.

We have a guppy, 3 neons, 3 blackskirts and 2 zebra danios in our 10 (which will be a 29 Saturday night!).

It took six weeks for the 10 gallon to cycle using the same method I am using on the 5 gallon, so it does take patience.

 

[LAGlocker]

Yup def. takes alot of patience setting up a new tank. The liquid test kits, at least the master ones, usually test for everything you need for a fish only, or even a low light plant, tank. Once you start getting into heavily planted, higher wpg planted tanks, you should buy a few of the other kits to test for trace minerals, and such.