PWC during cycle??

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brett_mil

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Mar 5, 2005
Messages
25
Location
London
Hi everyone.

Thanks for the help so far. I have recently started a SW setup and have had a few questions answered already.

I have something that I would like to clear up:

While cycling a tank using fish, a PWC would be beneficial to the livestock by diluting the levels of ammonia and nitrites, I know that PWC's will extend the time taken to cycle the tank, but in the long run, does this dilution also affect the amount of bacteria in the system therefore, by increasing your livestock later, you will see increases in ammonia and nitrite levels until the system can catch up with the correct amount of bacteria?

Am I worrying about this too much? :roll:

Thanks

Brett
 
With any non overstocked tank, the bacteria level will eventually rise to the match the waste load of the tank. That is the reason one does not want to add too many fish at once: The bacteria need time to "catch up" to the waste produced by the fish.

If running a fishless cycle, you don't want to change the water until the bacteria are established, but since you have critters in there, go ahead and change the water. More waste will be produced to replace the waste taken out.

Welcome to Aquarium Advice! :D
 
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