Tap water and sand

[NightSpirit]

If I use tap water to cycle the tank w live rock,
will the junk I don't want (i.e. heavy metals etc)
stay in the DSB, even if after eventually replacing
most of the tap with ro/di water?

I know ro/di water is better, but if im supposed to do
50% water changes every other day during cycling,
there is no way my RO unit will keep up or will I have
enough $ to buy 50 gallons every other day.

Thanks!
BTW the TDS of my tap is 460, after RO its 40
(yah I need a new membrane, its on its way....)

 

[Fishboy-from-NY]

Who told you this about 50% water changes during cycling?
You shouldn't distrub the tank for at least 1 month. until the benificial bacteria start colinizing in your tank. then once your Ammonia & nitrite levels are at 0, then you can have fun and stock your tank. REMEMBER LIGHTLY, One Fish every twp weeks.

 

[NightSpirit]

Can't recall the specific post, but I remember at least a couple
of people saying at if the ammonia gets too high all the critters
and beneficial stuff on the live rock will die off.

I will be running a protein skimmer and powerheads.
So you think I just shouldn't bother with water changes
until the levels stabilize?

To clarify, this will be in a brand new tank, and I will be
cycling it with live rock coming soon.

I plan on placing my new fish in a QT, so it'll be at least
2 months until I put a fish in there, and a month
separation between each fish.

 

[reefrunner69]

Who told you this about 50% water changes during cycling?

I imagine I did, I know I wrote it in the article on curing LR. When cycling with uncured rock (curing rock), waterchanges are recommended to keep the ammonia level down, when cycling a sterile tank with no LR, no waterchanges should be done until the cycle is complete.