Water changes in QT tank

[blorkiemom]

I have a 20 G QT tank running with a sponge filter and HOB filter (carbon, filter pad, no biowheel though I could add one). I cycled it for a month with a chunk of LR, and it did go through the cycle (I tested every few days and did water changes. It was a pampered rock.) After my nitrites were 0 for a week, added two percs (or false percs. See thread about black clownfish. ) Anyway, my ammonia is running about .25 and I'm getting unreadable results from my nitrite test (Salifert test ordered and on the way). I've been changing 15% every/every other day. Fish appear fine.

My question is this--the water changes seem to stress the fish out--they get all bottle-rockety in the tank for about an hour afterwards and seem quite anxious. I know .25 ammonia isn't too bad, but I want to keep their water as optimal as possible. On the other hand (wait, that's on the third hand), if they're stressing out, that's not so good either. So what should I be using as a threshold for a water change?

 

[quarryshark]

Basiacally what ever it takes to keep the ammonia down. The will "kinda" get used to the water change. My Heni's are so used to it they follow my hand all around the tank while I'm doing one.
I would do a change every day until the ammonia levels out to near 0. It should after a week or so. Also make sure you siphon out any uneaten food. That is a big contributor of ammonia in a qt setting.

 

[blorkiemom]

Thanks, Quarryshark, that's what I've been doing so I'll just keep it up. I've seen some posts that seem to suggest waiting until the ammonia gets closer to 1, so I thought maybe I'd better ask. You are so right about the food--even though I'm feeding just a tiny bit, the bare bottom really shows how much goes uneaten.