So I used my Aqueon Water Changer with success this morning in my new 36 gallon fish in cycling tank. I have 2 fish (Silver Molly & Danio) in the water out of necessity (as the Molly was going to kill my new Gourami in my 10 gallon tank). The first attempt at using the water changer was freaky (I used it on my 10 gallon the other day and before I knew it, almost half the water was gone!!!!) But today I used it alone on the 36 gallon. It was a little difficult to get going - probably because it is my first successful attempt and I am lucky that my bathroom is about 5 feet away from my tank!
I added Prime before I started pumping in the water then a bit more after. Fish seem to be acting as they were before...
Anywho - this is my 3rd partial water change (1st with Aqueon WC) since setting up the tank Saturday AM and putting fish in Sunday night (as I was told 24 hours was all it needed - - sigh). Knowing better now after reading a lot Monday, etc...
I have been testing the water just about twice a day since Monday night and Ammonia has been around .25-.50 and even once getting a 0.0 (it is nice to see the yellow).
I started the tank Saturday with about 2 cups of gravel from my first tank and its old filter in the new Penguin plus a fake plant from the old tank and about 25% of the old 10 gallon tank's water.
I have read through just about every tank cycling post now, and my question is, WILL YOU ALWAYS HAVE A NITRITE SPIKE before the nitrAtes begin to build? Nitrites have been 0.0 and it seems to me as if the NitrAtes are pushing that 5.0 range (going a little more orange than yellow with the API test kit... IMHO).
Does every tank spike the Nitrites before Nitrates arrive and the Ammonia drops to zero?
thanks!
Janelle
I added Prime before I started pumping in the water then a bit more after. Fish seem to be acting as they were before...Anywho - this is my 3rd partial water change (1st with Aqueon WC) since setting up the tank Saturday AM and putting fish in Sunday night (as I was told 24 hours was all it needed - - sigh). Knowing better now after reading a lot Monday, etc...
I have been testing the water just about twice a day since Monday night and Ammonia has been around .25-.50 and even once getting a 0.0 (it is nice to see the yellow).
I started the tank Saturday with about 2 cups of gravel from my first tank and its old filter in the new Penguin plus a fake plant from the old tank and about 25% of the old 10 gallon tank's water.
I have read through just about every tank cycling post now, and my question is, WILL YOU ALWAYS HAVE A NITRITE SPIKE before the nitrAtes begin to build? Nitrites have been 0.0 and it seems to me as if the NitrAtes are pushing that 5.0 range (going a little more orange than yellow with the API test kit... IMHO).
Does every tank spike the Nitrites before Nitrates arrive and the Ammonia drops to zero?
thanks!
Janelle
