First water change

[macfisto]

Hello,

I set up my 55 gallon about three weeks ago, and added 5 zebra danios and 3 white clouds about a week ago. They are all doing well and everything seems fine. When should I do my first water change? I was planning on adding some additional fish in the next day or two. Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[TomK2]

Before doing water changes, you need to get a biofilter established, AKA cycling. This will take quite a while. You will need a quality liquid reagent test kit to monitor this, available online for about $15 . I have a web page devoted to cycling with fish, and keeping the fish numbers low to avoid toxin spikes. Pleas take a look at it, and at the articles section on AA.

http://home.comcast.net/~tomstank/tomstank_files/page0017.htm

But I would not add any more fish at this time. You will understand after checking out the page. After 2 weeks or more, if you don't have ammonia or nitrite, you could think of adding 3 to 5 inches of fish. Then I would stay put unitl nitrate rises and you know the bacteria of the bioogic filter are established.

 

[TygGer]

Sounds like you haven't cycled your tank yet. If you plan on keeping those fish alive, get a test kit and be prepared to do partial water changes to keep the NH3 and NO2 levels low.

 

[macfisto]

Thanks for your advice Tom. It's amazing how much more information is out there now with the advent of the internet. I haven't kept fish for about six years now, but when I first started back in the early '90s fishkeeping info wasn't nearly as readily available as it is now. People like you and the others here at AA are truly credits to the hobby. Thanks!!

 

[macfisto]

I'm getting conflicting messages from Tom and TygGer. Should I do partial changes DURING the cycle, or wait until it's completed?

 

[Jchillin]

What Tom is advising is to get the test kits first, test your parameters prior to doing the PWC. This will let you know how much of a water change is needed, if at all. This will keep you aware of the progress of your cycle. A PWC will be needed if your params are excessive.

 

[talloulou]

You definitely do pwc during your cycle. Do not vacumn your gravel during the cycle but do water changes for the sake of your fish.

 

[macfisto]

Gotcha....thanks!

 

[mishi8]

There is no problem with doing gravel vacs during the cycle. Just don't go too deep into the gravel. Gravel vacuuming is important for removing waste that can contribute to high ammonia levels.

 

[TomK2]

I also did a gravel vac during the cycle. I waited 33 days, and I did disturb the gravel a bit. I wanted to remove the detrrius, so I had to dig around the gravel a little. But my goal durig the cycle was not to maintain an ammonia level during the cycle (like in fishless cycling), but to remove stuff that might cause a detectible one (like mishi8 states), since I was out to prove you could cycle a tank without detectible ammonia or nitrite. I had canister filters with tons of media in them, and I don't think the gravel vac impacted things at all. The water change was just part of the gravel cleaning. If I could have cleaned the gravel without removing water, I would have done so, since I did not have any ammonia or nitrite. Thus, If you don't have unacceptable ammonia or nitrite, there is no need to do any water change, Like JC said. A PWC during a cycle is only to lower the ammonia and nitrite. But if you feel your gravel needs a cleaning, then you have to change some water with it.

 

[TomK2]

Oh, and kudos to you macfisto, for seeking info and advice on your new tank! There is always something more to learn about the hobby, and always new ways you can keep your fish happier, and AA is a great place to find them.