How soon PWC?

[Ian086]

Thanks Jessica, i'm a slow typer, you beat me to it..haha

 

[tlindsey]

I'm not trying to sound cynical either, but when I took water samples to my lfs they would do the test in front of you , and he might as well take off the filter because the beneficial bacteria is being killed by the massive amounts of water that is being changed daily 50% !!!!

 

[Fishanatic]

I'm not trying to sound cynical either, but when I took water samples to my lfs they would do the test in front of you , and he might as well take off the filter because the beneficial bacteria is being killed by the massive amounts of water that is being changed daily 50% !!!!

Not to sound mean or anything, but that's not really gonna kill the bb. The only think it might affect is a few bacteria living in the gravel, that's it. The filter isn't gonna suffer at all, as the water doesn't contain very little bacteria, not enough to over whelm the bb in the filter. So changing water 50% daily won't destabilize the filter. You can even do 95% water changes without disturbing or mildly disturbing the bacteria. Usually, if you disturb it some way or another, there should be a bacterial bloom.

 

[Ian086]

I'm not trying to sound cynical either, but when I took water samples to my lfs they would do the test in front of you , and he might as well take off the filter because the beneficial bacteria is being killed by the massive amounts of water that is being changed daily 50% !!!!

That's good that they do it in front of you and do it correctly. I'm not out to bash any lfs's but unfortunately more people have negative experience's with this than positive experiences. You can change as much water as you want, as often as you want without effecting the BB, as long as your not draining or letting the filter dry out.. The only thing it will do during a cycle is prolong it, after a cycle, no affect.

Not to sound mean or anything, but that's not really gonna kill the bb. The only think it might affect is a few bacteria living in the gravel, that's it. The filter isn't gonna suffer at all, as the water doesn't contain very little bacteria, not enough to over whelm the bb in the filter. So changing water 50% daily won't destabilize the filter. You can even do 95% water changes without disturbing or mildly disturbing the bacteria. Usually, if you disturb it some way or another, there should be a bacterial bloom.

100%

 

[jlk]

Nothing is being harmed changing the water. The only risk would be if you didnt properly dechlorinate the new water. I have both fish-in and fishless cycled. I can tell you from experience, there is no harm changing the water, even changing the water multiple times a day. I do 100% (yes, 100%) wcs atleast bi-weekly and have never harmed a cycle or a fish. 50% wcs are pretty much the norm for a cycling or cycled tank, be it daily or weekly for most people.

 

[tlindsey]

ok Im just stuck in my old ways. Have a great day all.

 

[xstream]

Thanks everyone for your input. I appreciate all of your help.

I am performing 50% pwc until my kit arrives tomorrow. My ammonia is reading .5 ppm even an hour after the water change. Until I can safely test the water I would rather stunt the cycle than lose or hurt the fish.

The fish are swimming all over, the snails are hiding in the castle (like normal), and the water is clear. I believe we can make it.

 

[Fishanatic]

Thanks everyone for your input. I appreciate all of your help.

I am performing 50% pwc until my kit arrives tomorrow. My ammonia is reading .5 ppm even an hour after the water change. Until I can safely test the water I would rather stunt the cycle than lose or hurt the fish.

The fish are swimming all over, the snails are hiding in the castle (like normal), and the water is clear. I believe we can make it.

You're gonna be fine. Don't worry too much about it

 

[xstream]

My kit came in today. .5 ppm ammonia. Guess I am doing water changes again tonight.

No nitrite and no nitrate...

I knew my pH would be high so I used the High Range, this is what I got.



Any ideas?

 

[xstream]

Ok, I changed out five gallons from my tank (which is all but maybe three inches of water in my ten gallon tank). My .5 ppm is now .25 ppm. Do I need another pwc? Or should I wait until morning?

 

[Fishanatic]

Ok, I changed out five gallons from my tank (which is all but maybe three inches of water in my ten gallon tank). My .5 ppm is now .25 ppm. Do I need another pwc? Or should I wait until morning?

Wait until tomorow. Change the water if the ammonia reaches 1ppm or around that.

 

[xstream]

Wow, water changes seem to be coming easier... .5ppm when I got home today. I went ahead and moved five gallons out and replaced it. Wishing I had a 55 gallon tank about now (one of these days).

I am going to check the water again in a littler while to make sure I am down to at least .25. I believe this will be my routine until I can make it to Saturday. I will try to work in two 50% pwc to get below the .25 ppm.

I do have a question, is a concentration of .25 ppm enough to generate nitrite producing bb? Or should u let the aquarium get above .25 ppm? Right now I am at .5 ppm every evening. What point is too toxic for the bb?

Thanks again for everyone's help. I really wish I had some place to put a larger tank. (And $200 for a tank and stand).

 

[Fishanatic]

Wow, water changes seem to be coming easier... .5ppm when I got home today. I went ahead and moved five gallons out and replaced it. Wishing I had a 55 gallon tank about now (one of these days).

I am going to check the water again in a littler while to make sure I am down to at least .25. I believe this will be my routine until I can make it to Saturday. I will try to work in two 50% pwc to get below the .25 ppm.

I do have a question, is a concentration of .25 ppm enough to generate nitrite producing bb? Or should u let the aquarium get above .25 ppm? Right now I am at .5 ppm every evening. What point is too toxic for the bb?

Thanks again for everyone's help. I really wish I had some place to put a larger tank. (And $200 for a tank and stand).

Well, you would have to wait for a spike. .25 is probably not enough. Also, depending on the amount of bb and how much bb there actually is and is made to sustain, 10ppm is quite high, any higher might over whelm it.

 

[xstream]

So should I be doing water changes at .5 ppm? Or let it rise some?

 

[Fishanatic]

So should I be doing water changes at .5 ppm? Or let it rise some?

You should change it at .5 . Then, slowly, you will see you're toxin level starting to go up faster and faster.

 

[xstream]

Great news! I came home to find my ammonia levels were still around .25 ppm, and I finally show nitrites! I know my fish are still in danger, but glad to see a change.

What are the nitrite water change parameters you all would recommend? I will still watch the ammonia, and keep it below .5 ppm.

 

[Fishanatic]

Great news! I came home to find my ammonia levels were still around .25 ppm, and I finally show nitrites! I know my fish are still in danger, but glad to see a change.

What are the nitrite water change parameters you all would recommend? I will still watch the ammonia, and keep it below .5 ppm.

Probably .5 or .25 . It depends from person to person. Just don't let it exceed .5 for the moment.

 

[xstream]

Ammonia was still below .25 ppm (definite yellow) and nitrites had made it to at least 1 ppm by the time I got home tonight. I bought a bunch of anacharis to add to the tank. I read in here they absorb nitrite and add oxygen. I hadn't thought about using real plants, but I might now.

So I did a 4 gallon water change (60%). That should get it around .5 ppm? Do I need another change tonight to dilute to .25 ppm? And would I need a third to get out of the red zone? Or should I do any tonight? This is where u get confused. How often do I change the water to get below .25 ppm?

 

[Fishanatic]

Ammonia was still below .25 ppm (definite yellow) and nitrites had made it to at least 1 ppm by the time I got home tonight. I bought a bunch of anacharis to add to the tank. I read in here they absorb nitrite and add oxygen. I hadn't thought about using real plants, but I might now.

So I did a 4 gallon water change (60%). That should get it around .5 ppm? Do I need another change tonight to dilute to .25 ppm? And would I need a third to get out of the red zone? Or should I do any tonight? This is where u get confused. How often do I change the water to get below .25 ppm?

I say do another to get down to .25 . Just do fractions. Doing a 50 percent changes should, in theory lower it by 50 percent. Example, nitrite at 1, 75 percent water change should bring it down to .25

 

[xstream]

I have a three gallon bucket that I can "safely" move 2 gallons at a time. If I remove two buckets
(4 gallons) I only have about 3" to my rocks. So that should be somewhere around 60-75%. I have a 10 gallon tank, do you think I am doing more than 50% at 4 gallons?