water change question?

[Stacie3972]

Fighting my nitrite stage of my cycle as we speak. I did one 75 pwc tested and it's still high did another 75 pwc an hour later now waiting a hour going to test again and if need be ill do another. My question is how many water changes can I do in one day and my fish not be harmed? There acting fine actually acting happier than when I started. Moving around nicely. Also do I need to wait an hour between tests and refills?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

As many as the tank needs is fine. Just make sure the temps roughly the same and there is no dramatic change in water chemistry, which shouldn't be a problem if the waters coming from the same source each time. You only really need to wait long enough for the new water to circulate through the tank. A few minutes is fine IMO.

 

[Stacie3972]

Thank you so much for your help on the third water change now about to test again each test is getting lower and lower!! I'll get this tank cycled yet. Next tank fish less cycle for SURE!! With all these water changes my water bill is gonna be sky high lol it will be worth it in the end though to have a beautiful tank.

 

[Stacie3972]

That's an accomplishments! Yayayay

 

[NexVobis]

That's an accomplishments! Yayayay

Starting to feel better yourself huh? I test daily and do a pwc every third day regardless of parameters. Gotta keep my discus and rams happy!

 

[Stacie3972]

Oh I would love love love to have discus tank but I'm not there yet. I've got to get this cichlid one down and another tank lol I heard discus tanks are hard are they?

 

[NexVobis]

Oh I would love love love to have discus tank but I'm not there yet. I've got to get this cichlid one down and another tank lol I heard discus tanks are hard are they?

Well they say. I mean I've only had mine for a week, *knocks on wood* they look happy and healthy, they're eating fine. I guess it's just the upkeep that people fear. Gotta keep everything stable that's about it.

 

[NexVobis]

This is my first time keeping discus.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Thank you so much for your help on the third water change now about to test again each test is getting lower and lower!! I'll get this tank cycled yet. Next tank fish less cycle for SURE!! With all these water changes my water bill is gonna be sky high lol it will be worth it in the end though to have a beautiful tank.

Next tank can be cycled with seeded media from this one. That way it will be a quick cycle. It might not even need to cycle at all of you add enough

 

[Stacie3972]

I'll keep that on mind thanks!

 

[Stacie3972]

Well all those water changes yesterday were for nothing tested just now and right back as high as I started yesterday. Feeling defeated about to start again. Is this normal?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

It is if you have a lot of fish in the tank. It's hard work keeping it down but it's for the health of your fish.

 

[Stacie3972]

Will it always be like this?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Just for the duration of the nitrite spike. Once the cycle has completed there will be enough bacteria to convert all the ammonia and resulting nitrite to nitrate and you can switch to weekly or bi weekly water changes. It won't last forever but for the next few weeks you have your work cut of for you.

 

[Hobgob]

If you can find a store to hold your fish while you fishless cycle that might be easier for you...

 

[Stacie3972]

Well thank god I have a python water changer! I wish I had done a fish less water cycle. Oh well bring on waterchangeapaloza round 2 lol. I wish I had a store in could do that at bytes where we live its a rural area and not possible :-(

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Another option is buying an activated sponge filter from Angelsplus. It will help speed up the cycle.
http://www.angelsplus.com/FiltersSponge.htm

 

[Dreadz]

You could also try tetra safestart or dr Tims one and only. They contain bacteria that helps speed up the cycling process and should reduce any ammo/trite spikes. Safestart worked wonders in my tank when I found myself with no option other than a fish in cycle in a seriously overstocked tank.

 

[Stacie3972]

Oh thank you all for the wonderful help I didnt even know I had options I thought it was just water changes! Headed to wal mart to try the safe start and probably will order a filter Monday! Going to get a new tank next week I think and defiantly doing fish less! Now I have to figure out how to do that lol

 

[Pipedreamer86]

I've only seen trace ammonia and 0 nitrites since I.fishless cycled my tank, but I thought the nitrite phase would never end, lasted a.full week then it.was gone. Got my 150g gallon to where I could does above 4ppm ammonia and have it gone in 25 hrs. I swear by the pure ammonia fishless cycle method, got a filter with enough bb to.stop a bus!