Going well so far !! Conflicting advice though!!

[Filbey]

So my new tank is so far doing well and all 8 fish are vey much still alive 4 cherry barbs and 4 male guppies

They have however devoured two of my 3 live plants!! Are they worth replacing if they keep nipping them down to nothing before they have barely rooted ??

Also the LFS suggested doing no PWC's for 3 weeks just to help the bacteria in the tank is he mad ???

Much love

 

[Filbey]

PS the guppies are lovely and live in perfect harmony with the cherry barbs

 

[i3k]

You should have pulled out a white glove and challenge your LFS worker to a duel

 

[BigJim]

PWCs won't harm your bacteria populations if you're using water conditioner and no PWCs won't help the bactera population. Take future advice from the person with a grain of salt.

 

[Lowryder]

Conflicting advice....Welcome to the wide world of aquarium keeping.

 

[OhNeil1969]

I have a question concerning semantics. When I speak of partial water changes I typically mean changes as part of gravel vacuuming. I have been told that excessive vacuuming of the gravel can indeed affect the bacteria population (gravel is one of the places that they live). Does the term PWC refer to just water removal and replacement without gravel vacuuming? Or was I misled when I was told that vacuuming the gravel will affect the bacteria colony?

 

[Zagz]

Lightly vaccum the gravel. The water column can be changed quite easily to 50%.

The LFS`s have a reason for not wanting you to do water changes while your cycling a tank with fish. They know the ammonia and the nitrite will kill the fish and they will sell more fish. And for those that offer a fish guarantee, you will not qualify because the water will not meet their standards. It is a win win for them.

 

[OhNeil1969]

Thanks for the info. I try to limit how much I disturb the gravel when vacuuming but was concerned that I wasn't doing enough for fear of hindering bacteria growth. I feel better about what I've been doing now.

Thanks!

 

[Filbey]

VMT so far also a good point raised I Hoover my gravel just as a habbit of PWC's is this good or bad??