water change or not??

[zach119]

yeah im cycling my tank with my 40 pounds of keys and my ammonia is testing and its like dark green almost looks blue very dark do i change about 5 gallons to try and bring it down or let it go? and my ph has dropped to 7.8

 

[mjvincent]

You shouldn't need to do a water change if you are cycling your tank... Wait until the cylcle is complete.

 

[spongeynip]

water changes will only slow down the cycle and eliminate vital bacteria. And you could buy a ph conditioner (i'm not sure, but i think Kent Marine makes them)

 

[lando]

water changes will only slow down the cycle

This is true, but you may be able to preserve some of the visible life and the hitch hikers that came in on your LR. Not much will live through the cycle otherwise.

and eliminate vital bacteria

If you take water from the water colume and do not syphon the substrate there will be minimal bacteria loss.
I would not bother buffering Ph right now. A small waer change may help with that. Ph is not too important during the cyle, your tank will stand a low Ph better then it will stand a rapid change in Ph.

 

[zach119]

would you guys recommend me scrubbing off the die off on the rock to take the ammonia down and dunking it in some fresh saltwater?

 

[zach119]

also since my ammonia is so high does that mean theres enough in the tank to turn it into nitrites or do i still need to throw a shrimp in?
also, by the end of my cycle am i gonna lose all my coraline algeas?

 

[lando]

I would not scrub the rock. IF over-nighted from LR.com there was not too much die off. Besides, it is wha ti jump-starting your cycle. No need for a shrimp now.

 

[zach119]

so what your saying is nitrites will be coming around sometime and also am i gonna lose all my coraline algeas?

 

[SeriousDude5]

No coraline is a relitily hardy algea it will easily surrive the cycle heck if it can surrive shipping 3 days it can surrvice nitrites and nitrates. They will eventually go down during the cycle you know when your tank is ready when they read 0. No water change is needed it will do it itself.

 

[oyf709]

well only will say 2 words for this, BE PATIENT!!!!!!
you can't rush on this or you just get ready to fail and redo everything again.