When to do first partial water change?

[scottayy]

My nitrites are at 0.25 ppm

I have a question regarding water testing and PWC. Should the water be tested before or after a change? Or at some other point during the week.

Also a weekly 10g (20%) PWC seems like a bit much from reading other posts. Is it too much?

 

[carey]

I wouldn't say its too much, a lot depends on your tank. You have to keep the nitrates down and the only way is to do pwc. I've been getting by with 10% on my SW tank but at least 20% on my cichlid tank.

I tend to test a few times a week, but i generally wait til the water mixes for an hour or so if I'm gonna test after a pwc.

 

[scottayy]

Thank you. I guess I'll have to see my specific tank requirements through testing

I'm so excited I'm almost ready for some fishiesss!!
Kinda nervous too.

 

[carey]

I have some fish and I'm still so excited! It's an ongoing joy.

Any questions always feel free to ask here.

 

[scottayy]

Awesome, you've helped me so much.

I've got 10 gallons of SW mixed and sitting in the bin since I feel I'll be able to do a water change soon.

I did another round of tests on my water and here are the stats:

KH: 13
PH: 8.3
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0.25 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Salinity: 1.023

I thought my nitrates would be higher. They've been at 10 ppm since the 24th. Is that a problem?

Also, I need to find something better than a floating hydrometer. Terribly hard to read. I don't want to put out a bunch of money for a refractometer though. I have to find something.. google here I come.

 

[carey]

I got my refractometer from ebay for $30 one of my prized possessions. LOL

Wre you nitrites higher before? cause your waiting for them to spike then the trates will follow. Are you doing fish only or reef I forgot hehe. SAlinity on reef is a tad higher if ur a reefie.

I keep a bucket of premixed salt water at the ready as well. You never know when youll need it.

 

[scottayy]

My nitrites were high off of the charts.. at like 10 ppm. Now they're down to 0.25 ppm. I just thought this drop would make the nitrAtes increase because the trites are converted to trates, right?

No reefs. Fish only.

I had a refractometer years ago when I bought a puffer from walmart, knowing nothing, and didn't know it wasn't freshwater (though they kept it in freshwater). I paid $100 for that refractometer, and spent a bunch of money on other things trying to save it. It died. I returned the refractometer.

 

[carey]

Ahh so we are just waiting for your nitrites to fully drop. The trates should go up a bit more by then. I think youre in the home stretch now.

You have to forgive me i see soo many posts in a day sometimes i forget or get lazy and dont read up. lol

Check out ebay. You can get anything there. i got my lights really cheap on there too

 

[scottayy]

Can I put you on my "buddies" thingy on here?
You'll be the first!

Home stretch..... weeee!

This SW thing is so expensive. I've easily dropped a grand into it in the past two weeks and that's not including the actual aquarium, stand, and lights I already had.

I ordered that python water changer you mentioned, and now getting this refractometer... sure hope this is the last thing i'll need for a while LOL

 

[carey]

Sure add me, i love having fish buddies lol.

theres always something though. At least lights arent a big concern doing only fish. You saved several hundred right there. hehe...but yeah the python and refractometer are life savers.

 

[scottayy]

My first fish buddy yippeeee

 

[XxVooDooxX]

Not sure if I missed it but yes, you do want a heater set at the temp of your tank so it's the same when you do your PWC

Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium

 

[hackteck]

I just ordered a refractometer

Sent from my HTC ANDROID INCREDIBLE using Aquarium

 

[carey]

Sweet. no more jiggling arrows.

 

[scottayy]

OK, Just bought a second heater and thermometer at the LFS.

Ordered this online, as they do not sell refractometers at the LFS. I sure hope this is a good one?

https://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9957&prodid=18716&catid=3

 

[XxVooDooxX]

Good score!

Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium

 

[carey]

Not a bad deal. Good for you.

 

[scottayy]

OK, just completed my first PWC.

Was pretty messy. As I go along I'm sure I'll develop a technique that makes it go smoothly.

I also think I'm going to need to keep the bin of saltwater all the time to top off the aquarium. So after emptying it I think I'll just fill it up again for the next time I need it (leaving extra for top offs).

One thing though, the water was a little cloudy after I did the PWC. Is that normal?

 

[carey]

You should be topping off with plain water, not mixed salt water.

Sometimes I get a little cloudiness, it should settle back down after awhile.

 

[scottayy]

You should be topping off with plain water, not mixed salt water.

How come? Wouldn't that bring the SG down? My definition of topping off is adding some water so there isn't a gap between the top of the aquarium and the visible waterline. Is this what topping off means in the aquarium world?