Water changes

[Kryten]

I have got a newwly cycled tank now, about 3 weeks old. It has four zebra danios in it and three platys.

I don't know if I need to do a water change yet because ammonia and nitrites show as zero, and general and carbon hardness are fine.

Is a water change necessary at the moment?

Also, I want to add a siamese fighting fish to the tank, and I thought it best to do so when the ammonia levels don't seem to be a problem, as is often the case when adding new fish. Is this a good idea?

 

[Lawplanet]

You should change your water regardless. Freshwater is like fresh air for us. and should be done once every week or 2. make sure that you only change about 10-15% of the water. and make sure that you declor the water. or else the cloreain (darn can't spelll) will kill some of the bateria.

P.s. water change is very very very very importent for the cycling stage.

 

[StiX]

Ammonia and nirtIte should always be at zero in a mature tank. Its nitrAte(the end product of the nitrogen cycle) that u should not let build up, which is why u should do water changes. 20% weekly is best

 

[Kryten]

My test kit tests for nitrIte only, not nitrAte, do I need to get something to test for nitrAte?

I also get my local pet store to test my water weekly, as this is a service that they are happy to offer, and they say that there are no problems.

 

[Tropicalfishfn]

I just rememberd i have to clean my fish tank Thanks and as a newly tank set up you should proably not change to much wait like every 3 weeks before doing it for a little while like a month or 2 then you can do it once a week or how you usually clean your tank

 

[mathman]

This seems to be a topic that many disagree on. I was doing water changes at least twice a week before it cycled and was told to only change it about every 3 weeks until the cycling was completed provided I had plenty of water flow, then to go to a 20% change every 10 days. Sometimes I think I have too much water flow but that is besides the point. The fish breader told me that if you do too many water changes before a tank is cycled you will only prolong the time it takes as you are removing much of the needed bacteria. Are there any "professionals" that can clear up my confusion?

I don't know which is best for sure, but I know my tank cycled soon after I stoped doing so many changes.

Why not declorinate your water when doing changes? I have never heard of that but there is much I don't know.

 

[Fishsmurf]

Ammonia and nirtIte should always be at zero in a mature tank. Its nitrAte(the end product of the nitrogen cycle) that u should not let build up, which is why u should do water changes. 20% weekly is best

Kryten,

Just as a note to add to Stix, once you have the NitrAte test kit a rough rule of tumb is to try and keep NitrAte below 40ppm. Once you have the test kit this will give you some idea as to how regular & how much water you need to change, but 20% weekly is a good guide figure.......

 

[catman]

Personnally i would not cycle a tank with fish.

I set up my tank, add food to the tank, (which decomposes and produces ammonia.. ) and add bio start to speed up the proccess. When the tank is cylced, then i perform a water change and add a few fish each week!

Once i start adding fish i change 25% water each week.