When Do I Do My First Water Change ?

[MrBrown]

Hi Guys, my tank has been up and running for about 2 weeks now, is it too early to do a water change to reduce Nitrate level ??
Is my tank still cycling ???


At present, tests show :

Salinty 1.024 - constant for last 2 weeks

Ammonia 0 - was at 0.25 but then 0 for last 2 weeks

Nitrite 0 -constant

Nitrate 20mg/L - constant

PH 8.4 - constant


Any advice would be welcome, I have 65KG of Live Rock at the moment, 6 snails, 6 crabs although one or two seem to have disappeared ...

 

[seffieuk]

Have you not had a nitrite spike?


Yes, do a large water change and get your nitrates down

Seffie x

 

[MrBrown]

Have you not had a nitrite spike?


Yes, do a large water change and get your nitrates down

Seffie x

No nitrite spike ... just high Nitrates

 

[Don Trinko]

Nitrates are the end result in the nitrogen cycle unless you have suitable material for anarobic bacteria. ( live rock ) If nitrates continue to grow the simplest way to remove them is water change. There are other ways, Plants use nitrates so algae growth will remove nitrates. a Refugum with plants in it and 24 hour lighting will remove nitrates. Every so often you need to remove some of the plants because they will grow a lot under these conditions and overcrowd the refugum. Don T.

 

[seffieuk]

[/quote]
No nitrite spike ... just high Nitrates
[/quote]



Ok, nice big water change now then - sounds like you are well on your way - cuc next as soon as your nitrates are under 10 for a few days


Seffie x