Big mistakes made: Water Change Questions

H

Hooked Newbie

Today will be yesterday tomorrow
May 25, 2007
5,314
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Georgia
Real Name
Len
I knew nothing about the Nitrogen Cycle until AFTER I had stocked it so I'm doing a fishy cycle. The tank is a 29G, with a Penguin Biowheel filter, 100W heater, and 3 large plants. It's been up and running for 2 weeks. My specs are way out of sorts and I'm working to do rapid water changes.

I am using water conditioner to remove chlorine & chloromine, but have only been able to do 10% water changes each day because I have been allowing the water to sit overnight (I was told to by the same unnamed store employee that told me to run my tank for 48 hours before stocking and to feed 2-3 times a day). Do I really need to do this? I've now got an extra bucket to do changes with so I can change 25% a day if I do in fact have to wait. I just got an API kit today and plan on testing my tap water tonight to get a better idea of what I'm starting with.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!


4 Dwarf Gourami, 1 Yoyo Loach, 1 Mid-sized Angel, & 1 Pleco.

Once I get this tank fixed, I'm going to go to a 55 or bigger (for the Pleco) and will NOT make the same mistakes again. I just really want to keep my fish healthy!
 
If you have a good conditioner(most are) you can change water immediately .

I would recommend a python water changer..especially since you need to monitor the water and try to minimize the impact ammonia and nitrite will have..it is best to keep the ppm of these to below.25
if you don;t have a test kit..get one..you will need it
api mater test kit is a great start. primarily you are looking to monitor the
ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. ammonia NH3 nitrite NO2 are the ones that can damage at lower level if exposed for long periods..the problem is without the beneficial bacteria the concentrations get higher.
if you decide on the bucket method you will need to do water changes frequently.
in example..if your ammonia is at .5 you need to do a 50% water change to get the levels to .25..this level will increase in a matter of hours.

a python water changer makes changes much easier..also look at investing in 'prime' water conditioner as a little goes a long way with prime.

once you get this tank established(here's the good part) you now have a beneficial bacteria factory..so setting up a new tank doesn't take 6 weeks..but a new tank can be cycled in as little as 3-5 days.
the established tank can be used to seed the new set up.
 
Thanks for the advice! I just looked it up and it looks cool (hopefully it will ft my sink). Just one question before I run out for one. Does the water conditioner go directly into the tank afer the water change? Are the fish affected by the short term increase of chloros?
 
Yes, I add it to the tank as its filling, if you buy prime you will need 1 cap full {if you get the 250ml bottle}for your 29 gallon.....:)
 
Awesome... you folks are great! Thanks a ton!
 
Use the Prime, dose straight to the tank, start the re-fill. Use a good liquid test kit and keep ammonia and nitrites under .25
 
Is it preferred to add the Prime to the change water you're adding, or just add it to the whole tank right after you do a water change?

I have been adding it to the buckets of water that I am using to do water changes with, then adding that water into the tank.
 
i do the same and add it to the bucket before the water goes in..it seems to make more sense to me than adding it after,un treated water in the tank before you add dechlor can only be a bad thing for the fish.
 
That's what I figured :)
 
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