How often should you do water changes when fishless cycling.
- Thread starter NJ Devils Fan
- Start date
when fishless cycling you don't have to do any water changes untill the very end right before you add the fish. And this is only to bring the nitrate levels down(if they are high).
There isn't a need to do waterchanges since you don't have to keep fish alive and levels under control
There isn't a need to do waterchanges since you don't have to keep fish alive and levels under control
Water changes during fishless cycle is beneficial in a number of ways:
1-Get's you in the habit.
2-Presents bacteria, tank etc. with correct nitrate levels
3-Discourages algae outbreak
4-Presents bacteria, tank etc to same water chemisty (ph, gh/kh etc.) as you'll actually use when you get your fish.
5-No massive (90%) water change necessary when you get your fish.
good luck
1-Get's you in the habit.
2-Presents bacteria, tank etc. with correct nitrate levels
3-Discourages algae outbreak
4-Presents bacteria, tank etc to same water chemisty (ph, gh/kh etc.) as you'll actually use when you get your fish.
5-No massive (90%) water change necessary when you get your fish.
good luck
1.I don't see why you should do water changes just to get into the habit. It seems kind of wasteful,plus most people already do water chagnes on their other tanks.
2.I haven't heard of doing water changes to get the bacteria used to a certain level of nitrate?
3. You shouldn't have an algae problem during a fishless cycle because you don't need to turn on the lights,unless you have plants, in which case they should take care of the higher nitrates and nutrients in the water.
4.I never had a problem with my tank chemistry changing but this might be a problem for some if they have low KH and GH.
5. I think one 90% change is easier then doing partial WAter chagnes through out the whole process.
2.I haven't heard of doing water changes to get the bacteria used to a certain level of nitrate?
3. You shouldn't have an algae problem during a fishless cycle because you don't need to turn on the lights,unless you have plants, in which case they should take care of the higher nitrates and nutrients in the water.
4.I never had a problem with my tank chemistry changing but this might be a problem for some if they have low KH and GH.
5. I think one 90% change is easier then doing partial WAter chagnes through out the whole process.
Agree w/valerie - The only reasons I can see for doing water partials during fishless cycling would be 1) overshoot on dosing on ammonia or 2) the pH drop from nitrification resulting from low KH water (this can be hazardous - it can kill the nitrification bacteria if the tank pH crashes. There have been multiple reports of this on the boards).
RTR,
thanks for the partial support on the partial water change - the PH thing. I think it's the main reason really.
Also, why deliberately build up a toxic chemical up to and past lethality in your tank (nitrate)? And why give anything nasty or out of place a lot of nutrients to go off on?
I agree that water changes during a fishless cycle are mostly unnecessary. But they don't hurt. And they can help.
jmo
thanks for the partial support on the partial water change - the PH thing. I think it's the main reason really.
Also, why deliberately build up a toxic chemical up to and past lethality in your tank (nitrate)? And why give anything nasty or out of place a lot of nutrients to go off on?
I agree that water changes during a fishless cycle are mostly unnecessary. But they don't hurt. And they can help.
jmo
I never do water changes during fishless cycles. For me, one of the advantages of fishless cycling is not having to mess too much with a cycling tank. I'm not sure what levels of nitrate are toxic to the bacteria we want to cultivate, but I dose my tanks with 5 ppm of ammonia daily and I've never observed anything indicating the bacteria were inhibited from multiplying by nitrate levels.
If your water has low KH and you're concerned about bioacidification causing pH to drop, why not just add a tablespoon or two of baking soda? Seems easier than wasting water...
Jim
If your water has low KH and you're concerned about bioacidification causing pH to drop, why not just add a tablespoon or two of baking soda? Seems easier than wasting water...
Jim