water change during cycle
- Thread starter tylerfear
- Start date
schadiest1
Active Member
if your ammonia isn't high, and you're changing water, it's just hurting your cylce IMO
T
tizzo
Guest
How? :notsure:
schadiest1
Active Member
if you are changing water during a cycle, your removing good bacteria that is building up. that's what I was always told. Makes sense, no?
T
tizzo
Guest
Actually, that good bacteria in on the surfaces. Not in the actual water, so you can do water changes, you just can't let your rocks/substrate (surface area) dry out.
fuax
Member
Your tank goes through a 4 to 6 week cycle if you are starting from scratch. It goes through 4 phases; a serile enviorment, then your ammonia will spike and come down (this is caused by the fish defecating and uneaten food decaying / the living bacteria you are growing in your filter/rocks/gravelbed are the cause of the cycle) , then your nitrite will spike and come down (for the same reason as above the bacteria are eating these and converting them), after the last phase you are left with nitrate.
You then control the nitrate with carbon, water changes, live rock, and plants or algea.
If you are doing water changes during this cycle all you are doing is prolonging your tanks cycle time and possibly causing undo stress to your fish. There is no need to do a water change to your tank while it is cycling.
I hope this information helps you out.
You then control the nitrate with carbon, water changes, live rock, and plants or algea.
If you are doing water changes during this cycle all you are doing is prolonging your tanks cycle time and possibly causing undo stress to your fish. There is no need to do a water change to your tank while it is cycling.
I hope this information helps you out.
T
tizzo
Guest
If I create ammonia by say... adiing a shrimp, when it decays and causes an ammonia spike of...5 and I do a 50% water change, are you saying that by diluting my ammonia down to 2.5 it will prolong the cycle?? Then that would mean that people who get a reading of 2.5 to begin with will have a longer cycle?? I am not coninced.
This makes me wanna start 2 tanks side by side... Oooohhh, now I have an excuse!! LOL
This makes me wanna start 2 tanks side by side... Oooohhh, now I have an excuse!! LOL
T
tizzo
Guest
Originally Posted by tthemadd1
you are removing the food for your bacteria, thus it grows slower
You aren't 'removing' the ammonia, you are reducing it... Your beneficial bacteria is gonna happen just as much, just as fast. And when you add a fish, you will get the same 'mini spike' either way, indicating that you won't get 'more' bacteria, one way or the other...
Now, I am so gonna hafta set up 2 tanks... this is fun!! I'd like to see, day by day what the readings would be. And I need more live rock anyway!!
you are removing the food for your bacteria, thus it grows slower
You aren't 'removing' the ammonia, you are reducing it... Your beneficial bacteria is gonna happen just as much, just as fast. And when you add a fish, you will get the same 'mini spike' either way, indicating that you won't get 'more' bacteria, one way or the other...
Now, I am so gonna hafta set up 2 tanks... this is fun!! I'd like to see, day by day what the readings would be. And I need more live rock anyway!!
fuax
Member
Tizzo thats not what I said at all. I merely explained the basic cycle for a fish tank when it is started from scratch.
I beleive tthemadd1 summed it perfectly.
You can talk to a 100 ppl about this hobby and get 100 different answers to your question.
The best thing IMO to do is do as much research as you can. Public librairies are the best imo the internet is not always right. So as with everything consider the source and come to your own conclussion.
I beleive tthemadd1 summed it perfectly.
You can talk to a 100 ppl about this hobby and get 100 different answers to your question.
The best thing IMO to do is do as much research as you can. Public librairies are the best imo the internet is not always right. So as with everything consider the source and come to your own conclussion.
nate0729
Member
Just wondering, why would you want to do a water change in the middle of the cycle anyways? If your just using shrimp, what harm can come from the ammonia spiking really high? Just doesn't make sense to me to take the time when your not really accomplishing anything at the time. But what do i know.
T
tizzo
Guest
Originally Posted by Fuax
You can talk to a 100 ppl about this hobby and get 100 different answers to your question.
You are right... But that ain't gonna stop me from setting up 2 tanks!! :jumping: Nothing is gonna stop me!! :hilarious I am on a roll!!!
It's all good faux, I wasn't "arguing" as so many people think, I was setting a stage for "discussion".
You can talk to a 100 ppl about this hobby and get 100 different answers to your question.
You are right... But that ain't gonna stop me from setting up 2 tanks!! :jumping: Nothing is gonna stop me!! :hilarious I am on a roll!!!
It's all good faux, I wasn't "arguing" as so many people think, I was setting a stage for "discussion".
bacffin
Member
Hmmm, What I am getting so far is that if you do change your water during a cycle, you are going to save more of the hitch hikers in your live rock and sand but your cycle might take longer. And if you don't change the water, you will potentially lose more hitch hikers and have a faster cycle.