Water Changes on new tank

[ego]

What rate should I be doing water changes while the water does its setup cycle
Thanks

 

[lion_crazz]

I would not do any water changes until the tank is cycled. Just let the tank be until it is cycled. You will know the cycle is over when both the ammonia and nitrite spike, and then settle at 0. At this time, you will want to do a 20% water change to get the nitrates down.
By the way, nice avatar pic of the big eye squirrel. They are very cool fish. Mine is my little ADD fish.

 

[dogstar]

I would do them whenever needed to keep the levels of ammonia and nitrites below 1.0 ppm. Allowing the levels to get toooo high will only kill off wanted hitch hickers and benificial life that you really want to have plus just make the levels go up even higher and cause the cycle to take longer.

 

[ego]

Should I be siphoning the gravel in my water changes.
It is starting to get some algy on the substrate

 

[dogstar]

Originally Posted by Ego
Should I be siphoning the gravel in my water changes.
I hope its not pebble/stone gravel for fresh water tanks......should use aragonite sand sold for saltwater systems....and dont syphon, just stir it up. Syphoning will remove wanted critters.

 

[ego]

The base is aragonite im not up to date with my terms
did the water change
some pictures of my tank all test are good