Water change during cycling???

[jordala]

I was wondering if I should do any water changes while my tank is cycling...My ammonia seems to be stuck at 1.5 mg/l and my nitrite keeps rising, currently at 1.6+ mg/l. Would a water change help this, or just slow down the cycling process???

Thanks! :p

[GobieWanKenobie]

Don't do a water change until the Ammonia and Nitrite reach 0. Your tank sounds like it is cycling just fine right now. Soon the ammonia will reach 0 and the nitrites will be high. Wait until the nitrites go down to zero and check the nitrates. When there is nitrates, but no ammonia or nitrite, your tank has cycled and water changes can become a routine mantainance task.

[Flame*Angel]

When my tank cycled it was with cured live rock, no fish. The cycled started quickly and I didn't want to lose too much of the life in my rock so I did weekly 10% water changes. The cycle went just fine. I had a number of free cerith snails that came with the rock that survived.

[Phillstone]

Hi jordala,

I am a firm believer in doing weekly ( if not more often) waterchanges while curing rock. I also use a skimmer. My reasoning is ...... to save the life in/on the rock. Ammonia IS highly toxic to most life forms and to preserve as much life as you need to keep ammonia and nitrites down.

This does make the process take longer, but this is not a race. It is all about establishing the micro life, all part of your filtration system.

Also depending on what is growing on your rock you may want to have a short photo-period (lights on). My original rock came with 2 small patches of porites (approx dime sized) and the survived andgrew under my VHO lights for the 1st year. They really took off after I added MH the 2nd year.

Just remember like I said it's not a race, take your time let it cycle, then let it mature. The longer you wait to add fish or coral the better off your system will be in the long run. I waited 6 months before adding my 1st fish on month 7 I added a few coral.

HTH Phill