Reef Central Online Community

Home Forum Here you can view your subscribed threads, work with private messages and edit your profile and preferences View New Posts View Today's Posts

Find other members Frequently Asked Questions Search Reefkeeping ...an online magazine for marine aquarists Support our sponsors and mention Reef Central

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community Archives > General Interest Forums > New to the Hobby
FAQ Calendar Today's Posts Search

 
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03/28/2007, 03:05 PM
johnnymac johnnymac is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Scotland UK
Posts: 84
Question is it time for 10% water change

That's me had my tank up and running for a week now
PH 7.8
Nitrite 5.0
Nitrate20
Ammonia0.50
Is it time for a 10% water change or do you let the tank cycle first before a water change?
  #2  
Old 03/28/2007, 03:07 PM
amoryodio amoryodio is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 309
Definitely let it cycle!!!
__________________
They call it P.M.S. because "mad cow disease" was already taken.
  #3  
Old 03/28/2007, 03:40 PM
zoomfish1 zoomfish1 is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Claremore, Oklahoma
Posts: 1,613
No water changes for a while yet. Let the cycle finish, IMO. You will extend it with water changes. I know there a varied opinions on this subject, but I would wait on the water changes.

Spend the time you would spend on the water change at the pub! Down a pint for me.
__________________
Zoomfish
  #4  
Old 03/28/2007, 03:45 PM
Aliie Aliie is offline
Simply Complicated
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 605
Enjoy this time of no water change while you can. If you don't have any occupants then let 'er run!!
__________________
That's like rubbing a deer with bacon grease and turning it loose in the lion exhibit at the zoo. ~ Doc Joey
  #5  
Old 03/28/2007, 03:58 PM
johnnymac johnnymac is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Scotland UK
Posts: 84
Quote:
Originally posted by zoomfish1


Spend the time you would spend on the water change at the pub! Down a pint for me.
Thanks for that everyone.The only thing I have in the tank is my LR/LS. I would be in the pub zoomfish1 but working 2 early
  #6  
Old 03/28/2007, 04:16 PM
bertoni bertoni is offline
RC Mod
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Foster City, CA, USA
Posts: 35,743
I would do some water changes, to try to limit the damage to the live rock, but the ammonia is low enough that it might not matter much. I'd probably opt for 20%.
__________________
Jonathan Bertoni
  #7  
Old 03/28/2007, 04:38 PM
Aliie Aliie is offline
Simply Complicated
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 605
Quote:
Originally posted by bertoni
I would do some water changes, to try to limit the damage to the live rock, but the ammonia is low enough that it might not matter much. I'd probably opt for 20%.
Since you are a guy in the know I'll go for it and ask.....why?
__________________
That's like rubbing a deer with bacon grease and turning it loose in the lion exhibit at the zoo. ~ Doc Joey
  #8  
Old 03/28/2007, 04:41 PM
rafa316 rafa316 is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 237
Nice rock work
__________________
"if I asked the general public what they wanted they would have said they wanted a faster horse"
Henry Ford
  #9  
Old 03/28/2007, 05:30 PM
bertoni bertoni is offline
RC Mod
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Foster City, CA, USA
Posts: 35,743
Ammonia is toxic to animals, so I prefer to keep it under control as much as possible. Also, with decay going on in the tank, there could also be other toxins going into the water column.
__________________
Jonathan Bertoni
  #10  
Old 03/28/2007, 05:33 PM
papagimp papagimp is offline
Team RC Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 6,300
Personally, I'd let it finish cycling. If you have obvious hitchikers that came in on the live rock, and you wanted to keep em alive, I MAY go ahead and do a water change, otherwise, just let it do it's thing. As long as you are patient and make sure the tank parameters are optimal before you start sticking corals and fish in there, you'll be just fine.
__________________
Secretary 2007
Vice President 2008
Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society. ( C.O.M.A.S. )

Click on my homepage to be taken to my RC Blog!
  #11  
Old 03/28/2007, 07:50 PM
Aliie Aliie is offline
Simply Complicated
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 605
Quote:
Originally posted by bertoni
Ammonia is toxic to animals, so I prefer to keep it under control as much as possible. Also, with decay going on in the tank, there could also be other toxins going into the water column.
Just so I have it straight............even with a tank that only has LR in it, you are saying there is decay going on in it?

What toxins are present in the tank with nothing in it?
__________________
That's like rubbing a deer with bacon grease and turning it loose in the lion exhibit at the zoo. ~ Doc Joey
  #12  
Old 03/28/2007, 11:52 PM
bertoni bertoni is offline
RC Mod
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Foster City, CA, USA
Posts: 35,743
Live rock should contain animals and other organisms, and often many of them die in transit. They decay, and the decay of the proteins will produce ammonia. Many animals produce toxins that can be released upon death and decay. Some sea cucmbers are fairly notorious for this. Sponges are fairly common on live rock as well. Nudibranchs are another possibility, along with many others.
__________________
Jonathan Bertoni
  #13  
Old 03/29/2007, 01:48 AM
Myrphie Myrphie is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: El Paso, Tx
Posts: 149
My typical MO for new tanks is to ride out the cycle until the ammonia and nitrite have both peaked then drop back to zero. I agree with bertoni that there is almost always going to be unpleasant die-off in a tank with liverock. I tend to wait and do a 20%-30% water change after the tank has reached equilibrium but before adding any livestock. That being said, you can lose microfauna if you let things get too nasty during a cycle.
  #14  
Old 03/29/2007, 05:51 AM
Aliie Aliie is offline
Simply Complicated
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 605
Thanks you for your indepth explaination Bertoni. I understand your reasoning now. I cheated with both of my tanks and wasn't aware of this factor. I bought LR that was in LFS tank. I would think that they would have this problem not a new tank. The transit from LFS to new tanks don't seem to be enough to cause any death and decay to me. I do defer to you and your experience though. Thanks again for the replies.
__________________
That's like rubbing a deer with bacon grease and turning it loose in the lion exhibit at the zoo. ~ Doc Joey
  #15  
Old 03/29/2007, 01:36 PM
johnnymac johnnymac is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Scotland UK
Posts: 84
Thank you all for the help. I think i will do a 10% to help out the critters that are in the tank.
 


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:07 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef Central™ Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2009