to change or not to change?

[khobbs37]

Hi,
I'm very new, set up my46gal last week. ammonia has dropped from 2 to .25 in 5 days. nitrites is 0 ppm. hydrometer is 1.022. 2 test hermits and 2 snails are loving life. this is my question. do i need to change the water before adding livestock? i want to add a cleaner package this week (by the way, it contains 3 cleaner shrimp and a banded coral shrimp). the cured Marshall island rock i received has almost no dead matter and smelled like the ocean when i got it. there is no smell coming from the tank except salt water smell). i have one friend saying change water weekly, one saying change once, one saying change 70% in a month, one saying don't touch it. SO...what do i do? i am inclined to change now, wait 3 days, add cleaners, wait about a week, make sure all is zero then add fish? any suggestions?
thanks

[dwd5813]

what is your nitrate level? afaik, a good sized waterchange at the end of the cycle is a good idea because it will lower your nitrate level, and help minimize algae outbreaks. from then on, weekly changes are a good idea to maintain water quality.

[Davidb6]

More people have opinions on water change during cycling so this thread could get very long. I agree with dwd5813
Wait until the cycle has completed (Am, nitrate and nitrite have risen, peeked and fallen to zero (could take weeks), at that point do a 30% +/- water change.

Personally, I do a 5% to 10% water change every week but I know people who do more and a couple that don’t do any.

I’m surprised your shrimp are still alive during the cycling. Normally you should only add life after the cycling has completed. As you introduce livestock do it slowly…add one…check the water…wait a week…add another. The biggest lessen I can share is – take your time…

You may want to increase your SG from 1.022 to 1.024 or 1.025..I keep mine at 1.025

[blackheart]

wait 6 weeks before you start you water changes then once you start your water changes you can add fish and other crittters SLOWLY

[phenom5]

personally, i'd wait. i'd wait to do a water change, and i'd wait to add any livestock.

set up my46gal last week. ammonia has dropped from 2 to .25 in 5 days. nitrites is 0 ppm.

a week is not very much time, and since your NH4 hasn't dropped to 0 yet, i'd wait. the nitrites may not have spiked yet, that's why your getting a 0 reading. i definately would wait on the cleanup crew.

i'd also bring your SG up slowly...as others have mentioned. i keep my tank at 1.025-1.026.

[blaze98]

patience is a virtue, just take your time with it.

[khobbs37]

thanks to all. i now have an educated idea of how to handle this.

[Victor1046]

I waited 6 weeks before adding anthing to my tank and no water changes during that time. Tanks need to mature and blaze98 is sooooooo right patience and then more patience.
That's why they call it cycling.....in the long run this patience pays off.
Good Luck and oh did I mention patience!