eepruls

Hi,

Just going to start cycling my tank and had a question. I want to do things right this time.

During the initial cycle when there are no fish in the tank, water will inevitably evaporate. Should new water be added, some water removed and then new water added, or just left alone and be allowed to drop? Should any cleaning be done during the initial cycle?

Thanks!

capekate

Reading your post, I was thinking back to my own cycles in my tanks. I dont remember having water evaporate to the extent that i needed to put more in during my fishless cycle. Having said that, you probably can add more water if it is necessary, but I really do not see the need. If you have a hang on the back heater that you do not want the water level to get below, then I would say add some more water. How long have you been cycling your tank? Any readings so far? What size tank are you cycling?

~ kate
Ohh and I would not do any cleaning til the tank has cycled.

Narcicius

To make the cycling a little easire you might want to do weekly water changes after you start getting ammonia readings. you still need to treat the water as if it did have fish in it though. Hope it all works out keep us posted.

sgould

Do not do water changes during the cycle if there are no fish in the tank. That will just slow the cycle down.

eepruls

I would think that doing water changes would indeed slow down the whole process. As soon as I find my tank that I used some years ago, I'll let you know how the readings go! I seriously have no idea where the thing is. I put it in a box with everything inside it but it's disappeared. It was a 10 gallon tank - one of those 10 gallon kits from Wal-Mart.

The last time I used the tank, I had no idea about the nitrogen cycle and did what most people do - fill the thing with water, and add fish. Then days or a week later things would start dying so I'd remove all the water and start again. I'm surprised cycling your tank isn't mandatory on instructions in keeping fish.

Seriously, the only places I've read about it are in places where you actively search for info, like on forums or in books. But for the fish newbie who buys a tank kit, it's not discussed as something you must do, but rather 'if you do it'. And since it takes a while to cycle, it's usually bypassed. I know many people who have or who have had fish tanks in the past and have no idea what cycling your tank even means. Once you understand what's going on inside the tank, I think it makes it a lot easier to care for fish!

Narcicius

Sorry if I gave you bad info but that is what I was told to do and it worked for me, I am currently cycling a tank and I'll try not doing water changes and see how it goes.

capekate

Hi eepruls..
Years ago, back in the day lol...I also started my tanks the 'old fashioned' way. Fill the tank with water... add fish... and watch them die when the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates were too high!
I didnt know any better either. THank goodness for the interent. Where we can find the knowledge for just about anything we question! No internet back then...
Back then no one talked about the nitrogen cycle either....BUT now we have the information at our finger tips if we only search.
Good luck with your tank.. and with the new found knowledge, Im sure you will have a successful tank.

~ kate

capekate

When cycling a tank fishless.. you do not have to worry about water changes! Why would you worry about water changes with no fish in the tank?
Unless you are cycling with fish.. then yes, you would need to do those water changes.

~ kate

Narcicius

I have done research and the only reason to do water changes ever is to rid the tank of excess nitrites that build up, and you only get those at the end of the cycle, so I apologize if you wasted time doing what I said but if not, then good. Hope it all works out and post pics when you get it set up.

capekate

Hi there, you also need to do water changes so that your nitrAtes do not build up, which do when there is excess waste, such as uneaten food, fish waste. So it is not just a nitrite problem that needs to be tended to via a water change. nitrate build up can appear regardless of where you are in the cyle or have a cycled tank. That is why we always do partial water changes in our tanks.

~ kate

Narcicius

I think I mixed up nitrites with nitrates, but the point still stands that you preform water changes only after you add fish to a new tank, and possibly right before.

capekate

I totally agree with you. Once the tank has cycled and just before adding fish, one needs to do a partial water change.
My confusion was your post suggesting eepruls, may want to do a weekly water change ...
note your reply:
quote: <To make the cycling a little easire you might want to do weekly water changes after you start getting ammonia readings. you still need to treat the water as if it did have fish in it though. Hope it all works out keep us posted> unquote.
My response was that you didnt have to do any water changes til the cycle completed especially if there were no fish in the tank.
The ammonia is the first step in the nitrogen cycle, no one should want to try and get rid of that, as it sets up the process for nitrItes and then nitrAtes, and at the end.. a cycled tank. Once the tank cycles, you have to do a partial water change to get rid of the high nitrAte that is present in the tank after a completed cycle.

Just some confusion in the translation along the way I guess...
Main thing tho is that eepruls gets the correct information.
No reason to do a water change at this stage... no cleaning of the tank during cycling process and no need to add water to the tank, unless he has a heater that is a hang on the back that can be damaged if the water line drops to low.

~ kate

Narcicius

capekate said it perfectly just ignore all the other confusion that has bee n said and do what is in the post right before this one.

eepruls

Very helpful, in any case. The simplest way to say it is, "leave the bloody tank alone and let it do its thing while you just take readings of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates!"

capekate

..... simply put... yes. You got it! good luck on the cycle...
~ kate

Narcicius

Sounds like your on your way to a very successful tank, Now you just need to plan what you want in it, unless you already have.

eepruls

My ammonia is starting to drop and nitrites are rising. I have lost about 2 cm (~1 in.) of water since I started 9 days ago. I think it's evaporating fast because the water is warm and the air is cold and dry (it's winter in Winnipeg!).

I might have to add a bit of water if it keeps dropping at this rate. If I were to add a bit more water during this fishless cycling phase, should I remove water like I would if there were fish in the tank or would it be okay to just add more conditioned water?

capekate

good morning eepruls.
It sounds like you are on your way to a cyled tank! Its ok to add the water to to the tank. I wouldnt take any out tho...
Good luck.. and keep us posted on those water test results! good luck..

~ kate

eepruls

Thanks! It's definitely cycling! I've got another thread going with my updated results on the my cycling experience just so we keep this one on topic about evaporating water!

This is my other thread: My First Fishless Cycle with Pure Ammonia - Am I doing things correctly?

I think I'm gonna have to add a bit of new water (conditioned of course) because it's dropping. I was leary about taking out water when there's no fish in there anyways!

eepruls

I was going to add water but then thought that the added water would just lower all my readings of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, would it not? Then again, I guess letting it drop would concentrate them a bit. Would this be negligible?

eepruls

Just a follow-up, I've had to add new conditioned water twice during my current cycle. I didn't remove any water, I just added some. I saw no change in my readings or had very little effect.