Should You Do More Than 1 Water Change Per Day?

We have been fishless cycling for almost 2 months and added fish yesterday, about 6 total, all babies.

We did a ~80% water change prior to adding fish but I checked this morning and the Nitrates were 60+ or so after that large change, ammonia and nitrites were both 0. We did about a 25% WC this morning and Nitrates still have hint of red in it, I assume 40-60 range. Should I do another 25% WC or wait until tomorrow to try and not stress the fish out too much.

 

Water change shouldnt stress the fish, but high nitrates will (40-60 isn't THAT high, but definitely creeping up). Always do a water change when necessary. If you're getting 40-60ppm per day, check your source water. Otherwise you're probably way overstocked.

 

40-60 for a day is not an issue at all. On the other hand doing another water change is not a big issue either. But if it was me, I would just wait until tomorrow and do a 50 JMO What kind of fish are you planning?
What part of MississippI are you from?

 

I'll probably do it today as the weekend is easier to find time.
We have a school of black mollies, a small angelfish and a red tailed shark at the moment. We will add more in a few weeks as we are looking for a school of Cory's and perhaps a few more mollies.

We are in Oxford.

Water change shouldnt stress the fish, but high nitrates will (40-60 isn't THAT high, but definitely creeping up). Always do a water change when necessary. If you're getting 40-60ppm per day, check your source water. Otherwise you're probably way overstocked.

I don't think we are overstocked, I think my Nitrates were off the charts during my fishless cycle and an 80% WC was not enough to pull it back to a safer level.

 

You may not be overstocked, it depends on your tank size (Mollys, Angelfish and Red Tail require a large tank). What I'm saying is, figure out what you're tanks producing for nitrates daily/weekly. Then you'll know for sure.

 

You may not be overstocked, it depends on your tank size (Mollys, Angelfish and Red Tail require a large tank). What I'm saying is, figure out what you're tanks producing for nitrates daily/weekly. Then you'll know for sure.

75 gallon and only had fish for one day

 

Have you tested your tap water to see what the nitrates are ? Seems a little high right after a water change.

 

I'll probably do it today as the weekend is easier to find time.
We have a school of black mollies, a small angelfish and a red tailed shark at the moment. We will add more in a few weeks as we are looking for a school of Cory's and perhaps a few more mollies.

Sorry I missed you already have fish.

 

if your having trouble with nitrates put some aquatic plants in the tank, they will help keep them from getting too high

 

If you have a 75 gallon and your fish are new to the tank, then you might have them out of the tap. Its a simple math equation: 100ppm nitrates, 80% water change, 20ppm nitrates. Unless you're putting in water that contains nitrates already. Have you tested the source water?

 

0 in the tap so my Nitrates must have been extremely high during the cycle