To Water Change, Or Not Water Change Is The Question!

[Driftwoods]

Hey everyone. I'm doing a fishless cycle and currently at the point where my 4ppm ammonia is being converted and my nitrites are really high. I've done one 70%ish water change and it didn't make a dent on the Nitrite levels.

Now the question is do I need to do more water changes or not? I've read so many conflicting info that I have no idea whether to or not I'm completely torn.

 

[Ms rose]

If you do the test immediatly after sometimes you get false readings.if you did wait perhaps you just have to wait it out, especially if you are doing fishless, let nature take its course and prolly do water change at 30 % weekly.

 

[Driftwoods]

I took the reading the day after I did the water change, but bare in mind I did also dose the track back up to 4ppm ammonia.

I've read so many for and after arguments for water changed that I'm not sure such whether to leave it a few days or do a water change.

 

[Ms rose]

Leave it and test it, do weekly water changes and go from there, to mach water changing can hurt the cycle in the beginning . But maintain regular water changing schedule , such as once a week. Your on the right track keep it up and soon enough you will be threw this grueling process and be able to add fish

 

[Driftwoods]

Thanks Ms Rose. Your reassurance is soothing for my struggling impatience! usually I have unlimited patience but I find at the moment that I'm so excited about fish that every now and then my impatience gets the better of me ha ha

I shall do as you suggest give it a break for a short while to see how things progress. I will dose up with ammonia every other day to keep the bacteria alive and see how we go.

 

[Ms rose]

That's perfect, glad to help, I'm sure others will give you same advice but always do what you feel is best.

 

[Driftwoods]

Ooh by the way I'm not testing for nitrates at the moment as I believe my high nitrites are skewing the results. I have 10- 20 Nitrate in my tap water and the aquarium is showing a dirty yellow 5ppm which I know is incorrect.

I'll play the waiting game on the Nitrites dropping with that one!

 

[Ms rose]

Yeah that's strange, but give it a few days then check again

 

[Driftwoods]

I really don't want to speak too soon but I think that my nitrites may be dropping a tiny bit... my Nitrite test is still off the scale purple but my nitrate test is now readable again and not in error.

I'm taking this as a good sign but am so trying not to get too excited.... and failing ha ha

 

[Driftwoods]

Day 7 of high Nitrites......

I'm starting to develop a nervous twitch...

 

[InsanityShard]

Cycles take up to 3 months. Give it time, and it may get skewed if too much ammonia is added by way of food. I've messed ones up before with just a little too much food.

 

[Driftwoods]

I know theoretically it can take 3 months but I'm praying to the aquarium God's that it won't take quite that long.

I'm currently cycling with ammonia to 4ppm every other day to feed the bacteria. I'm on day 21... 0 ammonia for 5 days so far and max nitrites for 7 days.

I did consider using fish food but I heard it could be a bit messy. How did yours go?

 

[Driftwoods]

Day 26 in the aquarium house.

0 ammonia for 10 days.

Nitrites maxed out for 13 days. Did a water change at day 4 to reduce levels back to 5.

Nitrates at about 30. A bit more than I have naturally in my water.

Ph steady.

Any advice or is it just patience at this point.