Is my tank ready for a BTA

[raythepilot]

Usually your best choice is not to wait exactly 4 months, 6 months, a year, etc. but instead to get a feel for your tank and to keep a log of your parameters. If your log shows consistency (as in your params are essentially identical) for a decent period of time (1-3 months is actually short in this hobby) then you are likely ok for a BTA as they are hardier than most nems. Just keep in mind that good equipment is necessary as a tank realistically needs at least a year to truly mature and that quality equipment (Skimmer, pumps, carbon/phosphate reactors, lighting, etc.) will help you take control of fluctuations and die off that might spike your parameters.
Now for my parameters (checked with salifert) with what I consider ideal in parenthesis
-My nitrates run 5-10 never higher nor lower (0)
-Haven't had ammonia or nitrites in my tank since the first two weeks and would never add a nem if there was a chance they had been present at noticeable levels (0)
-Phosphates .05-.06 (.03)
-Alkalinity 8.5-9 (8-12 is good but make sure it stays consistently in a .5 range, keeping at 12 is probably better with nems because the stronger buffer should keep pH more consistent)
-Calcium 420-440 and Magnesium 1350-1450 (420 and 1350 main things is to keep these in balance relative to each other to avoid pH issues)
-pH 8.2 but I rarely check this, if your calc, mag and alk are correct using a good salt mix and buffer then this should stay consistent and chasing a perfect pH can kill your tank.

If you have a 1.7L tank in a temperature controlled environment and do 100% water changes per day. (Being very careful to precisely control the salinity and temperature of the replacement water). How many months will it take for the parameters to become stable?

My experience has been that the parameters never change and NO3- is always 0.0

I often put BTA into these small tanks and they do really well.

Instead of recycling my tank water through a treatment plant, I throw it away and start fresh each day.

 

[webslinger]

If you have a 1.7L tank in a temperature controlled environment and do 100% water changes per day. (Being very careful to precisely control the salinity and temperature of the replacement water). How many months will it take for the parameters to become stable?

My experience has been that the parameters never change and NO3- is always 0.0

I often put BTA into these small tanks and they do really well.

Instead of recycling my tank water through a treatment plant, I throw it away and start fresh each day.

Ray - Must be nice to have so much time and $ on your hands! Daily 100% water changes not pratical for 99.9% of us. I wonder what the yearly cost would be in salt and water to change 60G a day?

 

[mcfa2403]

If you have a 1.7L tank in a temperature controlled environment and do 100% water changes per day. (Being very careful to precisely control the salinity and temperature of the replacement water). How many months will it take for the parameters to become stable?

My experience has been that the parameters never change and NO3- is always 0.0

I often put BTA into these small tanks and they do really well.

Instead of recycling my tank water through a treatment plant, I throw it away and start fresh each day.

Here's the thing that tank is immediately stable, however it is incredibly impractical in a reef. What would you do with the fish? What about die off on the live rock? How long would this water change take on 60 gallon reef that is over 120 times the size you are referring to? What is the cost?

My point is that your situation is vastly different than the original posters while mine is relatively the same.