Tank cycling

[ravedood]

Newbie here. My 55g tank has just finished cycling. The guy at the LPS told me to do 2-50% water changes with a few days of each other. Should I do that?

 

[Lacy]

That sounds like a lot of water being changed. I would only do about a 10-15% water change if you are not having any problems.
Are you having any problems? Are your nitrates, phophates or other levels to high? If so, then do a couple of water changes a few days apart. I would only change out about 30% each time. To much of a change would stress the fish out to much, assuming that you have fish in there.
Again, it all depends on what if any problems you are having.
Let us know.

 

[ravedood]

My nitrates are a little above 0. All the other levels are fine. I have 2 clowns and a peppermint shrimp in the tank.

 

[Lacy]

I would only do a 15-20% water change and then test again. Are you feeding maybe a little to much?
Did the lfs say why to do such large water changes?
Some people like to do such large water changes during the cycling, but you said that yours is finished.

 

[ravedood]

I might be feeding too much. Yea its done cycling. How often should I feed?

 

[titus164]

I feed 1-3 times daily (depending on how I feel). I drop in pellets at a slow rate to make sure none goes wasted (any wasted gets broken down into nitrates/phosphate) until they stop eating. dont cram them just slowly feed a little at a time to make sure they get all they want then as soon as they stop taking stop feeding.

 

[ravedood]

Yea I have been feeding them big amounts at a time. I''l change the feeding habits. Thanks

 

[Young Frankenstein]

He wants to sell you salt water or salt

 

[ravedood]

If anything he would have been wanting to sell me more RO water at $0.25/gallon. He knew I had a 5 gallon bucket of salt at home.

 

[sickyute]

i would do the change.
experience tells me so.
not 100% percent at once but enough over a short period to get all of it changed.
good luck with ur tank.

 

[NanoKat]

Definitely only 15-20%...any more might throw your tank into another cycle (a "mini cycle" as some call it). Just like anything else in the tank, you want the changes to be a little at a time, not all at once.

 

[racermike27]

I would do a 10-20% change.

I usually change about 15% of my tank water weekly and I have done so since it was setup.

I usually feed my fish 2-3 times daily as well. They get a mix of pellets and mysis plus NORI for the tangs.

I just feed them until they seem full a little at a time.