Water Changes

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10847319#post10847319 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WaterKeeper
Well, fill up the bath tub Randy. You can get by for a couple of weeks by using Rite Guard.

Sorry Cap, but I really don't see any stimulus in providing a toxic environment in the tank when starting out. The median products of a cure are mainly toxic, and when you get by that, the end products are mainly nutrients that will fuel and algae outbreak.

I know that many, many reefkeepers cure the rock in the display, only to be haunted by a Mother of All Algae Blooms (MOALB). The remote curing system is just my own way to avoid the Algae Megaton Blast that follows such practice. A new reefer has a lot to worry about. Why make him/her cope with weeks of mat green algae?

Thanks tom --the more you discuss this stuff the more you see all perspectives----I never thought about algae blooms and how that could control them

great thread :smokin:

 

[Randall_James]

Mother of All Algae Blooms (MOALB)

and get it right (MOAAB)

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10847527#post10847527 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randall_James
Oh man, the bathtub... the only spare I have is full of gin....

The 2 tanks I setup using TBS did not have the post algae bloom. (I also removed some sponges that they missed, terrible sources of nutrient for algae)

I do think the quality of your rock (prep) is going to play a big role here.

but I already use the bathtube to wash my lab.

 

[lordraptor1]

this is what i have read on the cycling process:


in new freshwater AND saltwater aquariums the ammonia may surge to 6 ppm or more and tehn fall rapidly as teh bacterial filter becomes established, at this point the ammonia level will fall as it is converted to nitrite. the nitrite will gradually climb to 10 ppm or more and then drop to 0 ppm in an established aquarium as the nitrite is converted into nitrate. so if this is the way that the bacterial filter becomes established why do a water change?, i mean unless for some strange reason ammonia or nitrite just are off the chart i see no reason to do a water change and if it is off the chart i suggest you find what is causing the problem instead of just doing water changes. if you find and fix teh problem it will lead to less headaches and dead livestock later.

 

[lordraptor1]

if you need a live rock cure vat and

1. willing to pick it up

2. willing to pay me a little cash, or trade something i could use in one of my 2 salt tanks.

i have a 7 foot octagonal spa shell (has some of it's plumbing) i could part with :lol: :lol:

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10847527#post10847527 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randall_James
Oh man, the bathtub... the only spare I have is full of gin....

The 2 tanks I setup using TBS did not have the post algae bloom. (I also removed some sponges that they missed, terrible sources of nutrient for algae)

I do think the quality of your rock (prep) is going to play a big role here.

reminds me of an old joke about a certain group of people but can be adapted here
Question:
How can you tell a reefer lives in your home?

Answer:
When you have to ask them if the live rock can be removed from the tub so you can take a bath.
LOL:rollface:

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10847319#post10847319 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WaterKeeper
Well, fill up the bath tub Randy. You can get by for a couple of weeks by using Rite Guard.

Sorry Cap, but I really don't see any stimulus in providing a toxic environment in the tank when starting out. The median products of a cure are mainly toxic, and when you get by that, the end products are mainly nutrients that will fuel and algae outbreak.

I know that many, many reefkeepers cure the rock in the display, only to be haunted by a Mother of All Algae Blooms (MOALB). The remote curing system is just my own way to avoid the Algae Megaton Blast that follows such practice. A new reefer has a lot to worry about. Why make him/her cope with weeks of mat green algae?

Tom, assuming that you follow the traditional cycling process and let the curing of your live rock cycle the tank-----

at what point should we be doing a water change in the cycling process

 

[WaterKeeper]

Once the LR is cured it will provide all the bacteria needed to take care of wastes in your tank. At that point I'd drop back to a normal water change routine like 10% per week.

 

[Aquarist007]

thanks--as always you are the mighty mentor

 

[whosinpower]

A timely discussion - and one that is regularily hashed about.

I am also cycling a tank right now - using uncured liverock. I have the rock in the tank as this is what was recommended to me by the lfs.

Initially, I saw a massive ammonia spike (to be expected) and was trying to keep them down with water changes - although, not a 100% water change. I changed 45 gallons within the first week. Every other day - 15 gallons.

Second week, I changed 15 gallons. (90 gallon tank) Ran out of salt, ordered it and it just arrived yesterday.

Now we will be at week three on Wednesday. Last night my water parameters showed that ammonia dissappeared completely. This is good. Nitrites are off the scale - really really high. Nitrates are also really really high - off the scale. Salifert test kits.

I am not finished cycling - but was planning on another regimen of 15 gallons every other day starting on Sunday.

My reasoning is that my nitrates are already off the scale and I have no other way of getting them out of the system - no refugium yet because we are still cycling!

Would this be ok? Do I need to do more? Less? Leave it?

 

[Aquarist007]

I am not trying to be sarcastic here---but are you not using a 90 gal tank to cur your live rock--when maybe you should be using a sytem like Tom described way at the beginning of this thread--a series of small vats?
Ouch--60 buck of salt in a week--I honestly think you could avoid that expense.

 

[whosinpower]

I am going into week 3 of the cycle. What benefit would it be for me to take everything out and use vats?

 

[Aquarist007]

no benifit now--just in hindsight.---and this is what this thread is about.

the nitrate levels are high because the bacteria level is still not strong enough---that's a given


At this stage there is probably more bacteria in the water column then on the surfaces of the rock and sand bed. Changing as much water as you are could be actually more harmful then good at this point. IMO let the cycle go on for another week or so on its own with no water changes.