# first water change



## pgm30 (Sep 29, 2005)

when should the first water change be done after the tanks been setup?


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

your first water change should be done (if youre tank is cycling) after the cycle is overwith. If you didn't cycle... you should. Other than that, I can't really tell you because I have no idea how big your tank is, what fish you have in it (hopefully none if you haven't done a cycle or added stability or biospira). How long its been setup, and what your parameters are now.


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## pgm30 (Sep 29, 2005)

6 plants, 3 danios. its been runnng about a week. i have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites... i think my nitrate test kid is bad because the water stays clear when i test it.


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## CroW (Sep 5, 2005)

I'm in a similiar boat, my 55 is cycled and I'm wondering how much water I should change and how often.


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## amingra (Oct 2, 2005)

20 percent of the water once a week works very well for me, but what do I know? I'm a beginner as well. lol I change about ten percent in the middle of the week if the nitrates test over 20 or 30 ppm


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

CroW: Probably a 30% water change once every 1-2 weeks would work alright. Try that and see how your levels are. It's mostly up to what your levels are at. 

pgm30: What size is your tank? Also you probably need to get a different nitrate test. It doesn't sound like yours works. Nitrates are the main reason for water changes so we need to know how much there is.


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## sonofbreeder (Jul 17, 2005)

i go by what my dad says "theres nothing wrong with a water change" so i do mine twice a week but most people would say thats more then needed


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

once every week to 2 weeks is optimal, with understocking once every month is fine too... 20-30% water changes... when first starting (especailly with fish in it) it is even more urgent to change water if its not cycled. of coarse, you aren't reading ammonia right now, but its been only a week, and that plant is probably using a lot of it up.


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

If the tank is properly cycled, you really can't do too much water changes. (Unless something is wrong with your tap water  )


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