With fish cycle water changes.

**JayZero911** · 07-22-2012, 02:36 AM

Hello everyone, I was just wondering if its normal to have to do 2 50% water changes a day? I have a 20H with 2 x-ray tetras, 3 neon tetras, 2 african dwarf frogs, and 4 ghost shrimp. Seems to be a little much don't you think? Its getting old really fast and that is why I am fishless cycling a 10g to seed the 20g.

**Cliff** · 07-22-2012, 02:40 AM

The amount and frequency of your water changes during a fish-in cycle would depend on the amount of ammonia and/or nitrites in your water. Sometimes that "may" be needed. If you let your climb a lot higher than they should, it might be required. Most times I would think it would not.

**JayZero911** · 07-22-2012, 02:47 AM

I am testing the water 3 to 4 times a day, and whenever ammonia starts to climb over 0.50(2x a day) I change the water. Had to do a 75% change first thing this morning seance it was higher than it has ever been. Just did the 2ed water change of the day a few hours ago and looks good now (around 0.25).

**Nephalem** · 07-23-2012, 06:01 AM

Hey jay. I'm really new at this too, but thought i would share my limited experience with you. I have a 10G and am just starting to pull out of my cycle with fish. There were plenty of days that I had to do a couple changes a day, or an extra large one, but usually it was due to nitrite levels, not ammonia. My concern for you is that my ammonia took forever to build as i have a really small bio load, but when ammonia started getting turned into nitrIte, it made so much more than i was expecting. I was having nitrIte levels of 1-2ppm every 24 hrs easy, where as my ammonia would only get to .50ppm every three days or so. So if your ammonia levels are spiking that fast now I would be really careful to watch your levels once some conversion starts in that tank. If your amonia->nitrite ratio is anything like mine you will prob have a hard time controlling it. I could be totally wrong tho, just what i saw in mine.

good luck and best wishes.

**Lady Hobbs** · 07-23-2012, 06:18 AM

Are you feeding too much? You can get away with feeding very little during cycling to prevent food from rotting and raising the ammonia even higher. A tiny bit once a day or even days without no food at all is fine.

Those frogs must be going thru a lot right now with them being where the toxins are the worse. Never cycle with bottom feeders.

**JayZero911** · 07-24-2012, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by Nephalem

If your amonia->nitrite ratio is anything like mine you will prob have a hard time controlling it. I could be totally wrong tho, just what i saw in mine.

good luck and best wishes.

God help me if that happens x.x I can only hope my other filter is up and running by then.

Originally Posted by Lady Hobbs

Those frogs must be going thru a lot right now with them being where the toxins are the worse. Never cycle with bottom feeders.

Yeah, I looked up how to care for everyone, just didn't know how hard it was on them and the shrimp. Hell I didn't know I could fishless cycle then..... live and learn I guess