# First Water Change



## msw4477 (Nov 3, 2013)

I'm new to this. Started a 10 gallon tank three weeks ago. Added three glo-tetras after a week and 2 more 3 days ago. I have been checking the chemistry but have not kept a record.

When should I do my first water change. I plan to do 10% weekly. The numbers this morning are:

Ammonia .5
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 1
Hardness 75
Chlorine 0
Alkalinity 60
PH 6.8 

Any help is appreciated


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Since the tank is still cycling, any time my ammonia or nitrite got over 1ppm I would do a 50% water change. I also would stop adding fish until the ammonia and nitrites remain at 0ppm. Are you using strips? These are notoriously inaccurate. Liquid tests are preferred and if ordered online an API Master FW test kit is about $25.

Once the tank is cycled I would do a minimum of 30-40% water changes weekly. 10% does nothing to improve water quality and is about the evap rate. For a 10g tank a 50% w/c takes less than 10min.


----------



## msw4477 (Nov 3, 2013)

jrman83 said:


> Since the tank is still cycling, any time my ammonia or nitrite got over 1ppm I would do a 50% water change. I also would stop adding fish until the ammonia and nitrites remain at 0ppm. Are you using strips? These are notoriously inaccurate. Liquid tests are preferred and if ordered online an API Master FW test kit is about $25.
> 
> Once the tank is cycled I would do a minimum of 30-40% water changes weekly. 10% does nothing to improve water quality and is about the evap rate. For a 10g tank a 50% w/c takes less than 10min.


*Thanks. Yes strips. I'll get the liquid.
So if my ammonia rises to 1 and my nitrite is 1 I should do a 50% water change.
I'm not adding any more fish to this tank.
*


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

If they stay at 1ppm, personally I would leave to let the tank go through the cycle and do a w/c if they get above 1ppm. Some things need to be present in order for that to occur and excessive water changes can affect how long it takes. If your fish show any signs of distress, do the water change. Maybe you should do the w/c anyway given you are using strips. The problem is the amount of info they give doesn't help much during a cycle.


----------



## SueD (Aug 4, 2012)

I think 1 ppm is a little high for ammonia reading with fish in there. I would keep it at no more than .25. So with your current reading of .5, I would do a 50% water change to bring it down to .25. With a fish-in cycle, you will have to monitor chemistry often and perform water changes with each rise in ammonia and then as nitrites rise. Only when you get constant readings of 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites, with nitrates in the 5-10 range, can you back off and get on a weekly schedule of water changes. And at that point I would suggest 50% each week.


----------



## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

1 ppm ammonia and 1 ppm nitrite are the limits.You do need to have some present to establish a proper(necessary )amount of the beneficial bacteria.
But to clarify it's not if both ammonia and nitrite are 1ppm do a water change(50%) it is if EITHER ONE OF THOSE TWO are 1 ppm.With the fishless cycle you could "bombard" the tank with ammonia and speed things up,but with the fish in cycle the fish need to be #1 and levels of either should not be allowed to go over 1ppm.
1^ with liquid test kits as strips are pretty inaccurate,and I'll add(it has been a while) most probly dip the strip directly in the tank.That would seem like such a big NO NO as the chems in strip could be released in tank!So for all who still cheap out with strips;PLEASE take a cup of water and dip the strip in it and throw the rest out!. Here's a link to cheap kit online(all hard goods are way cheaper online).
Amazon.com: api freshwater master test kit
first one is like $19.


----------



## MriGuy85 (Aug 29, 2013)

I would go by what coralbandit and JRman say and change water once levels get above 1ppm. 0.25 isn't going to be enough to really jump start your cycle. That's barely enough to get a small bacterial colony started, not one large enough to support the tank as a whole. My cycle took several months because I kept changing water when the levels got to 0.50ppm. I contacted AngelsPlus.com and got an active sponge filter, added it to my tank and within a couple weeks my cycle finished. Wish I would've done it earlier in the cycle, in hindsight. Anyways, these two guys got me through my cycle while also helping me to retain some of my sanity. I can't tell you how many times I got frustrated because it was taking so long. Next tank I get I will do a fish less cycle, but for you I would just stick to what they say.*w2


----------



## msw4477 (Nov 3, 2013)

coralbandit said:


> 1 ppm ammonia and 1 ppm nitrite are the limits.You do need to have some present to establish a proper(necessary )amount of the beneficial bacteria.
> But to clarify it's not if both ammonia and nitrite are 1ppm do a water change(50%) it is if EITHER ONE OF THOSE TWO are 1 ppm.
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Ya!One today and again tomorrow.With nitrItes of 5ppm a 50% today will leave you with 2.5ppm and then again tomorrow will yield 1.25ppm.
Maybe better would be 75% today which should leave you around 1.25ppm and then 50% tomorrow which will leave you with .6
The % of water changed is the % that the nutrient will be reduced.simple math is 2ppm of whatever and 50% change gets you to 1ppm.
The nitrItes are a good sign though!The second group of bacteria that convert nitrIte to nitrAte usually take a little longer to develope then the first group that convert ammonia to nitriIte.
When changing water it is important to dechlorinate and match temp of replacement to tank temp as closely as possible(especially when doing large changes).
I would go for 75% tonight and test again tomorrow.Use your thermometer to check temp on replacement water.
Good Luck!You'll get there!


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I'd agree with 75% today. If it were me I probably would have done a 50%, waited 2-3hrs, and then did another 50% today. And then test again tomorrow to see what I needed to do. Just so easy with a 10g tank. Either method will work as long as you recognize that you will not fix nitrites that high with only one water change and getting nitrites down to an acceptable level.

As far as not doing anything until it gets above 1ppm, let your fish guide you there. If they look like they are not doing well with doing nothing and levels holding at 1ppm, do a water change.


----------

