2 Quick Questions

[hargi22]

hi my tank has finished cycling properly now so im off for my cichlids today, do i do a water change before or after i put them in or do i leave it for a day or 2?
also dose bogwood change your water chemistry see i have got everything ready for themand i dont want to put the wood in if it will alter the ph or anything?

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Water change a few days after adding, methinks, since tannins are bound to get in your water and make it brown.

As long as it is really bogwood (been in the water for years), it should do well.

As for changing the chemistry, I am not sure, though methinks if it would change it at all, it would lower the pH. Speaking of which, have you tested your water to make sure that it is suitable for your fish? It's better to get fish to suit your tapwater than to alter your tapwater to suit your fish.

 

[Jules H-T]

If it's finished cycling, presumably you have a stack of Nitrates? If so, you should do sufficient water changes to remove almost all of them, before putting any fish in.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Whoops! I misread that post. I meant a few days after adding bogwood. Before adding fish would be th right thing to do. *nods*