Can Is Start Doing Water Changes Every 2 Weeks?

[oneblondebrow]

Hi all,

I did a 25% water change just over a week ago and tested the water today ready for another change but found the below readings....

NitrIte = 0ppm
NitrAte = 10ppm
Ammonia = 0ppm

Do you think this means i may be able to start doing 2 weekly changes or is it just freak readings? I would have expected higher Nitrate (the tanks is a Juwel Rio 180 lightly planted sand substrate and is close to max stocking)

 

[waterdrop]

Hi OBB, I tried to look back at your threads to find a cycling one but there were just lots of little threads and I couldn't figure out what you were doing. I remember you had more than one tank and transferred some media at some point but for me at least you're going to have to remind me of whether you were fish-in cycling and wondering if this is the end or what?

~~waterdrop~~

 

[oneblondebrow]

Yep fish in cycle in original tank which was setup for over 6 months and was cycled (although i did have a slight issue with Ammonia always reading 0.25ppm but now i do not get that), i moved the media to the new tank which has now been runinng for 4 weeks and those are the reading i got from 1 week after my 2nd water change.

 

[waterdrop]

Personally, I like to do 50% weekly water changes but part of that for me is that my water is very soft and I like to refresh the little bit of mineral content for my plants. I also just find the water changes seem to be the most powerful thing for keeping fish happy and tanks sparkling. That said however, I don't mind the occasional slip to two weeks and I know there are people that are happy changing only every other week.

One of the main indicators to watch is nitrate(NO3) to see if it creeps up (which would indicate more water changes were in order.) As long as ammonia and nitrite always test out to zero ppm and nitrate(NO3) does not creep up, you have a good indication your maintenance is going ok (along with all the visual indicators you get simply by looking at your tank!)

~~waterdrop~~