Given A Clean Tank

[eaglesaquarium]

What stress? The stress of the toxins being in the tank or the "stress" that you perceive regarding the water change? Let's be clear here: ammonia and nitrite are DEADLY to fish. A water change is a standard part of life in a fish tank. It is the ONLY method to get fresh water into the tank for the fish and to remove other materials that build up in the tank.


Water changes are NOT stressful to fish, assuming you are using dechlorinated and roughly temp matched water to refill. Now, the fish swimming around in ammonia and nitrite IS stressful, as it will KILL them!

If you are worried about the size of the water change being stressful, you could do back to back water changes to get the same result. BUT, compared to a full 90% water change in one go, you would have to do about 3+ 50% water changes to drop the ammonia/nitrite values the same way. Or you could do two 75% water changes. In all seriousness, the water changes are NOT stressful to the fish, especially compared to the alternative. In fact, water changes are used to trigger some species to spawn.

 

[This Old Spouse]

+1
Well said.

 

[CrazyAirborne]

OP, welcome to the forum, and its good to see you are trying to do everything right with your new housemates. You are on the right track. Once you establish your filter, and your tank is quite cycled, you will be enjoying your fishies with ease. but like said above, Tiger Barbs are thought to be quite nippy, and you'll be very upset to see some more fins nipped and missing on the Angels.

also, get us some pics!

 

[Miles_hot]

Just one thing - if using the hose to dill the tank put the dechloirinator into the tank before starting to fill and use the amount needs for the while tank volume and not just for the amount of water that you're adding.
Miles

 

[joilet]

Right time for an update!

It's been 15 days since starting with a clean tank and doing a fish-in cycle. I've been performing roughly 80% water changes every 2 days. Each water change has involved a test before and after as a comparison.

Today i received my API master freshwater kit. I had previously been using a Tetrapond kit which did not contain a nitrate test. I thought i would perform a water change tonight as its been a couple of days and to use the new test kit.

Results

pH: 7.6
High pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20

Do these indicate that i'm now cycled? 15 days isn't long enough surely... I guess i should probably perform daily tests to closely monitor the situation. The water is crystal clear and it's not ommiting an obvious odour which it was previously. All fish that i started with are still alive and are looking much healthier than they were when i inherited them. Their colours look vibrant and they appear to be more active.

I bought some Searchem Prime as recommended by BigBruiserAl and have been using this the last week or so when doing water changes.

 

[fluttermoth]

It's possible that not all the bacteria were killed off and a small amount managed to surive to reproduce and make a new colony; it does happen!

If you get a week of double zeros (for ammonia and nitrite), without water changes, you can relax and consider the tank 're-cycled'!