All,
I have a 75 gallon tank that I've had going for just over a month. It's fully cycled, heavily planted and I have 11 little Green Fire tetras in it.
The water quality is fine:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20ppm
PH 6.7 (controlled with PH controller & CO2)
GH 53.7 ppm
dKh 5
TDS 163 (tap water here is 70)
I have not started fertilizing the plants yet. I want to let them start growing a bit and setting roots before I do. I've read it will take about a month, so I'm holding off, letting the CO2 and light do it's thing. Once I start getting growth, I will ramp up the Estimative Index method of fertilization and do a 50%-75% water change weekly. I'm not there yet, though.
So, the question is, do I need to change the water at all if the parameters are fine?
I've become compulsive with water changes in my 15 gallon. I don't NEED to every other day, but I do it because it makes me feel better LOL. I went through a period when I didn't do it enough and had a disaster, so I've swung the other way.
However, a 75 gallon tank is a whole different situation- the volume of water produces more stability, the effort for the water change is more (not a big deal, really), I don't want to stress the new fish unnecessarily, and I don't want to waste 25+ gallons of water.
I'm leaning toward just leaving the water alone until either the water quality tells me I need to change it or I get to the point where I'm ready to start the EI fertilization method.
Thoughts?
I have a 75 gallon tank that I've had going for just over a month. It's fully cycled, heavily planted and I have 11 little Green Fire tetras in it.
The water quality is fine:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20ppm
PH 6.7 (controlled with PH controller & CO2)
GH 53.7 ppm
dKh 5
TDS 163 (tap water here is 70)
I have not started fertilizing the plants yet. I want to let them start growing a bit and setting roots before I do. I've read it will take about a month, so I'm holding off, letting the CO2 and light do it's thing. Once I start getting growth, I will ramp up the Estimative Index method of fertilization and do a 50%-75% water change weekly. I'm not there yet, though.
So, the question is, do I need to change the water at all if the parameters are fine?
I've become compulsive with water changes in my 15 gallon. I don't NEED to every other day, but I do it because it makes me feel better LOL. I went through a period when I didn't do it enough and had a disaster, so I've swung the other way.
However, a 75 gallon tank is a whole different situation- the volume of water produces more stability, the effort for the water change is more (not a big deal, really), I don't want to stress the new fish unnecessarily, and I don't want to waste 25+ gallons of water.
I'm leaning toward just leaving the water alone until either the water quality tells me I need to change it or I get to the point where I'm ready to start the EI fertilization method.
Thoughts?
