Water changes in new tank?

[Elisabeth83]

I know this question as probably been asked a million times...but bare with me lol

I have a new 54 litre tank (14 US gallons ) that I just set up yesterday and I added 2 bettas to it (separate of course)

Anyways how often should I do water changes if it's just the 2 fish in there?


Thanks!

I just tested the water and it is

Nitrate = 5
Nitrite = 0
GH = 10
KH= 7
PH = 7.0

 

[Elisabeth83]

Anybody know?

 

[black angel]

do you have a filter in it or does it have just water and fish.

 

[Elisabeth83]

Yeah there is a filter in it as well as a heater.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I'd do 20% weekly-two weekly. It depends on how stocked your tank is, how much you feed and how good your filter is.

 

[Elisabeth83]

I just have 2 Bettas in it right now. My filter is really good and I only feed once a day.

So you think once a week or twice a week?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

If I were you I would do 20% once a week unless you begin to feel that you should do different. Monitor your nitrAte, if it doesn't raise above the level it was at (before a waterchange) the week before the next week's water change then you are doing enough. If it was say 5 before the first weeks change and 10 before the next you need to do more, if it was 5 before the first and 5 before the second you are doing just right and so on.

HTH

 

[Dubby]

once a week should be more than enough

 

[Elisabeth83]

Ok Thanks!!

 

[black angel]

as its a new set up your tank will need to cycle. keep testing the water every couple of days or so, so you can keep an eye on water quality as you may get ammonia and nitrite spikes. To condition your filter faster use cycle from your lfs.
if you get any high readings do a 20%water change when you notice it , but once your tank has settled down you can do one once a week at about 30%

 

[Elisabeth83]

I was thinking of taking my old filter from my other tank and putting it in the new tank and putting the new filter in my old tank. That would cycle the tank heaps faster right?

Thanks!!!

 

[clutterydrawer]

kinda...but won't you get huge ammonia/nitrite spikes in your old tank?

 

[Elisabeth83]

I don't know....don't know anything about it as I've never tried it before. Would it?

If it'll mess up my other tank then course I wont switch them.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

kinda...but won't you get huge ammonia/nitrite spikes in your old tank?

Yes.

You will end up cycling your old tank. The best thing to do IMO, is to take filter material out of the old filter and put it in the new and add the fish right away (perhaps half old half new filter media in each). then monitor the water in the old tank and do extra water changes if needed.

That's how I do these things. Except I have a lot of filter and so can totally fill a filter with old media.

Half opf your old filter material will have more than enough bacteria to cover two bettas jusdging what's in your old tank.

 

[Elisabeth83]

Ok I definately wont do that then.

I took a couple of handfuls of gravel from my old tank and put it in my new tank...that'll help speed the cycling process up right?

Well the kind of filter I have it just has this huge cylinder sponge thing so I can't really combine the 2. What happens though when I decide I need a new sponge...is that going to mess my whole tank up? I've had the same sponge in there for almost 4 months now...I don't think I need to change it anytime soon as I usually just rinse it out in old tank water and then put it back but when I do need to change it I'll like to know how to go about that?