need help with my levels

[RocketSurgeon]

With all my reading on this site and others, I think one could argue both points about doing or not doing water changes during your initial cycle.

I wait till the initial cycle has completed to perform water changes and to add fish.

My results may not be typical, I can only say what worked for me.

[Uncle Salty 05]

I don't want to argue.
Please show me where I said doing a water change during your cycle will prolong it.
I said it will reduce the bio-load your tank can process, that is a fact.
If 20 ppm of nitrate was stressful to fish this hobby would not exist.




The Nitrogen Cycle

Fish create ammonia as part of their biological processes. It is also created by decaying material in the tank like uneaten food and dead plants. Ammonia in an aquarium has no place to go but into the water. Ammonia is a highly toxic chemical and only small amounts are needed to be deadly. In your filter, gravel, on plants, the glass, the ornaments...(you get the picture) there are millions of microscopic creatures that have different roles in life. These creatures, known as bacteria establish what is known as the nitrogen cycle. These bacteria are aerobic, which means they need oxygen to do their work. A group of bacteria known as nitrosonomas, break down the ammonia into nitrites.
Nitrites are also lethal in small amounts, but not as small as ammonia. Nitrites are also broken down by bacteria. This group of bacteria, known as nitrobacters, also requires oxygen to do its work. The nitrites get broken down to nitrates.

Nitrates are not lethal except in extremely large amounts. There are only a few ways to regulate the amount of nitrate. Plants remove nitrate by using it as food. There is a type of bacteria (anaerobic) that will consume nitrate, but oxygen drives them away, and you need a large amount of surface area exposed to very slow moving water in order for them to work. Large amounts of this bacteria are lethal to fish. The other way of removing nitrate is through water changes.

[JHall651]

@RcToners : hey Rc I don't mean to interrupt the debate but I saw you live in Key Largo. I am in Key Largo this whole week and was wondering if there is a good reef store down here you could recommend. Thanks.

[stingythingy45]

Originally Posted by Uncle Salty 05

Yes that is what I am saying. If you do a water change during your cycle you reduce the bio-load your tank can process.
Nitrites are lethal to fish, nitrates are not. If your nitrates are high enough to kill fish you would have to be purposely adding them. Corals are another story.
Sorry but you did more than express an opinion, you were giving bad advice.

You would be quite wrong saying Nitrites are lethal to S.W. fish.In fact nitrites do absolutely nothing to saltwater fish unless they are extremely high.
The O.P.s nitrates are 80 ppm.Time for a water change.And BTW,a skimmer is mechanical filtration.It's uses electricity and a pump(mechanical).As opposed to biological filtration.Perhaps you should read more of Randy Holmes Farley's articles.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...hf/index.php#6

[stingythingy45]

"If 20 ppm of nitrate was stressful to fish this hobby would not exist."

This is also quite true.FOWLR tanks can run with very,very high nitrates(50 ppm or better) with no real effects on the live stock.Personally,it's just my opinion.But,I would say a tank with NO ammonia and nitrates is cycled.It's true that sometimes nitrites can be detected and this can in some cases be ammonia.It'd always best to wait till thing stabilize before adding fish.JMO,but,I'd do a water change and see if things even out.

[RcToners]

Uncle salty 05-

I also would rather not spend time arguing with you so as far as water changes during a cycle and your statements on nitrates-nitrites I will simply agree to disagree with you.

Jhall 651-

There is only one saltwater store in key largo called keys critters, located mile marker 103 ish, very small selection but a few decent looking things. I have heard there is a decent one in key west although I stay away from key west due to the raging amount of tourists There are a few nice spots to dive from shore here in key largo and islamorada, some zoo's you can see and what not. If interested on shore diving PM me and I can send you in the right direction. While you are down here you should check out a couple of the reefs let me know if you were thinking about doing that and I can send you in the right direction there as well.