when should i do my first tank change

cjfalkenbury · 02/23/2011, 11:59 PM

i set my wifes tank up last week on friday, when should i do my first change i have a 30gal.

almostazoo · 02/24/2011, 12:21 AM

check the thread about setting up a tank how to...(its a sticky) a couple of opinions get around here.
one of the links in that thread tell you change it all you want(water) the cycle will still happen in about the same amount of time. I like to see the numbers go up then start to come back down before I start water changes. Do you have live rock, sand fish etc. what is in the tank other than water? What are your params?

oh and if you are talking about an actual tank change I would make it a million gallon instead of a 30g it would be much more fun...

Palting · 02/24/2011, 08:57 AM

It depends on your live rock, I blelieve. With my first tank, I had one large piece of live rock from the LFS that had all sorts of life in it. Not just coralline, but you could see brittle stars and critters, small shrooms, and there was a porcelain crab that would just not come out of it's hole no matter what we did. Nice, right? But, it was also a curse. It meant that if I wanted those life forms to survive, I couldn't let the ammonia get high, so I had to do water changes early, and I had to start the lights early.

cjfalkenbury · 02/24/2011, 09:13 AM

ok well hears the parms 30gallon with bio wheel and a coalife t5 light, LS and about 20lbs of LR one fish a clown. i had a protien skimmer it is a red sea prism but unfortunatlyi cant get the thing to do it right just keeps filling the cup.new piece of rick yestarday has yellow shrooms i think they look like wine glasses and they are yellow very small and havent seen any other life accept for apostasia, grrrr bacteria is forming i can smell that musty smell. well thats it any other opions.

-john-

Uncle Salty 05 · 02/24/2011, 10:05 AM

If the tank was only set up a week ago there should not be fish in it yet.
Clowns are hardy and you do have a fair amount of live rock (if it is good quality cured live rock) you might get lucky.
You need to read about the nitrogen cycle and how it works.
Normally it takes 4 weeks for the bacterial colonies needed to become established.
Good luck.

Oh, and ditch the bio-wheel - they are nitrate factories.

Toddrtrex · 02/24/2011, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palting

It depends on your live rock, I blelieve. With my first tank, I had one large piece of live rock from the LFS that had all sorts of life in it. Not just coralline, but you could see brittle stars and critters, small shrooms, and there was a porcelain crab that would just not come out of it's hole no matter what we did. Nice, right? But, it was also a curse. It meant that if I wanted those life forms to survive, I couldn't let the ammonia get high, so I had to do water changes early, and I had to start the lights early.

Yep.

For me, I paid good money for live rock that has life on it -- so I treat the new tank like it had been running for years -- skimmer running, carbon, and water changes.

INSPECTOR · 02/24/2011, 11:40 AM

+1 on Uncle Salty 05. Give it 3 to 4 weeks. Don't rush it. The more time you give the tank to establish itself, the stronger and healthier it will become. It's real easy to crash a young tank, especially something that small.

02/23/2011, 11:59 PM	#1
cjfalkenbury Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 24	when should i do my first tank change i set my wifes tank up last week on friday, when should i do my first change i have a 30gal.

02/24/2011, 12:21 AM	#2
almostazoo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Avondale Posts: 241	check the thread about setting up a tank how to...(its a sticky) a couple of opinions get around here. one of the links in that thread tell you change it all you want(water) the cycle will still happen in about the same amount of time. I like to see the numbers go up then start to come back down before I start water changes. Do you have live rock, sand fish etc. what is in the tank other than water? What are your params? oh and if you are talking about an actual tank change I would make it a million gallon instead of a 30g it would be much more fun... Last edited by almostazoo; 02/24/2011 at 12:24 AM. Reason: funny

02/24/2011, 08:57 AM	#3
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	It depends on your live rock, I blelieve. With my first tank, I had one large piece of live rock from the LFS that had all sorts of life in it. Not just coralline, but you could see brittle stars and critters, small shrooms, and there was a porcelain crab that would just not come out of it's hole no matter what we did. Nice, right? But, it was also a curse. It meant that if I wanted those life forms to survive, I couldn't let the ammonia get high, so I had to do water changes early, and I had to start the lights early. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

02/24/2011, 10:05 AM	#5
Uncle Salty 05 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,799	If the tank was only set up a week ago there should not be fish in it yet. Clowns are hardy and you do have a fair amount of live rock (if it is good quality cured live rock) you might get lucky. You need to read about the nitrogen cycle and how it works. Normally it takes 4 weeks for the bacterial colonies needed to become established. Good luck. Oh, and ditch the bio-wheel - they are nitrate factories. __________________ In all that I endure, of one thing I am sure. Knowledge and reason, change like the season. A jester's promenade. - Kerry Livgren Current Tank Info: 180 gal reef tank with dual attached refugiums 20 long and 10 gallon. Plus 55 gallon True Percula breeding tank.

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02/24/2011, 09:13 AM	#4
cjfalkenbury Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 24	ok well hears the parms 30gallon with bio wheel and a coalife t5 light, LS and about 20lbs of LR one fish a clown. i had a protien skimmer it is a red sea prism but unfortunatlyi cant get the thing to do it right just keeps filling the cup.new piece of rick yestarday has yellow shrooms i think they look like wine glasses and they are yellow very small and havent seen any other life accept for apostasia, grrrr bacteria is forming i can smell that musty smell. well thats it any other opions. -john-

02/24/2011, 11:40 AM	#7
INSPECTOR Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gainesville, Virginia Posts: 62	+1 on Uncle Salty 05. Give it 3 to 4 weeks. Don't rush it. The more time you give the tank to establish itself, the stronger and healthier it will become. It's real easy to crash a young tank, especially something that small.