Would it be ok if i do a small water change

So i'm going to the lfs tomorrow to get more water. My tank is on week 4 of cycling, i haven't done any water changes. I have 3 gallons left from when i went to the lfs last time, would it be ok if i do a w.c. before the tank is fully cycled

 

Unless you have something in there i would leave it till the cycle is done as it will just slow it down.

 

ok, nothing is in there except raw shrimp lol so i guess i'll leave it then

 

A resounding ‘no’. The single most painful part of a new tank is waiting…ugh! We have all been there.

The cycle needs to go about its business uninterrupted. You have begun to grow your biological filtration, no need to flush it away. You should be coming to the end of your cycle at 4 weeks – have you tested your parameters? You should have seen your ammonia spike then drop as nitrates were on the rise and finally ammonia and nitrates drop and nitrates rise. At this point you are cycled and you can begin partial changes to dispel your nitrates.

I have spoken to people who performed partial water changes early on in an effort to reduce ammonia and “smell” during cycle. I believe it prolonged the cycle period but did no harm.

I hope this helps you.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=202427&hl=cycle


Good reading.

 

Yup. The waiting part does not sit well with me also. However, and you already know this I am sure, if you don't wait, you will just end up waiting longer. OK....that sentence needed some help, but you get the picture.

 

i tested ammonia .25 and nitrite and Nitrite yesterday and it was 0.05 a few weeks ago my readings were extremely high, and now for the past two weeks have stayed at the same results and have yet gone down to 0
I hope this helps you

 

As you most likely know it will be ammonia, followed by the nitrite and then nitrate. Once the ammonia hits zero, you should see the trites go up, then down and after same with trates.
I cheated and threw a bottle of the nitrifying bacteria to help seed the tank and speed up the process-Im sure I will catch heck for that
"SPEEEDING" up "ANY" process in reefkeeping= bad

I agree no need to change water, save your money and time.

Question, how long are you supposed to leave the shrimp in? Did I read you still have it in? I was not sure how long it stays, I thought I read somewhere you take it out once the process starts- I could be 100% wrong-I was only asking -not questioning your process.

Myself as I have always done, I cycle with damsels or chromnis-but I have only lost one out of say 30, and they always stay in the tank after wards, I just heard about the shrimp 9 months ago-They did not do it that way 17 years ago.

Good luck-I know it SUCKS waiting but please be patient-its been my demise-patience