Water changes during cycle

[JWright]

Do you need to do water changes while the tank is cycling? My rock is in, and looking good, but my ammonia has spiked to the 5.0 range.

Time for a water change? Or just let it do its thing?

 

[KahluaZzZ]

5 is way high. I might be wrong, but logically some creatures inside the LR might not handle this spike for too long...even tough some LFS stores + shipping dudes don't change the water while it's cycling, at this point it could be a good idea to change a good % of your water

 

[JWright]

I suspect most large volume rock dealers have a significantly higher water > rock ratio...

 

[KahluaZzZ]

Seen a couple with huge rubbermaids, powerheads, heater...that's it...not much water, no outside container.

 

[OCCFan023]

my lfs cures there rock in the open air with water being sprayed onto the rock and then running off, seemed pretty logical because the high ammonia in the waste water never effects the rock, but creating that for a home system (baring it is a 150 or something) seems pointless. I would do atleast a 10-15A% water change to prevent further possible dieoff on the rock. I guess thats why some people like to cycle with a skimmer, although I dont know how much the skimmer would help the ammonia, thought it was more for the nitrates but it could help a little.

How long has the rock been cycling?

 

[JWright]

About 18 hours (I assume I'm seeing the large shipping die-off)

 

[OCCFan023]

that sounds about right, especially if it wasnt overnight. But even on overnight it could be this noticable but just multiplied when it isnt. Did you end up ordering your rock from marinedepotlive?

 

[JWright]

Yep, I did...

 

[Joe Fish]

I would just be conserned about loosing the hitchhikers on the rock. I did water changes while mine was cycling.

 

[wayne]

I would be doing large water changes long before that - I like my liverock live.

Skimmers don't skim ammonia or nitrate - they're to remove organics before they enter the nitrogen cycle