new fish added-question

[michelleraia]

Don't laugh at this question. I just want to be sure. I added quite a few fish to my 215 gallon on Tuesday. I was told to feed lightly for two weeks to be sure tank could catch up for the bio load of the new fish. I was about to do my weekly water change and I stopped and questioned myself. I do want to do my weekly change right? There is not a reason to wait is there. Part of being new is to be question everything I do, right? Thank you.

[mnemenoi]

I would perform the water change as routine. Do you have a freshwater master test kit? It is the best manner to develop your water change schedule and to watch how that might alter with the addition of fauna into the tank. Once cycled your Ammonia and Nitrite should read zero (though occasional spikes can be caused by adding additional livestock or even ammonia being present in the water from the tap, often called a mini cycle) so usually Nitrate is the parameter we are watching. Nitrate will continue to increase (unless its a planted tank and the plants use it as a fertilizer) and there should be a maximum number you choose. 40ppm would be a good example (though some livestock needs are higher/lower) and once you reach that number you water change. Now test again, it dropped to 20ppm. You test daily until it gets to 40ppm again (example 10 days). So in this example the WC schedule is 50% every 10 days to achieve 20-40ppm Nitrate. Larger volume WC can reduce the ppm and more frequent will reduce the variable. This will stay generally true unless you add livestock (significant amount) and you should try and check it again. A small aquarium notebook helps in this regard to track shifts and trends in your tanks over longer periods of time. If ever in doubt never fear to grab your test kit and test away. At that point you'll no longer be guessing and will know.

[morpheus]

I agree with ^^^. It has a lot of good info and detail

You can keep with your normal schedule and just monitor the water chemistry. The fish will be fine with the water change, it will not harm them.

[troy tucker]

+1 I agree with Roy. Water changes need to be done.

[michelleraia]

Thank you. You guys are awesome!!