Cycling An Empty Tank

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Greenish?  Likely 'green water' then.
 
http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm
[SIZE=large]Green Water[/SIZE]  
Description This is a unicellular algae. Water goes cloudy. Sometimes just a green tint, other times it can look like pea soup.
 
Cause Ammonia is often the main cause green water. There may have been an ammonia spike that isn't detected with test kits. Other possible causes are an imbalance of nutrients and/or low CO2 levels.
 
Removal Large water changes do not seem to always help. If there is an imbalance in nutrients then fixing it will sometimes make it go away by itself after a while. A three day blackout followed by a large water change will hit it hard and sometimes may clear it. A UV steriliser/clarifier or diatom filter will clear it up very quickly and is often the only way to clear it.
A new method is to use freshly cut 1-2 year old willow branches about 0.5-1cm in width. Place these in your tank vertically so they go from the substrate to a few centimetres above the water's surface. After a few days they will start to grow roots and the green water should start to clear. When cleared remove the branches from the water.
Don't confuse this with a bacterial bloom which gives the water a white haze.

 
 
 
 
I'd suggest going the blackout route.   You are likely dealing with the bolded section as the primary cause.
 
Because I have only plants in the tank, the cloudy water is not a problem for the moment. And I am leaving for a few days so I cannot keep an eye on it. When I come back I will try to see what's going on.
 
andyG44 said:
Because I have only plants in the tank, the cloudy water is not a problem for the moment. And I am leaving for a few days so I cannot keep an eye on it. When I come back I will try to see what's going on.
 
The cloudy water is never a problem for the fish either... its more a matter of aesthetics.  Green water isn't 'unhealthy' for the fish.  As a matter of fact: 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilnitMs1LRk
 
 
Take a look at that water... that's 'green water' if I've ever seen it.  And it would appear that its IDEAL conditions for otocinclus.  They are a challenging species in the home aquarium, I believe primarily for the reason that our tanks are TOO clean - they eat algae, and almost exclusively.  In that water, algae is readily available everywhere.  In our tanks they have a much more challenging time finding their food.
 
I am STILL expecting to see the guy at the back slipping and falling in.
 
Today's readings: water much less cloudy, ammonia 0.25-0.5ppm, nitrites 0.
 
Based on that I have added 4ml of ammonia (should give me an extra 1ppm give or take) and 30ml of Waterlife bacterial culture something or other, good for 300 lt.
 
I think I need some advice here please.
 
This morning's readings: Ammonia 0.5-1.0, Nitrite 0.25, pH=8.6, TDS=500+ (350 lt tank)
 
(for comparison my 180 lt tank, which is established Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, pH=7.7, TDS=168)
 
My tap water is softened through an ion exchange softener. That means it is still "hard" as far as TDS and pH is concerned : pH=8.0-8.4, TDS=240
 
I also have an RO filter for drinking purposes pH=6.9 TDS=14 - but it is very very slow
 
******************************************
 
The established tank has a mixture of tap water and RO.
 
The new, large tank which I am trying to cycle has no RO in it and in addition has gravel and pebbles I bought from a building yard.
 
I think the combination of water from the tap and the pebbles have created this TDS=500 and pH=8.7.
 
What should I be aiming for? I can mix RO water in, but it is tricky as my RO filter produces it really slowly and the tank is large,
 
What you should aim for depends on what you plan to keep. There are fish that thrive in soft water, and there are fish that thrive in hard. A large tank, with hard water and plants will do well with rainbowfish and live bearers.
This tank is 350liters, correct? That would make it 4 or 5 feet long, right?
 
4ft long yes.
 
TDS 500 is unreal, it must be all those pebbles and gravel I got in there.
 
I was aiming for something more mid-range so I can accomodate more fish later when I come to decide. Many guides suggest 6.5-7.5 as a good pH to be at.
 
But to lower the hardness and the pH I need to find a practical way because my RO is very slow, and does not make an impression to this large tank.
 
Unfortunately, there really isn't much of a practical way to reduce TDS besides the use of RO.  
 
28/5/15
 
pH=8.7
TDS=321
Ammonia=0
Nitrites=5ppm
 
[[[[A LOT of nitrites. What do I do now?]]]]
 
 
As per guide I fed more ammonia since I have 0ppm ammonia and lots of nitrites.
 
How much ammonia did you feed?  Your pH is really high now too.  Are you sure about that reading?
 
 
Are you taking your sample from the middle of the tank?   
 
What is in the tank in the way of rocks, etc.?  Brand name of gravel, etc. if you have it.  
 
pH was 8.6 on last measurement so lets put it down to sampling error :)
 
I have 40-50kg gravel and as much in large pebbles.
 
I have added some RO water to try and bring down the TDS and the pH but it was not near enough (it is a 350lt tank after all).
 
Today I fed 4ml ammonia which on its own I know will raise it to around 1ppm.
 
Lots of plants in there too.
 
My "solution" is to bite the bullet and make a good % water change with RO water, that will take care of the TDS and the pH. Unfortunately this is not a sustainable technique because for a 50% change I'd need say 150lt water, not easy to produce from my home RO system
 
I also measured tap TDS today at 280 ppm.
 
This is not the same gravel that you used on your established tank, then I assume.  It isn't by chance calcium carbonate or crushed seashell is it or Cichlid sand or similar?  
 
Readings this morning:
 
pH=8.2 (re-calibrated the instrument)
TDS=330
Ammonia=0.5ppm
Nitrites=5ppm (most likely off the scale)
 
I found the gravel. It is 40kg of this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007FD8AN4?psc=1&redirect=true
 
On top of that layer of gravel I have placed another 20kg-40kg of large pebbles bought at a building yard. The white stones in particular were leaking a lot of "white cloudy water" and had to wash/rinse them many times.
 
Based on the above I believe I am very much on the cycle, the point where nitrites shoot through the roof and it is a matter of waiting now. According to the guide I have to "feed" the bacteria some ammonia every now and then, it sounds simple enough.
 
If there is one complication it may be that I have a lot of live plants that I would not like to see dead, currently they are looking OK.
 
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My suspicion is that it's possible the rocks from the building yard might be leeching. An easy check would be to remove a few and pour some vinegar over them. If it reacts, then your rocks are leeching, if it doesn't react, then they probably are not.
 
Will do as soon as I go home. What should I do if they do react to vinegar?
 

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