3Rd Day And Tank Is All Cloudy.

[-Jo-]

You might want to read up about cycling here

ive read it tonnes and ive printed it out so i have it at hand when i start the cycling process. Its not the cycling i have an issue with (as of yet) - its this annoying wood and the horrid water its creating. ha!

Please could you give me some advice on what i posted above. Would it be wse to start the cycle with ammonia with new water and my plants - and then at the end of the cycle introduce the wood back into the tank as hopefully it would be a lot cleaner to put back in. Hope that makes sense!

 

[Noahs ark6]

You might want to read up about cycling here

ive read it tonnes and ive printed it out so i have it at hand when i start the cycling process. Its not the cycling i have an issue with (as of yet) - its this annoying wood and the horrid water its creating. ha!

Please could you give me some advice on what i posted above. Would it be wse to start the cycle with ammonia with new water and my plants - and then at the end of the cycle introduce the wood back into the tank as hopefully it would be a lot cleaner to put back in. Hope that makes sense!

You can use new water to start a cycle and as long as you don't have loads of plants, it's fine to have them in the tank during the cycle. With regards to the wood, you could take the would out of the tank and put it in a bucket of water (to get the tannins out) then put it back in the tank. However, if you want to leave the wood in, it won't affect the cycle

The cloudyness is normal and will go within a few days

 

[-Jo-]

You might want to read up about cycling here

ive read it tonnes and ive printed it out so i have it at hand when i start the cycling process. Its not the cycling i have an issue with (as of yet) - its this annoying wood and the horrid water its creating. ha!

Please could you give me some advice on what i posted above. Would it be wse to start the cycle with ammonia with new water and my plants - and then at the end of the cycle introduce the wood back into the tank as hopefully it would be a lot cleaner to put back in. Hope that makes sense!

You can use new water to start a cycle and as long as you don't have loads of plants, it's fine to have them in the tank during the cycle. With regards to the wood, you could take the would out of the tank and put it in a bucket of water (to get the tannins out) then put it back in the tank. However, if you want to leave the wood in, it won't affect the cycle

The cloudyness is normal and will go within a few days

thank you for your advice. I do have quite a few plants coming through, so i will save some to put in for later. I thought i would keep the wood out of the cycling process as i dont want it to go this awful orangey brown colour mid cycle - i cant see anything in the tank now. horrible! ha!

Thanks again x

 

[Noahs ark6]

Thats fine

 

[Mowbz]

I can safely say that I do not enjoy the tannin look - my tank now looks bright orange! I cant see a thing in there! ha! its disgusting I can understand the tannin still cropping up from time to time after washing it - but not to this extent. Im actually shocked at what the tank looks like. ha!

Will do what you suggested with the wood. I have ammonia arriving soon and was going to do a full water change and start my cycling with the ammonia WITHOUT the wood. I was going to put it back in after the cycling has complete. would you recommed that? Would it ruin the cycling process if i put the wood back in at the end of the cycling?

I will ignore you calling me an idiot x

Your not the idiot, you evidentally got the idea from somewhere.... lol

The wood will leach no matter what you do unfortunately. If you really dont like it, its best to buy wood and keep it in a bucket of water somewhere (a shed or cupboard will do) and leave it. Change the water once every few days or so.

It wont effect your cycle so much when you put it back in, but it may drop your pH a little, which wont be a problem since the cycle is best dont at around a pH of 8-8.5. Nothing wrong with dropping to around 7.

 

[Lufbramatt]

wouldn't bother putting anything in teh tank whilst it's cycling, it just ends up with algea on it that you have to clean off at the end of the cycle!

plants and ammonia dont mix well, it won't do the plants much good to be in the tank whilst your adding ammonia to the water.

A water change won't clear the cloudyness from the bacterial bloom, it will come straight back again when you refill as they reproduce really quickly. Just have to let it clear by itself. It will help remove the borwn tannins though. Only issue is the bacteria use up ozygen in the water that the bacs in your filter need, so make sure the water is well oxygenated (adjust filter outlet so it ripples the surface and maybe add an airstone).

 

[-Jo-]

thank you for your replies. I love having the wood in there as it looks very natural - its just when it contaminates the water its a pain. Im going to keep the log in the water throughout the cycling process, so its getting a lot of cleaning. my ammonia has eventually come through so next week im going to start the cycling at long last. Shame about the plants especially as I have a few arriving soon - but im sure they will be fine elsewhere for the time being.

 

[Mowbz]

I had a few plants in mine for the cycle, 4 Amazon swords. I didnt know that most cycled without plants when i first tried the fishless cycle (i have always used either used mature media or fish-in cycles)

They do survive the cycle, but you will notice you might not have the same level of nitrate in the cycle as others, and the plants will use it as ferts.

You might find the plants look a little dull after a few weeks. I found that giving them a good 10hour lights on session once or twice a week kept them ok. Lights arent necesary for a cycle, but they are for plants. Dont put them on every day or else you'll end up with mountains of brown diamton algae EVERYWHERE, as it'll have plenty of nitrate and light to grow.