Confused on water testing

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Thanks everyone for all the replies!

Itā€™s my 4 year old daughters tank, sheā€™s very excited to get the fish in there but Iā€™m trying to make sure we do it all right.

Liquid testing kit and Dr Tim's ordered! Will have a good read through all the information on here šŸ˜Š
 
Thanks everyone for all the replies!

Itā€™s my 4 year old daughters tank, sheā€™s very excited to get the fish in there but Iā€™m trying to make sure we do it all right.

Liquid testing kit and Dr Tim's ordered! Will have a good read through all the information on here šŸ˜Š
Good on you for not rushing things! Your daughter will learn that from watching you and grow up being patient with things
 
There is a bit more to it than that vid shows. Sorry to say that guy likes o draw and to hear himself talk, 5 minutes would have been enough.

The more you delves into the facts and sciencem the more complex you learn that it is. However, what the average fish keeper really needed to know is a simple straught forward set of instructions on how to do a fishless cycle. Something thta will always work hen followed because it was designed to be "Fishless Cycling for Dummies." This is not mean as an insult to new keepers but I borrowed the title frpom all of those books which us a similar title of which there are at least 119 these days.

Fortunately, this site has such a set of directions. If one follows them it should never fail.
https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/

The thing about the bacteria and the patents is that they involve more than just the bacteria, they also involve the methods for detecting them and using them. There are multiple strains and lineages of the ammonia and nitrite oxidizers. However, mostly what differentiates them is salt content of the water and, higher or lower ammonia or nitrite levels. A stocked aquarium produces ammonia 24/7 but at very low levels as long as it is not allowed to build up. It is the cycling we do to establish the needed baceria which prevents the building up part. So the bacteria present in our tanks will be ones able to thrive on lower levels of ammonia and nitrite.

Next. the nitrifying bacteria reproduce by dividing, they do not form spores. So any bacterial product that says it contains spores cannot contain the bacteria we need for the longer term.

Finally, if you use the Dr. Tim's, the Tetra Safe Start or a product called ABIL in Europe, then there are both types of the needed bacteria in it. They are also there in the proper proportions meaning that whatever amount of ammonia those can turn to nitrite, the nitrite ones can turn to nitrate. The two key bacteria arrive in the proper balance to to the job. So the waiting time for the tank to be able to hold a full load is about 10 days. You can start right a way with fewer fish and add a more slowly, but faster than you can if you are cycling with fish.

If you want to save money you can buy a smaller bottle of the bacteria than is suggested for your size tank. Then you can do a few doses of ammonia to get them to reproduce and you can have the tanks ready in about 2 weels instead of the ususal 6 weeks give or take.
 
There is a bit more to it than that vid shows. Sorry to say that guy likes o draw and to hear himself talk, 5 minutes would have been enough.

Think that's a bit harsh on Thomas from that video. He's very knowledgeable, but at that time was working for Big Al's Pets, and was doing a lot of videos aimed at complete beginners who are lost and confused. Of course it's more complex than that, pretty much everything is - I just found it helpful when I was overwhelmed with technical terms and still trying to wrap my head around the cycle, so I share on the off chance that others do to.

But "likes to hear himself talk" is harsh and unfair I think. He started his own channel after leaving Big Al's, did a lot of super informative livestreams and clearly knows a lot,then went on to work for Bulk Reef Supply since he's a saltwater guy too.

But some of us like how he's able to explain things to those of us who aren't as knowledgeable or smart as some of you are.
 

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