Cycling.............again!!

[cryosi]

im confused gonna change some bacteria over 2morrow

 

[Andi]

I'm off to my lfs in the morning to get a couple of rocks to build a little cave in one corner of me new tank. Might see how hardy tetras are (after doing a water test)

 

[cryosi]

if u find laurel tell him about hardy!

saw some nice green neons they look so cool!

 

[Andi]

they are cryosi - real nice. Am wondering what 50 would look like in me 30gall bow

ah, also known as rummy nose tetra?

 

[semper fi]

oh my god! i thought cycling WAS riding a bike!

hey i got a question for you william since you seem knowledgeable on the subject. what is the purpose of ro water and having an ro unit in your set up? or is that just a marine thingy ma jig?

maggie

 

[cryosi]

RO as far as i know is for tropical( william may prove me wrong, althou i guess u could add ur marine salt to it after) the only down side with RO water is that there is a lot of waste if u make it urself. it just really pure water, Reverse osmosis simplest way of saying it take some salt water form the sea while u r bobbing about on ur life buoy thingie pump the sea water through a RO unit and u get drinking water out it takes the salt out.and other stuff(depending on the filter membrane inside) down side is u will ages ages to get anything decent from a small pump. now if my understanding is wrong i may have to go back to school

 

[semper fi]

well that could be why i never bothered with them. don't have to worry about salt. is that a problem overseas? may be a dumb question.

maggie

 

[cryosi]

the sea salt thing was an example! its just an expensive and time consuming way for us to get water that purer thats all. unless u have loads of tank like a large shop and u need a water source thats consistent i guess. ( someone step in that knows lol) i rang 2 shops looking for RO here and one said Whats that? i had to explain to them what it was!! sheesh

i remember reading somewhere they have huge Ro units at waste plants etc chemical plants etc.....

 

[Andi]

Cryosi, I thought you were one of those 'if it looks clean its ok' kind of guys?

 

[cryosi]

i was i am! i have not touched the tank since i filled it up! will shove in a fish on saturday and see how it goes do trout work...

i just add some bacteria and use the tiny bit of the cycle bottel thats left this week and hopefully it be ok..... if not expensive dead zebra plec

i suppose i could have the water tested but u never know what they say is rite!

 

[William]

what is the purpose of ro water and having an ro unit in your set up? or is that just a marine thingy ma jig?

Great Lakes and Whacky are the experts on this front but from my research into starting marine tank I have found these things:

1) RO water has no nitrates no mineral ions and no other crap you get in any other form of water it is as pure H20 as you are going to get. They in fact have to add minerals to it sometimes
2) RO water is necessary for marine/reef tanks because they are much more sensitive to impurities and also the nitrate levels in the sea are so low..
3) RO water is great, it would be useful for tropicals too but the cost of getting a system is high, it should also mean fewer water changes cause just a 25% water change will bring down your Nitrate concentration 25% instead of if you just used ordinary water when it may bring it down 5-10%

No doubt I left some things out

 

[William]

I suppose i could have the water tested but u never know what they say is rite!

Testing is very important if you don't already have buy three test kits -> Ammonia NitrAte and NitrIte, they are truelly invaluable if you wish to get a warning before something goes wrong so you can do something. Zebras are expensive and rare I wouldn't risk them in a cycling tank although plecos are tough. Is there any chance you could get you fish store to hold on to them for a little bit longer and you can put in half a dozen danios or so just to test the water for a week or so. Do some water tests and let us know what you find.

Also... by adding cycle when there are no fish there, even if there was still bacteria in the bottle alive after months on the shelf It is probably all dead by now. Fish shop employees really are incompetant they just want to sell you as much stuff as possible.

 

[reg2k2]

Yes, cryosi---BUY test kits! You must have a few quid in ur pocket. *doesn't know what a quid is*

re: RO water. Read that it has low/no KH (and not gd for tanks unless mixed w/tap water or salt), and thus can effect water's pH. (Depending on your parameters & how much water is changed, I'm sure.) Someone wd have to confirm, though.

Fly258, looks like you joined while I was away. So a belated "Hi & Welcome" to you.

 

[cryosi]

well looks like the zebras will wait a week while water is tested. thanxs guys.

 

[Andi]

right, just off to check my water - am off to my lfs in a minute to get a bit of rock to buils a little cave. If (and only if) the water is 'reasonable' I'll get a few hardy fish to push things along a little faster.