Cycling And Filter Questions

[aluno]

i have a 53 l tank im using as a fry tank but im currently cycling it (fishless of course ) i have in it 2 x fluval 1's and a box filter with zeolite and filter wool in.

the box filter is air powered of course and im using a 75 l/h pump - a tetra i think, this should be ok witht he 2 fluvals, am i right?

next my two questions are

1)the box filter is noisy and its in my bedroom so i turn it off but its on a timer to come back on during the day, the fluvals run all night though, whilst im cyclling the tank am i destroying and progress im making during the day by knocking it off at night

2) im using the "add & wait method" as pinned and im having trouble interpreting my results, wondered if someone could take a look and advise

PH - 7.8 ammo - 2.0 nitrates - 40 (im pretty sure this aint good) nitrites - 5 temp - 80F

using an api master dropper test kit

thanks very much guys
al

 

[WILDER]

You shouldn't be switching the filter off.
I have a fluval one and its quite.
Sounds like the pump that making the noise.

 

[rdd1952]

As mentioned, switching the filter off isn't good. As long as the filter media stays wet, which it obviously does, the most of the bacteria will be ok but you will possibly lose some. Is there any reason you are running all 3 filter on the tank? That's only about 13-14 gallon and the Fluval 1 is rated for 50 gallon per hour. Although we generally say that the filter should be rated 5x the tank volume, I would think it should be ok for a fry tank as I wouldn't think you wanted a lot of flow. I've never been through that process though so that's pure conjecture. Also, if you end up taking one of the filters off after the fish are in the tank, you will be removing part of your bacteria possibly causing a mini-cycle.

As to your results, they actually look to be about where you would want them. Hopefully, the ammonia is dropping back from the 4 ppm or so you are adding each day. The nitrite will stay off the chart high and the nitrate should be rising which it appears to be unless you have high nitrates in your tap water. How long have you been cycling? I would suggeest raiding the temperature to the upper 80s. The higher the temp, the quicker the bacteria reproduction.

One other thing I might mention is that to the best of my knowledge, zeolite will remove (absorb) ammonia which can preent the tank from cycling. I'm not certain how long it takes for it to become saturated or how often you have to change it but that could be a problem. After it becomes saturated, the tank could cycle since the zeolite isn't removing the ammonia any more but when you change it (or recharge it??) it would once again begin to pull ammonia from the water preventing the production of nitrite and thus possibly starving the bacteria resulting in a loss of some or all of your bacteria colony.

 

[aluno]

As mentioned, switching the filter off isn't good. As long as the filter media stays wet, which it obviously does, the most of the bacteria will be ok but you will possibly lose some. Is there any reason you are running all 3 filter on the tank? That's only about 13-14 gallon and the Fluval 1 is rated for 50 gallon per hour. Although we generally say that the filter should be rated 5x the tank volume, I would think it should be ok for a fry tank as I wouldn't think you wanted a lot of flow. I've never been through that process though so that's pure conjecture. Also, if you end up taking one of the filters off after the fish are in the tank, you will be removing part of your bacteria possibly causing a mini-cycle.

As to your results, they actually look to be about where you would want them. Hopefully, the ammonia is dropping back from the 4 ppm or so you are adding each day. The nitrite will stay off the chart high and the nitrate should be rising which it appears to be unless you have high nitrates in your tap water. How long have you been cycling? I would suggeest raiding the temperature to the upper 80s. The higher the temp, the quicker the bacteria reproduction.

One other thing I might mention is that to the best of my knowledge, zeolite will remove (absorb) ammonia which can preent the tank from cycling. I'm not certain how long it takes for it to become saturated or how often you have to change it but that could be a problem. After it becomes saturated, the tank could cycle since the zeolite isn't removing the ammonia any more but when you change it (or recharge it??) it would once again begin to pull ammonia from the water preventing the production of nitrite and thus possibly starving the bacteria resulting in a loss of some or all of your bacteria colony.

would i be better off just removing the box filter then and i could run an airstone instead, should i do a water change yet? ill top up the ammonia today and see how it looks tomoro

 

[rdd1952]

I don't think you necessarily need all the different filters but for a fry tank, the box filter may be the best option for a fry tank (once again, I'm just guessing here) as it doesn't present the problems of having the fry sucked into the filter. I'm just not certain how quickly a box filter will cycle though. One option that should give you an almost instant cycle is to pull a sponge from one of the filter on your estabished tanks and put it in the box filter. You don't need to do a water change until finished cycling but it certainly won't hurt. Keeping the nitrite low will speed the process slightly and if you don't do a water change and continue to and ammonia daily (as you should) the nitrite level can get very high and extend the process slightly.

 

[aluno]

i have a fluval 2 in my other tank running alongside a penguin 350, so if i take that and put it straight into my fry tank it will be instantly cycled?
is there a way i can test if its cycled?
thanks