Gravel From Lfs

[Trina]

I've written before about how my 5 week old 5 gallon hex tank just will not cycle. It has 2 ADF in it.

I get ammonia readings, but never nitrite or nitrate. I change 30-50% water daily, but always have at least 0.5 ppm (usually 1.0 ppm) ammonia. I test daily. I don't overfeed. I have used almost 2 small bottles of API Stress Zyme to no effect. This morning I changed out 90% of the water--ammonia was 0.5 ppm, but that could be somewhat false as I used some Ammo Lock yesterday. Yes, I know most people here are against chemical use, but I was worried about my frogs as the constant PWC only seem to manage the ammonia problem and not erradicate it.

More info: tank is not heated, stays around 72-80, can't have a heater as ADF want to cook themselves on it and even try to crawl btwn the cover and the heater, pH is about 6.8-6.9, water is always treated with API Stress Coat and left to "age" overnight most of the time, Bio Wheel filter, 2 fake plants, 1 fake cave.

A lady at the LFS felt sorry for me and is going to give me a handful of gravel from one of her clean looking tanks. Both of my frogs came from her store, so I guess her tanks are OK.

She said to put the gravel in a never used panty hose and chuck it in the tank for 2-3 days. Will this speed up the cycle? Should I stop doing the PWC while the used gravel is in the tank for 2-3 days, or should I continue?


Thanks,

Trina

 

[toppman]

if u do use the gravel from the woman it should deff speed it up a bit bcoz ur using the established bacteria from her tank, that way it will go into ur gravel and spread happily as bacteria loves 2 do

 

[rdd1952]

I doubt it will have any effect at all. There is very little beneficial bacteria in the substrate except in tanks with undergravel filters.

 

[doresy]

I doubt it will have any effect at all. There is very little beneficial bacteria in the substrate except in tanks with undergravel filters.

Totally agree with that Bacteria needs a continual flow of oxygenated water to grow which, as stated by 'rdd1952', only happens with an undergravel filter system. Old tank water is also not worth using either. Remember, you are cycling the filter not the tank so any established filter media you can get your hands on is priceless

 

[Yazan]

Your water changes are too big.

 

[Trina]

Your water changes are too big.

How much should I change and how often?

Thanks

 

[Yazan]

You should change ''15%'' till you test the water and the water is 6ppm.

 

[Trina]

You should change ''15%'' till you test the water and the water is 6ppm.

Until what is 6 ppm? Ammonia? Isn't that dangerous, or I'm confused?

 

[rdd1952]

15 to 25 percent is fine for water changes. You should do them daily or ever how often it takes (even 2 or 3 times a day) to keep the ammonia and nitrite under .5 ppm, preferable under .25 but sometimes that is nearly impossible in a cycling tank.

 

[Yazan]

You should change ''15%'' till you test the water and the water is 6ppm.

Until what is 6 ppm? Ammonia? Isn't that dangerous, or I'm confused?

No thats not dangerous.

 

[rdd1952]

You should change ''15%'' till you test the water and the water is 6ppm.

Until what is 6 ppm? Ammonia? Isn't that dangerous, or I'm confused?

No thats not dangerous.

6 ppm of ammonia is extremely dangerous, especially at higher pH levels. Very few fish could last long with that much ammonia present.

 

[Yazan]

Yes for fish that is, but I was thnking about the cycling.

 

[rdd1952]

I'm speaking strictly for fish but she has 2 ADFs in the tank. I'm not sure how it is for them. You're right that it isn't a problem when doing a fishless cycle as there's nothing in the tank to harm.

 

[Yazan]

2 ADFs

What are ADFs anyway?

 

[rdd1952]

I think their african dwarf frogs.