Just Started Fishless Cycle

[scubadoo]

OK so as it says, I've just set up my tank over the wekend - sand/gravel substrate, plenty of conditioned water and 3 amazon sword plants (hopefully to add some bacteria).

Added ammonia on saturday night to about 4ppm (though its a bit hard to be too accurate with the API colour card). I'm trying the add and wait method.

I currently have the airstone running 24/7 to ensure there's plenty of oxygen to aid the growth of the bacteria - does it need to be on so long, or would a few hours a day be enough?

cheers

scuba

 

[scubadoo]

BUMP

 

[andywg]

An airstone is really somewhat poor at actualling facilitating gas exchange. The bubbles are not in the water colum long enough to diffuse any gas into the water, and they have a very minimal effect on the surface.

I would point a powerhead or filter outlet at the surface as a better way of getting the sruface rippling and giving more surface area for gas exchange.

If the aristone is powering the filtration, however, then it will hve to be on 24/7.

 

[scubadoo]

An airstone is really somewhat poor at actualling facilitating gas exchange. The bubbles are not in the water colum long enough to diffuse any gas into the water, and they have a very minimal effect on the surface.

I would point a powerhead or filter outlet at the surface as a better way of getting the sruface rippling and giving more surface area for gas exchange.

If the aristone is powering the filtration, however, then it will hve to be on 24/7.

Thanks for the reply andy

The tank is a juwel trigon 190 with juwels own filter system.
The airstone is powered by a rena unit, and is really I guess for pretty bubbles.
I just thought it might help oxygenate yje water some to accelerate the growth of the nityfying bacteria.

Better adjust the filter outlet so it points at the surface tonight, and might continue to use the airstone occasionally on the basis that it cant really do any harm I guess.

The only other thing I would add is that about 50% of the surface of the tank water is covered with tiny popping bubbles which I would have thought would have a decent impact on the overall surface area to increase gas exchange ?

 

[docbanzai]

An airstone helps quite a lot. Also pointing your filter outlet toward the surface helps as well. In fact anything which disturbs the surface of the water will help. It sounds to me like you're doing everything right, so I really wouldn't worry.
O2 is more important after you've got a stocked tank. During your cycle it won't be massively important, but be patient... Good cycling takes time, don't try to hurry things along, remember that adding TOO much O2 will cause a pH drop and will cause your cycle to take longer.
Keep the stone going, monitor your NO2 and NO3 levels, plants are not a miracle cure to cyle a tank faster!

 

[BigIan]

air stones do help, the bubbles may not make a huge impact nore the surface agitation they do however move water......

they pull water up from lower in the tank to the surface as the bubbles go up so does the water. thusly exchangeing the co2 from the bottome of the tank with o2 at the top....


but compaired to a filter outlet near the surface its a bit puny

 

[scubadoo]

Thanks for that guys.

Will try it with airstone on during the day and off at night. I've now pointed the outflow from the filter up at the surface which is now being agitated nicely.

Doc - I understand that plants wil not necessarily speed up the cycle, but I'm sure I read somewhere that second to getting some mature filter media, their roots should contain some of the beneficial bacteria to help seed the filter sponges.

I've left the 3 amazon swords in the clay pots in the mineral wool - I seem to recall reading that that was best at this stage.

I've also just seen my tank's first inhabitant - a snail - dont know what sort.
Cant decide whether to leave it or get it out.

 

[juicebox]

typically, snails that have hitchhiked on your plant should be removed. it's most likely one of the more common species that multiply rapidly and may become a pest to your tank! if you posted a picture someone might be able to identify it and give you more information.