Kissfn's Fish In Cycle

[KISSfn]

What exactly does Ammo-Lock do? Convert NH[sub]3[/sub] to NH[sub]4[/sub][sup]+[/sup]?

If the previous media is in your filter and the water is passing through it, it will do something.

Yes, you can use filter tubes for water changes. Siphoning the water through the filter itself will probably remove *some* bacteria, but not that many, I assume.

As long as the room is not particularly bright, they should be fine. It is probably best that they get at least some proper rest every night.

I recommend that you combine your fish-in cycle with a silent cycle. Add lots and lots of undemanding plants, they will ease the ammonia. When I say "lots", I mean that I see 9-10 fake plants in your photo and I want you to replace those with 10-20 bunches or pots of live plants. Checkout your LFS with that list, otherwise Last-trading-post on eBay is good, I have known him from before eBay times. Don't expect all of the plants to take to your tank, some will, some won't.
A silent cycle is when the plants aid the cycle by using up ammonia/nitrite/nitrate. Silent cycles are not for beginners, so still treat it as a fish-in cycle, they also require slow stocking like any other fish-in cycle. The barbs will benefit from the plants too.

Yes, Ammo Lock is supposed to convert ammonia to ammonium. Here is a link of the "alleged" proof: http/cms.marsfishc...y%208.1.081.pdf Your opinion?

2 of those fake plants are actually real!

I will go get 2 real plants today, 2 tomorrow etc.
Thank you Kat! Your advice, as always, is "purrfect"! First time you heard that one, huh!

 

[waterdrop]

Excellent suggestion by KK - plants are another way to take up the toxins. Be aware of what she's said up there. Even when you use the easy hardy plants, some of them will not "take" to your tank possibly and you'll want to remove them if they get soft on you. When plants are growing they are a positive force in the cycle, but as soon as they have parts that die, they switch over to become a negative force in that the dead tissue becomes debris that breaks down into ammonia. Sometimes you can get big bunches of easy plants pretty cheaply and just use them for a purpose, even if you just throw them out later.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[KISSfn]

Excellent suggestion by KK - plants are another way to take up the toxins. Be aware of what she's said up there. Even when you use the easy hardy plants, some of them will not "take" to your tank possibly and you'll want to remove them if they get soft on you. When plants are growing they are a positive force in the cycle, but as soon as they have parts that die, they switch over to become a negative force in that the dead tissue becomes debris that breaks down into ammonia. Sometimes you can get big bunches of easy plants pretty cheaply and just use them for a purpose, even if you just throw them out later.

~~waterdrop~~