My cycling update thread...

[Rocky998]

Evening test:
Amm: 1-2ppm
Nitrites: 5+ppm
Nitrates: 1-3ppm

 

[Motoceles]

No fish and I disagree. I realize light causes algae but it's clear as day right now so I'm not so worried about it. Also I understand blue light mimics moonlight for nighttime. As long as it's cycled.

It seems like your cycle is moving along just fine.

 

[Rocky998]

No fish and I disagree. I realize light causes algae but it's clear as day right now so I'm not so worried about it. Also I understand blue light mimics moonlight for nighttime. As long as it's cycled.

It seems like your cycle is moving along just fine.

No, I'm saying that bacteria grow FASTER with NO light...

 

[Motoceles]

That could be my problem then. Why doesn't it say that in all these cycling blogs I read? You'd think that would be important.

 

[Essjay]

Besides, having a light turned on when there are no fish or live plants is just wasting electricity.


On the subject of blue moonlight - when there are fish in the tank, the light should be turned off for several hours overnight total darkness. An hour or so blue moonlight just after the main lights go out is OK. And blue light encourages algae. They can use blue blue light whereas live aquarium plants need both blue and red in the spectrum.

 

[Rocky998]

My amm is a little over 1ppm and my nitrites are over 5... Doing good

 

[Slaphppy7]

Looks like the cycle is moving along well.

This is the first I've ever heard about BB growing better with no light (?)...I honestly don't see why it makes a difference

 

[Rocky998]

Bacteria grows faster and more when in no light... Same with mold and other micro organisms

Looks like the cycle is moving along well.

This is the first I've ever heard about BB growing better with no light (?)...I honestly don't see why it makes a difference

 

[Motoceles]

Okay blue light off as it could be emitting UV light. Other than that I am leaving the white light on during work and stuff. Not worried about wasting electricity as it's an LED and whole tank including filter, heater and bubbler only uses about 1KWH per day.

Good job OP you are moving along quite nicely.

 

[Rocky998]

Okay blue light off as it could be emitting UV light. Other than that I am leaving the white light on during work and stuff. Not worried about wasting electricity as it's an LED and whole tank including filter, heater and bubbler only uses about 1KWH per day.

Good job OP you are moving along quite nicely.

Again, its not even about electricity... If you want to get bacteria growing fast here are some things to do:

1- make sure you have ammonia in the tank
2- turn off the lights to promote growth
3- turn up the temp to 78-82 (mine is at 81) to promote fast growth.

Also, thank you

 

[Slaphppy7]

Again, its not even about electricity... If you want to get bacteria growing fast here are some things to do:

1- make sure you have ammonia in the tank
2- turn off the lights to promote growth
3- turn up the temp to 78-82 (mine is at 81) to promote fast growth.

Also, thank you

Was the suggestion that "lights off" promotes BB growth posted here on this thread, or elsewhere?

Were there links to research on the internet documenting this?

Yours is a long thread, too lazy right now to go back and look, lol

 

[Rocky998]

Was the suggestion that "lights off" promotes BB growth posted here on this thread, or elsewhere?

Were there links to research on the internet documenting this?

Yours is a long thread, too lazy right now to go back and look, lol

It is VERY well known that most all bacteria grows best in dark warm places...

 

[Rocky998]

Were there links to research on the internet documenting this?

"Bacteria grows best in warm, moist, dark places. Of the thousands of bacterial species on the earth, only a small fraction cause disease."

Carrie Collins

 

[Rocky998]

Evening test results... 1st pic, I used flash... 2nd pic, I did not.

 

[Slaphppy7]

"Bacteria grows best in warm, moist, dark places. Of the thousands of bacterial species on the earth, only a small fraction cause disease."

Carrie Collins

The bacteria we grow to cycle our tanks is a "bit" more than "moist"...it's aquatic

I still doubt that modern aquarium lighting, or even room lighting, have any effect on the rate of BB growth we encourage to cycle fish tanks...after all, the initial growth is within our filters, which should not have much direct light, if any...depending on the filter, and it's location to any light source

At any rate, it appears your cycle is going according to plan...stay the course, be patient, you've done a fine job with your first cycle, IMO