Second tank, 29 gallon planted tank

[Utar]

Not sure what you use to clean sand, etc for substrate in an aquarium, but instead of a bucket like most do, I use a wheel barrel. But this is all that I use it for is washing substrate, makes it much faster and a lot easier for me. After I have set up all the tanks, I am thinking about setting up I will probably start using the wheel barrel for other things. I just don't want to contaminate the wheel barrel until then.

 

[mcordelia]

Yeah I just picked up a new bucket from home depot. I do three scoops of sand in the bucket and then blast it with the garden hose, repeat 3-5x depending on how the water comes out. I do have to say though, washing sand is a lot easier than washing gravel, since I don't have to do anything to swirl it, it swirls itself

My slow rate is due to to doing it for like 5-30 min at a time lol. Also, not the greatest experience washing sand when it's 35f outside

 

[Utar]

Yep its cold here today down to 32 last night but warming up a bit today, and I am not looking forward to washing sand today, but I must. I am going to use my wheel barrel and a stick to stir with because my hand will get to cold in the water.

 

[mcordelia]

The sacrifices we make for our fish!! Lol

 

[Utar]

Today I was planning on changing out the BDBS for pool filter sand until I ran tests for ph, ammonia, etc. The tests where very surprising and pleasing at the same time. ph 7.6 (same as water source), ammonia 0.5, nitrite 0, nitrates 5.

The cycle is almost finished and this is surprising because on Nov. 26, 2020 I tested ammonia to be off the chart calling it an 8+. I did a 70% water change, tested ammonia to be 4+. So I left it alone not doing anything to it until today Dec. 5, 2020 nine days.

Since my experience with my aquasoil cycling in my 55 gallon tank, I knew that the soil is an ammonia factory. So thinking after changing the water to get the ammonia down to 4 it would just shoot right back up again. But since I didn't test it again, I was not really sure if the ammonia did spike again. Anyway instead of the high spiking ammonia stalling the cycle, it cycled despite of it.

And that is strange because I have always heard on this forum and other forms that ammonia over 3 to 4 would stall a cycle.

So I have decided for now not to mess it all up with a major substrate change, I mean it might not hurt anything, but why take the chance when this tank is almost cycled. Worse comes to shove I can always get fake silk plants until live plants can grow large enough.

I want to make this a tetra and shrimp tank, starting with re-homing my red eyed tetras form the 55 gallon tank. The Angel fish in that tank are being aggressive to the tetras and have already killed one, that should leave me nine more.

 

[mcordelia]

Huh! What a fast cycle! Did you add any bacteria from other sources?

 

[Utar]

oh I am still going to do the "Tree of Woe" theme just waiting on Conan's skeleton to arrive from amazon, which is saying it is running late darn it, so I can hang it on the "Tree of Woe"....

 

[Utar]

Huh! What a fast cycle! Did you add any bacteria from other sources?

Oh yeah I added lots of media full of BB from the canister on my 55 gallon tank.

 

[mcordelia]

That explains it