Various Questions…

[boomer2000ctr]

"UPDATE"

My nitrItes seem to be spiking! This evening when i came home, i tested for ammonia and nitrItes; ammonia was 0ppm, nitrItes where at 0.25ppm! and yesturday they where at 2.0-5.0ppm! YAY! So the nitrItes will be going down to 0ppm and it will max out and back down again? Do i keep on adding ammonia while nitrItes are spiking? I just did So does it mean that my tank is pretty close to being cycled? I'm on my 3rd week B) but i do wonder it its all going normal, since they say that it takes 4-6 weeks, and usually takes longer on larger tanks...So is it ok?

I am a little bit confused by the fact that the bacteria can transform that much ammonia twice daily but your nitrites still are below 5 (unless that's just the way it reads).

Maybe having 4 bio-wheels is whats helping tranform that much ammonia? They do say that the bio-wheels are really good, so maybe thats why...

I also have an API master test kit, yeah when i do test the nitrIates it does turn purple right off the back when i add the drops, but i still mix it

A fishless cycled tank is capable of supporting a fully stocked tank, but many people prefer to play it safe and add them slow anyway, in which case all the extra bacteria simply dies off.

So its all right to add a full load of fish right after cycling is complete? It would be nice

Yeah, i will make sure that i have enought breathing room for my fishys I Plan to get mostly fishes that grew between 1 1/2 to 4 inches like; some tetras, exept neons mollys, sword tails, platies, guppys (all males) some dianos, etc... communty fish, but the only semi-agresive ones will be the angels, i want to have 4 angels at least, then the rest will be smaller fish, is that alright? Also, i want to get me some ottos too, how may would be good to have on my 55g tank? I do plan to get some hardy newbie plants... I was thinking 3 ottos, but what do u recommend?

Well thank you so much for the advice! I joyed! Well thanks again! have a good time! Bye!

Previous post:

Hi! I have a couple a questions; I just wanted to put them under one topic; so any
answers would be greatly appreciated!

1st question: Water conditioner

I bought my self an API Stress Coat water conditioner and I was wondering if it was really necessary… Here it what the bottle says…

“BENEFITS: Contains Aloe Vera which promotes healing and regeneration of damaged fish tissue and forms a synthetic slime coat to help prevent electrolyte loss.”

“WHEN TO USE: When setting up an aquarium, adding or handling fish, changing water or when fish are damaged by injury or disease.

So it is good to use it when adding new fish? So is it really necessary and would it help like it states in the bottle?

2nd Question: Filtering system

I currently have 2 power filters on my tank; a penguin 330 bio-wheel and an emperor 400 bio-wheel on my 55g tank ”tank currently cycling…” I was wondering now that I have more filtration capacity then the minimum needed, would it be ok to over stock my tank a bit? Also both of the power filters have some extra baskets where I could add any type of media I would like… So I added to the emperor’s and penguin’s baskets some of those ceramic tube peaces that have lots of tine pores which are suppose to be really good for providing a home for the bacteria. Will that really help the filtration? I also put some air stones in both of the power filters, thinking that it would be better to have them there because it will provide more oxygen to the bacteria on the ceramic tube peaces, filter sponges, and bio-wheels. Does having some air stones pumping some bubbles in the power filters help also? I’m wondering if it’s really necessary, I think it might help….

3rd Question: My 1st fishless cycling progress

I’m on the add a bit of ammonia every day part. My nitrItes are at 2.0ppm+ (my test kit goes up to 5.0ppm and it only shows 2.0ppm then 5.0ppm, so I think its some where in between 2.0ppm and 5.0ppm) I’ve been adding about six table spoons of ammonia on the morning around 5:30am before I go to work and that brings the ammonia up to about 2.0ppm, and then when I get home around 5:30pm the ammonia goes down to 0ppm, so I add another six tables spoons of ammonia, then I test it on the morning and the ammonia goes down to 0.25ppm so I add the usual six table spoons of ammonia. I’m I adding too much or too little of ammonia per day? My nitrItes are going up; the color in the test slowly gets darker and darker getting closer to 5.0ppm every day. My water got a bit cloudy for a while then it cleared up a bit. It got pretty cloudy yesterday when I added those ceramic tubes peaces, and I rinsed them with hot water. Oh yeah, I also moved the gravel around, so it got quite cloudy, but it cleared up, but still a bit murky, but it should clear up when I do the big water change right?

Well any recommendations/advice would be greatly accepted and appreciated! Have a good one! Thanks!

 

[freddyk]

1st question: Water conditioner

I think you'll get various opinions on this, so I can only tell you my own experience. Water conditioner is always a good idea unless you are absolutely sure the tap water is safe for fish. And yes, some of us are lucky enough to actually have this benefit. Play it safe though. As for all the other additives that claim this and that and the other - all I can say is that I've had nothing but success for years by avoiding all these money grabbing consumables that line the shelves of fish stores (and which they always insist everyone needs). All fish really need is clean water and a suitable environment.

2nd Question: Filtering system

More filtration means more waste removed from the water, more aeration in the tank, and more surface area to provide more bacteria. This means that in effect you can stock higher levels of fish. You must keep in mind though, that higher stocking levels means more water changes, more vacuuming, and more frequent filter maintenance. And we still need to consider breathing room for the fish - that is, space to swim and live. I'm the first one to say overstocking is achievable (most of my tanks are), but I'm also the first to warn that care must be taken when doing so.

3rd Question: My 1st fishless cycling progress

Keep adding the ammonia, that way the bacteria will remain stable. The nitrite spike tends to take longer to conquor then ammonia, so remain patient. Once the nitrite and ammonia are at 0, keep adding ammonia until you actually add the fish. Then do a nice big waterchange before adding them. A fishless cycled tank is capable of supporting a fully stocked tank, but many people prefer to play it safe and add them slow anyway, in which case all the extra bacteria simply dies off. Clouding in new tanks during and after the cycle is normal - just keep regular maintenance and it will clear up on it's own. Remain patient, avoid complicated solutions, and everything will come together. good luck

 

[kris-b-]

I'm on day 3 of my cycle and my water has gone cloudy (milky looking) this is perfectly normal and the huge water change at the end will definately sort this!

 

[SkiFletch]

#1. In my oppinion, the only chemicals you really need are something that removes chlorine/chloramine, and test kits. Stresscoat is nice, but not worth it if you ask me. A dechlorinator of some kind though is exceptionally important to use when adding water during water changes or any time you add water. Chlorine kills fish and bacteria alike so its wise to remove it

#2. I agree with Freddyk. Extra filtration does mean you can support extra fish, but that does mean extra maintenance and cleanup. Over time my tank will become overstocked as my guppies breed and grow so I'm prepared with more than two times the necessary filtration capacity, and a readiness to do large gravel vacs before I end up selling some guppies to my LFS when they grow up. I agree that overstocking can be achieved, but do keep in mind that the fish will still need room to swim and live, so dont go go too overboard.

#3. Keep adding the ammonia on your current schedule, it sounds like you're on the right track. Like Freddyk said, the nitrite spike takes longer to process than the ammonia spike so be patient, you're on the right track . As far as the cloudy water goes, thats very normal so like you said, wait it out and it'll be cured upon your large water change upon the completion of your cycling.

 

[rdd1952]

1st question: Water conditioner

I think you'll get various opinions on this, so I can only tell you my own experience. Water conditioner is always a good idea unless you are absolutely sure the tap water is safe for fish. And yes, some of us are lucky enough to actually have this benefit. Play it safe though. As for all the other additives that claim this and that and the other - all I can say is that I've had nothing but success for years by avoiding all these money grabbing consumables that line the shelves of fish stores (and which they always insist everyone needs). All fish really need is clean water and a suitable environment.

2nd Question: Filtering system

More filtration means more waste removed from the water, more aeration in the tank, and more surface area to provide more bacteria. This means that in effect you can stock higher levels of fish. You must keep in mind though, that higher stocking levels means more water changes, more vacuuming, and more frequent filter maintenance. And we still need to consider breathing room for the fish - that is, space to swim and live. I'm the first one to say overstocking is achievable (most of my tanks are), but I'm also the first to warn that care must be taken when doing so.

3rd Question: My 1st fishless cycling progress

Keep adding the ammonia, that way the bacteria will remain stable. The nitrite spike tends to take longer to conquor then ammonia, so remain patient. Once the nitrite and ammonia are at 0, keep adding ammonia until you actually add the fish. Then do a nice big waterchange before adding them. A fishless cycled tank is capable of supporting a fully stocked tank, but many people prefer to play it safe and add them slow anyway, in which case all the extra bacteria simply dies off. Clouding in new tanks during and after the cycle is normal - just keep regular maintenance and it will clear up on it's own. Remain patient, avoid complicated solutions, and everything will come together. good luck

I agree on all counts. I am a little bit confused by the fact that the bacteria can transform that much ammonia twice daily but your nitrites still are below 5 (unless that's just the way it reads). They are probably higher than 5 but hard to read (off topic, but something I have wondered, but how do people who are color blind discern the color differences, hard enough for me and I can see colors). Since the colors are sometimes hard to figure, one way to get an idea of how high the nitrites are during a fishless cycle is how quick does the color change wfter you add the drops. During mine, while the nitrites were REALLY high, off the chart, the water in the tube turned purple (color for 0 was light blue) immediately upon me adding the drops, no shaking required. I didn't even go to the point of shaking it up. I knew they were still there. That may not be the same with all test kits though. Mine was an API Master Kit.

#1. In my oppinion, the only chemicals you really need are something that removes chlorine/chloramine, and test kits. Stresscoat is nice, but not worth it if you ask me. A dechlorinator of some kind though is exceptionally important to use when adding water during water changes or any time you add water. Chlorine kills fish and bacteria alike so its wise to remove it

Actually, that's exactly what Stress Coat does - removes chlorine and chhloramine. That's the only water treatment I have ever used. There are others available though that do the same thing. Have never priced to see what the difference is.

 

[timmystood]

Yeah - use water conditioner - helps loads.

 

[boomer2000ctr]

Update on my first post...

 

[SkiFletch]

So you're adding ammonia, and then 12 hours later there is 0ppm ammonia and 0.25ppm nitrItes? if that is the case, you are likely at the very bitter end of your fishless cycle. Within a day or two after adding ammonia your nitrites should read 0ppm 12 hours later. when that is the case, you can consider your tank cycled. do a giant water change (use dechlorinator) to remove the nitrates and then throw the fish in . if you have to wait more than 12 hours between the water change and adding fish, dose with ammonia once again to keep the bacteria alive

 

[boomer2000ctr]

YEAH! Today right after i got home from work i tested my tank again, and now i got 0ppm of ammonia, and 0ppm of nitrItes YAY! I sure do hope i'm at the end of the cycling! I added some more ammonia just a while ago, so tommrow i will test it again, and if ammonia is at 0ppm and nitrItes are at 0ppm too, then its good to go! I'll do the large water change then i'll go get my fishys!