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African Grey said:
Caddyshack said:
If they ever zoom to the surface it is an early indicator of water quality.
They breath air just like Guramis do. The difference between the two is the the Corys passes it to their gut. Hi All,
After opinions on how my fishless cycle is going, if I may. Started on Sunday, with 2 x bottles of JBL aquarium starter bacteria.
Ammonia is hard to get where I live in Austria, so in the 200L tank I have one raw prawn and two good healthy pinches of fish food.
Current readings are:
Ammonia: 0.5
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate:18
Compared to the local drinking water:
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate: 10
Should I add another prawn to up the ammonia? Any helpful tips appreciated.
Thanks
ET
After opinions on how my fishless cycle is going, if I may. Started on Sunday, with 2 x bottles of JBL aquarium starter bacteria.
Ammonia is hard to get where I live in Austria, so in the 200L tank I have one raw prawn and two good healthy pinches of fish food.
Current readings are:
Ammonia: 0.5
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate:18
Compared to the local drinking water:
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate: 10
Should I add another prawn to up the ammonia? Any helpful tips appreciated.
Thanks
ET
No, you're good. The prawn/food won't instantly turn into ammonia...
Once you see ammonia rise, with an attendant nitrite rise, then to zero - you're good to go after a water change or two to bring nitrate down.
All additional ammonia sources will do is increase the amount of nitrate produced and therefore the amount of water you'll need to change.
A single raw prawn is many multiples of the average tank's habitant waste production!
Once you see ammonia rise, with an attendant nitrite rise, then to zero - you're good to go after a water change or two to bring nitrate down.
All additional ammonia sources will do is increase the amount of nitrate produced and therefore the amount of water you'll need to change.
A single raw prawn is many multiples of the average tank's habitant waste production!
Sway said:
No, you're good. The prawn/food won't instantly turn into ammonia...
Once you see ammonia rise, with an attendant nitrite rise, then to zero - you're good to go after a water change or two to bring nitrate down.
All additional ammonia sources will do is increase the amount of nitrate produced and therefore the amount of water you'll need to change.
A single raw prawn is many multiples of the average tank's habitant waste production!
Once again, thank you good Sir!Once you see ammonia rise, with an attendant nitrite rise, then to zero - you're good to go after a water change or two to bring nitrate down.
All additional ammonia sources will do is increase the amount of nitrate produced and therefore the amount of water you'll need to change.
A single raw prawn is many multiples of the average tank's habitant waste production!
Tonight the head of my heater came away from the body. It’s simply a “push” to reconnect everything, but it’s now lose and I’m nervous about using it as it’s not water tight any more. Ive push the top back in and it’s raised above the water line, tomorrow will be a quick dash to the LFS to buy a new one… great!
You're more than welcome!
Heaters are notoriously s
t... However, at the moment fairly unimportant.
Ehiem Jager heaters have a decent rep. I personally run a d-d titanium heater in my nano reef - but annoyingly that doesn't have a built in thermostat so you also need a controller... For me, that's fine - I need to control temp closely, so also run a fan on the cooling channel. At the moment, the fan kicks in every single day without fail... However, the reef is kept within a half degree range.
Heaters are notoriously s
t... However, at the moment fairly unimportant.Ehiem Jager heaters have a decent rep. I personally run a d-d titanium heater in my nano reef - but annoyingly that doesn't have a built in thermostat so you also need a controller... For me, that's fine - I need to control temp closely, so also run a fan on the cooling channel. At the moment, the fan kicks in every single day without fail... However, the reef is kept within a half degree range.
Sway said:
You're more than welcome!
Heaters are notoriously st... However, at the moment fairly unimportant.
Ehiem Jager heaters have a decent rep. I personally run a d-d titanium heater in my nano reef - but annoyingly that doesn't have a built in thermostat so you also need a controller... For me, that's fine - I need to control temp closely, so also run a fan on the cooling channel. At the moment, the fan kicks in every single day without fail... However, the reef is kept within a half degree range.
Should I remove the heater for safety? It’s quite warm here at the moment and as I’ll be visiting the fish shop tomorrow I can buy an extra bottle of filter starter and throw that in to the ammonium that is quite nicely building up! What do you think?Heaters are notoriously s
t... However, at the moment fairly unimportant.Ehiem Jager heaters have a decent rep. I personally run a d-d titanium heater in my nano reef - but annoyingly that doesn't have a built in thermostat so you also need a controller... For me, that's fine - I need to control temp closely, so also run a fan on the cooling channel. At the moment, the fan kicks in every single day without fail... However, the reef is kept within a half degree range.
extraT said:
Should I remove the heater for safety? It’s quite warm here at the moment and as I’ll be visiting the fish shop tomorrow I can buy an extra bottle of filter starter and throw that in to the ammonium that is quite nicely building up! What do you think?
I would remove the heater. Especially in this weather.Also, really no need to buy more bacteria (although I am a little bit of a fan of adding a 'different type' if available - reefing is very rapidly teaching me loads about microbiology in aquaria!) - the population size is pretty self regulating.
No pics - but my aquarium count is down by one... Little Tropical planted fluval flex has been decommissioned and moved on to a family friend to be a fighter tank for her lad.
Think I need to replace my fancy goldfish cube tank - my 'darling' 16 year old daughter decided to idly pick at the silicone with her nails...
My office nano reef is currently a bd of cyano and dinos all at the same time. Think I'm slowly winning the war, but losing loads of battles. Avoiding the 'nuclear' options to deal with it - going with a mix of manual removal, Brightwell bacteria, phytoplankton and copepods to out compete it.
Cyano/dinos really are crazy things. Thousands of types, and essentially 'everywhere' - yet you basically never see it in the wild. Gets out competed by more complex organisms. Once it gets a foothold in a tank though...
Think I need to replace my fancy goldfish cube tank - my 'darling' 16 year old daughter decided to idly pick at the silicone with her nails...
My office nano reef is currently a b
d of cyano and dinos all at the same time. Think I'm slowly winning the war, but losing loads of battles. Avoiding the 'nuclear' options to deal with it - going with a mix of manual removal, Brightwell bacteria, phytoplankton and copepods to out compete it.Cyano/dinos really are crazy things. Thousands of types, and essentially 'everywhere' - yet you basically never see it in the wild. Gets out competed by more complex organisms. Once it gets a foothold in a tank though...
Sway said:
Cyano/dinos really are crazy things. Thousands of types, and essentially 'everywhere' - yet you basically never see it in the wild. Gets out competed by more complex organisms. Once it gets a foothold in a tank though...
The planktonic forms of both do often produce massive blooms in the wild, though. otolith said:
Sway said:
Cyano/dinos really are crazy things. Thousands of types, and essentially 'everywhere' - yet you basically never see it in the wild. Gets out competed by more complex organisms. Once it gets a foothold in a tank though...
The planktonic forms of both do often produce massive blooms in the wild, though. Sway said:
Oh that's a fair shout! 'Red tides' aren't they?
Yep. Also the occasional fish kills in the Norfolk Broads;
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Algal-blooms-a...
And also quite common to see warning signs on inland water bodies where toxic cyanobacteria are blooming;
https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/news-article/v...
Or "Sea Snot" - https://news.sky.com/video/turkey-sea-snot-spreads...
They are all excessive organic build ups of some form.
Cyano and Dino are part and parcel of setting up a tank - In my first tank I was plagued with them relentlessly for about 3 months, in the big system they came and went within a week, then flared up now and again over the first year.
I did have a "red slime" breakout after a change of feeding patterns a year or two back - I had to feed a couple of times per day for a few fish that were not eating enough and it sent everything out of kilter. It didn't help that the summer sun was also hitting the tank for about 3 hours a day too.
They are all excessive organic build ups of some form.
Cyano and Dino are part and parcel of setting up a tank - In my first tank I was plagued with them relentlessly for about 3 months, in the big system they came and went within a week, then flared up now and again over the first year.
I did have a "red slime" breakout after a change of feeding patterns a year or two back - I had to feed a couple of times per day for a few fish that were not eating enough and it sent everything out of kilter. It didn't help that the summer sun was also hitting the tank for about 3 hours a day too.
S11Steve said:
Or "Sea Snot" - https://news.sky.com/video/turkey-sea-snot-spreads...
They are all excessive organic build ups of some form.
Cyano and Dino are part and parcel of setting up a tank - In my first tank I was plagued with them relentlessly for about 3 months, in the big system they came and went within a week, then flared up now and again over the first year.
I did have a "red slime" breakout after a change of feeding patterns a year or two back - I had to feed a couple of times per day for a few fish that were not eating enough and it sent everything out of kilter. It didn't help that the summer sun was also hitting the tank for about 3 hours a day too.
Had a minor outbreak in the first couple of months - just after the diatom stage (god, marine tanks are ugly for the first 'while'...!) - in comparison with 'one year on' it was an utter doddle to deal with.They are all excessive organic build ups of some form.
Cyano and Dino are part and parcel of setting up a tank - In my first tank I was plagued with them relentlessly for about 3 months, in the big system they came and went within a week, then flared up now and again over the first year.
I did have a "red slime" breakout after a change of feeding patterns a year or two back - I had to feed a couple of times per day for a few fish that were not eating enough and it sent everything out of kilter. It didn't help that the summer sun was also hitting the tank for about 3 hours a day too.
From reading up, seems that they're more common with modern husbandry techniques - and also the 'first anniversary' seems to be about the time they make a proper appearance.
Pic at the moment (about the 'cleanest' time of day - I'll not show what it looks like in the afternoon!) - this is after five weeks of co-ordinated attack on it...
Turn7 said:
I have decided I miss having a tank,and althmoney is tight following a house move, I’m going to setup
A small American cichlids tank.
Prob 3/4’ and likely Firemouths or similar .
On the hunt for a used setup now.
I’ve recently purchased a used but good condition Juwel Vision 450 including stand for £250 to give you an idea of prices.A small American cichlids tank.
Prob 3/4’ and likely Firemouths or similar .
On the hunt for a used setup now.
I’m not sure if it’s me being impatient or an idiot or both, but…
Ammonia: 2ppm
Nitrites: 0.25 (tested also with a chemical set- same result as dipstick)
Nitrates: almost non existent.
It’s been a week, so I suppose this is actually quiet good, but for some reason this cycling seems harder then the last tank. Perhaps because it’s bigger, I don’t know. But water is at a constant 25degrees (I went and got a new heater!)
I’m also not sure if because my water is a bit cloudy (kicked up some sand and it needs to settle) that I am convincing myself of needing to do a water change, which in my logic would help the bacteria but in reality, I have no actual reason to do so!
Ammonia: 2ppm
Nitrites: 0.25 (tested also with a chemical set- same result as dipstick)
Nitrates: almost non existent.
It’s been a week, so I suppose this is actually quiet good, but for some reason this cycling seems harder then the last tank. Perhaps because it’s bigger, I don’t know. But water is at a constant 25degrees (I went and got a new heater!)
I’m also not sure if because my water is a bit cloudy (kicked up some sand and it needs to settle) that I am convincing myself of needing to do a water change, which in my logic would help the bacteria but in reality, I have no actual reason to do so!
Sway said:
Just wait!
Water change will do nothing to help - at all... In fact, more likely the opposite.
It's frustrating, but every tank takes a different time to cycle for a whole host of reasons I don't really understand.
You'll be good.
Patience never was my strong point! I know it will be ok, I guess I just want this to look perfect for my daughter! Water change will do nothing to help - at all... In fact, more likely the opposite.
It's frustrating, but every tank takes a different time to cycle for a whole host of reasons I don't really understand.
You'll be good.
It’s been a few days since my last update, and for those following my cycling drama (Sway!), I’m please to say that I’m now registering nitrites and nitrates!
Reading the vials I have in front of me:
Ammonia: 0.5-1 (but that’s because my prawn and fish food are still decomposing, so I fully expect this to be constant and won’t disappear unless I clear the tank out? Ideally would like this down to zero, but there is still a lot of prawn left.)
Niterites: 0.4 (light to dark purple)
Nitrates: between 1 and 3 (light yellow/pee coloured)
So I’m very very happy! And besides the prawn, I’m confident cycling is now going in the right direction!
Next up however are my plants that are looking sorry for themselves! I don’t have any liquid fertiliser and they look like they are dying. Also my CO2 levels are very low. Am I better off taking these out and then buying fresh plants when I add my first round of fish (not going to fully stock first time, will add in stages), along with some liquid fertiliser? Any tips at all?
Thank you,
ET.
Reading the vials I have in front of me:
Ammonia: 0.5-1 (but that’s because my prawn and fish food are still decomposing, so I fully expect this to be constant and won’t disappear unless I clear the tank out? Ideally would like this down to zero, but there is still a lot of prawn left.)
Niterites: 0.4 (light to dark purple)
Nitrates: between 1 and 3 (light yellow/pee coloured)
So I’m very very happy! And besides the prawn, I’m confident cycling is now going in the right direction!
Next up however are my plants that are looking sorry for themselves! I don’t have any liquid fertiliser and they look like they are dying. Also my CO2 levels are very low. Am I better off taking these out and then buying fresh plants when I add my first round of fish (not going to fully stock first time, will add in stages), along with some liquid fertiliser? Any tips at all?
Thank you,
ET.
Excellent!
Yank the prawn, it's done it's job... Might want a peg on your nose...
On the plants - lots of aquarium plants struggle/recede before restarting. Most are actually grown in shallow troughs with their leaves in the air as they grow faster. They'll shed those leaves once immersed, and regrow with adapted ones for underwater life.
Liquid CO2 is never a bad thing (dosed correctly!) to help them out though.
Yank the prawn, it's done it's job... Might want a peg on your nose...
On the plants - lots of aquarium plants struggle/recede before restarting. Most are actually grown in shallow troughs with their leaves in the air as they grow faster. They'll shed those leaves once immersed, and regrow with adapted ones for underwater life.
Liquid CO2 is never a bad thing (dosed correctly!) to help them out though.
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