sweetpoison
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Posts posted by sweetpoison
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Oh that’s good to know!
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No I do not I have testing strips and the Seachrim‘s ammonia dial in my tank ~ I’m not buying a API testing kit I’m going simple this time around😂 I did that for years ~ too much trouble now😂
Dip and move on🫣
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That’s insane!!
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On 7/2/2022 at 9:09 PM, Odd Duck said:
1. The ammonia (2 ppm) should convert all the way through the process from ammonia to nitrite to nitrate over the course of 24 hours. When your BB’s (beneficial bacteria) have reached that point in their colony growth, your tank is considered “cycled”. Do remember that there are many different bacteria that help in the nitrification cycle. We very likely don’t even have all of them identified and classified. It takes time to develop good diversity but you need to have enough total bacteria doing each part of the job in order to have any stability. It typically takes longer for the bacteria to grow that convert nitrite to nitrate. You’ll go through a phase where you’re getting nitrite but still not getting much nitrate. This is usually the most frustrating step because you’re so close you can taste it! But you still have to wait.
2. I add sinking whatever. Usually something my Jacks don’t like (they’re picky) that’s getting past a reasonable “use by” point. The bacteria don’t care.
3. Once the tank is cycled and has passed challenges, I like to add some snails. They will bring other bacteria with them for more biodiversity in your biofiltration BB’s. They will provide some bacteria and slime for scuds and other microlife to eat. And they start cleaning up algae immediately. I have also,added snails immediately on start up but I would never treat it as a fishless cycle at that point. I would consider that a fish-in cycle since there are snails in there. But I start with seasoned, aged filters and blind feed (in this case I would be feeding snails) and I let the snails get a bit overgrown, then pull a bunch out and add the first fish. I pull out as many snails as I think will be equivalent to the bioload of the fish I want to add. So I’m removing snail bioload and adding equal fish bioload so the filter and BB’s just keep chugging along happily. I test and almost never see any spikes when I do this. If I don’t want to take as much time as letting the snails boom, then remove them, I just add fish much slower or do more water changes until the BB’s can catch up.
4. Doing a fishless cycle, you should aim to add enough ammonia to maintain 2 ppm ammonia. When your ammonia drops right away after you add, your nitrites should be spiking like mad. If your nitrates start to spike also, you’re almost there. When you don’t get a nitrite spike after adding ammonia, but you get a nitrate spike, your tank is ready for a challenge. You essentially add your ammonia and test a couple times a day to see if you can catch the nitrite spike, then see the nitrate spike the same day or the next day and nitrites should clear just as fast. THAT sequence is passing a challenge. Do that twice in a row (water change if your nitrate is high) and if you see the same thing (you may not catch the nitrite spike but ammonia that’s added should shift all the way to nitrate in 24 hours), and if it does, your tank is cycled.
5. NOW you can safely add snails (water change again if needed to get nitrates down to around 20-40) start feeding the snails, keep monitoring for any spikes, and start arranging for the first fish to go in (if you don’t have them already in quarantine).
Hope this helps. I know it’s confusing. I had to learn what it was to do a fishless cycle because it wasn’t really done this way or called this “back in the day”. We just added a few small fish at a time or we started a new tank with some gravel from an old tank if we needed to add fish a little quicker. I never really tested freshwater back then and I don’t think I ever heard of or saw a test kit for the first 5 or more years that I kept tanks - not until after I got a “real” job since I was supporting my fish habit with my allowance. I didn’t even use dechlorinators. I ran my water in a bucket with an airstone and off-gassed the chlorine for at least 24 hours, then did my water change. Nobody was using chloramine in water systems back then.
It wasn’t until we got our first reef tank in 1983 that we got serious about testing water. I admit, I don’t test water much even now. But it’s one of the most important tools you can have, especially as a beginner or less experienced fishkeeper. It is also very handy for sorting out problems which is why we always ask about parameters if somebody is having issues with their fish. If they don’t have a test kit, then the first recommendations is going to be to do a water change, add air, then get a test kit or have your water tested at the fish store.
I’m happy to answer any other questions I can and I’ll either tell you if I don’t know the answer or I’ll read until I’m reasonably confident I do know the answer. If I have to give you my best guess, I will tell you it’s a best guess and let you decide if you want to read more on your own or trust a guess.
It will do that anyway. I’ve never even tried to keep gravel white. I’m not saying don’t try. I’m only saying don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t stay white.
Great information here I think I read it like four times!
I think of a test kit ~ but I’m not sure of the result of the ammonia I took this morning
Should I keep adding ammonia every other day?
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@Brandon pI already have tile superglued on my wood it doesn’t float anymore♥️
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I was thinking that too! I was going to get another bag of white gravel but you know what I was thinking and tell me what you think, I was thinking about getting a bag of black gravel because the white is going to turn ugly sooner or later. I don’t know what I was thinking getting white…
I have a link where I got my wood. And I soaked it for maybe know a week or two weighted down, and it worked perfect in my tank of sand that I no longer have! Then I left it out of the water too long apparently taking down the sand tank and it would not sink😡😂then I had to attach a base to it and everything‘s fine.
I was gonna boil it but then I got it all out to boil and I don’t have a pot big enough😂😂
so it is attached with ceramic coasters and they’re never coming out😂
So what do you think about the black gravel I’m not taking out the white don’t even suggest that I might find you🫣🤫
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On 6/25/2022 at 9:47 AM, sweetpoison said:
Well this is a unmitigated disaster once I had it water 😢 The Driftwood which I soaked for a week or two and it NEVER floated in the tank I just took down, floated everywhere!
I want my mom!🥺
So you can see I put rocks on top of them all. They never floated when I buried them in sand maybe I just need more gravel? What do you think? Do you think the Driftwood was out of water too long before I put it back in?? I wish I’d gotten the plates on the bottom because the owner of the company asked me and I said no don’t bother🤦♀️😩
And if you look closely you see the background I must’ve gotten water in there and I’m gonna take that off every time I mess with water and dry it?
I keep telling myself “I’m having fun I’m having fun”😂😂
On a nice pleasant note the tanks’ clear👏👏
Update!
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Oh here’s an update on my tank I just added the rest of my plants ~ I really like it! I used your super glue method and nothing‘s popped up yet🙏😂
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@Odd Duckthank you for everything and all the time you put into helping me. I’m not sure which one this resembles
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I have to have some kind of sucker upper because the light is gonna turn my white gravel algae colored😡
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That’s what I was thinking! I don’t think I wanna add anything until it’s cycled right?
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Here’s some tid bits that I found ~
Maintenance
Best kept in a densely-planted tank and an excellent choice for the carefully-aquascaped set-up. The addition of some floating plants and driftwood roots or branches to diffuse the light entering the tank also seems to be appreciated and adds a more natural feel. If you wish to raise fry alongside the adults the addition of a fine-leaved aquatic moss such as a Taxiphylumsp. is advisable (see ‘Reproduction’).
Filtration does not need to be particularly strong as it mostly hails from sluggish waters and may struggle if there is a fast current. Do not add this fish to a biologically immature aquarium as it can be susceptible to swings in water chemistry.
Water Conditions
Temperature: 22 – 30 °C
pH: 5.0 – 8.0
Hardness: 18 – 215 ppm
Also they say not suited for a community aquarium because they are outcompeted for food😕
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“Remember that a newly cycled tank still has a fairly fragile balance and it doesn’t take much to upset that balance”
Oh I’m not gonna add anything till you guys tell me too. I’m not even sure when it’s going to be cycles or what THAT looks like🤫😞
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On 7/2/2022 at 1:25 PM, Odd Duck said:
You should challenge a new tank at least a couple times before adding fish, so dose with ammonia and test a couple times a day so you can see that the ammonia converts to nitrites, then nitrates. It should do this over no more than 24 hours in order to consider the tank “cycled”. After that you can blind feed until you have your fish in hand. This means feed a small amount about half or a third of what you would feed the fish and watch the params again. Usually every other day to every third day for the blind feeding. You can also add some snails as soon as the tank passes the challenges.
Remember that a newly cycled tank still has a fairly fragile balance and it doesn’t take much to upset that balance. So go easy on adding livestock but snails are a good first step. I would not jump straight to nerites since so many of them appear 100% algae dependent. Pick snails that won’t overrun a new tank and that will also eat veggies. 1-2 mystery snails, OR a couple Japanese trapdoors (these are slowly reproducing livebearers), OR a couple rabbit snails (another slowly reproducing livebearer), OR a couple chopstick snails (also slow reproducing livebearer) <—- note chopsticks are NOT the same as spike snails. You could do ramshorns but they have more tendency to overrun a tank, especially a tank that hasn’t quite hit the balance point perfectly yet (every new tank, in other words).
“should do this over no more than 24 hours in order to consider the tank “cycled”.”
I do not understand this at all☺️
“After that you can blind feed until you have your fish in hand”
Like regular flake food? GREAT info here, Odd!
“You can also add some snails as soon as the tank passes the challenges”
Snails. Snails and I do NOT get along. I’ve had one and it turned into a KAZILLION I will never forget that ~ in my filter everywhere! I will avoid the ones that you suggested and get one that you did suggest😉so basically I’m getting these nails to see if they’re gonna die or not?
Ok. To recap. And you know me I need a lot of instruction🤗🥺 i’m adding ammonia every other day now, it’s at 0.1. I think I’m not home so I don’t have my notes. Do you want me just to keep doing that until I see nitrites or at snails now? I test every day now.
You know in retrospect never have I ever had such a problem with an aquarium that I couldn’t add fish because I would just take a sponge from another one and be instantly cycled😡
Im visiting a fish store tomorrow and I’m going to see if they have any of these nails. But it’s too soon for them right?
@Odd DuckI just wanted to say thank you for taking the time for all that you write ~ I appreciate you!
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On 7/2/2022 at 12:30 PM, Brandon p said:
I would add the less expensive fish first and let them hang in the tank. Fist and just let it get going. I hate to lose a discus not because of the price but they are such pretty fish.
I agree! I was told the Oto and Discus last…
Thank You, Brandon ~ you are always here and helpfulシ
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I think I’ll just stick with a Ammonia cause I am in no hurry to cycle this tank 🙄as I cannot get fish right now. And just hypothetically speaking, if it’s cycled tomorrow how long do I have to add fish?
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On 7/2/2022 at 9:56 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:
If no used filter available, Fritz Zyme 7 is good.
I’m already treating with ammonia every other day, I was told to buy. If I got the fritz, so I just discontinue the ammonia?
So the purpose of the Fritz is to cycle my tank quicker? So I can add fish quicker?
Quick question ~ once tank is established and cycled how long before I need to add fish?
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On 7/2/2022 at 4:55 AM, Brandon p said:
Not sure if you have picked your discus yet but you make want to check this. I have heard that the stendker discus can handle lower temps(as far as discus go), and higher Ph. In know that Cory talked about the Ph in a live stream about 8 months ago. If you get one breed in German the water is a high ph there(I have heard) than in parts of the US
I know Hans ~ I purchased some discus from him in the past. Excellent quality♥️
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So @Odd Duck
I’m just waiting to find some nitrates on my testing right ~ now there’s zero.
trying to figure out the next step and what I’m looking for🥴
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This makes sense and I’m definitely going to support them♥️ I don’t have a quarantine tank just my 29 long that’s why I wanted to get as many as I could at one time, does that make sense?
On 7/2/2022 at 5:44 AM, Odd Duck said:It’s a dirty trick of COVID that loads of things are more expensive now and we are lucky we can even get fish these days. If they can get fish at all, it’s definitely worth supporting them and paying their prices so they can do the initial quarantine and you’re less likely to lose fish when you get them home and into quarantine. They’re also more likely to make it out of quarantine if they’ve already spent some time at your lfs after being imported.
You always explain things so easy and this makes a lot of sense up there thank you for this♥️
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@Pepere @Odd DuckContinuing my cycling of his tank. I just just tested and my ammonia is 1.0 no nitrates or nitrites yet. I’m still hitting the tank with three ML of ammonia every other day.
Just a quick dumb question I’m sure but what does the Ammonia readings have to be at to get nitrates?
And ~
Im going to get nitrates before nitrates correct?
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On 7/2/2022 at 12:26 AM, Odd Duck said:
That appears to be at the tippy top of their “generally accepted” range, but it’s not exactly unusual to violate standard conventions around here. Rummies can be really picky sometimes. It likely wouldn’t take long to figure out if they were happy at discus temps or not. Since the discus is the “picky one” from your list, you’ll need to treat it as the pampered prima donna and everybody else has to adjust. So it depends on what temp you plan to run for your discus. If 86, that’s going to push range for the rummies. If 82, you should be fine.
I’m use to have rummies and discus together all the time they did fine but that was 10 years ago and I don’t really remember how or what I did☺️ I do you remember getting large schools of fish for my 55 and you always lose a few. It was like losing a little piece of your heart🥺
82 is good for all♥️ I called a really good LFS Store around here and they have every one of my fish ~ I don’t remember them being so expensive though!
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On 7/1/2022 at 7:39 AM, Hannah Parker said:
Can't wait to see pictures of the tiny discus!!
Aw ~ I will make sure you see the pictures, Hannah♥️
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On 7/1/2022 at 7:01 AM, Fish Folk said:
I’d be very certain of a complete cycle before adding fish.
Here’s what I usually do to “quick-cycle”…
(1) Use a biologically activated substrate like Eco Complete — or, transfer substrate from a cycled tank.
(2) Use Wood or Hardscape from inside a cycled tank. We buy wet wood from our LFS.
(3) Use a primed sponge filter already full of bio.
(4) Use tank water from a cycled tank.
(5) Buy tons of live plants. They bring in bio.
(6) Dump in Dr. Tim’s bio starter fluid.
Then wait a day. Test water. Wait until Nitrates are increasing. Add fish.
I would never put fish in Uncycled tank. I don’t have sponges to take from another tank I used to do that all the time ~ Quick and easy ~ right now I only have one tank. I’ve never had to cycle a tank without already seeded sponges. I’m already using Dr. Tim’s ammonia drops I add every other day, waiting for nitrates
On 7/1/2022 at 9:21 AM, Brandon p said:I have neons in with my so-called mini discus. The temps 82-83. They seem ok they have been around a few years and the discus are about 1 year. I did slowly change the temp from 77-78 to 82. I like @Fish Folk ideas. Rams are beautiful.
We had neons, Cardinals and rummies with all of our discus they did fine too.
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My first attempt at aquascaping a planted tank
in Plants, Algae, and Fertilizers
Posted
This 100%! I can’t wait too see every step! It’s gonna look great! I used that privacy film because it peels off so easy and I’m fickle. But but then I could see a lot of bubbles and it was a mess so thats gone☺️ I was going to paint but I’d have to lower all the water to move it out to paint so now I’m not going anything and you really can’t see much because my plants are so tall.
Your off to a great start and I cannot wait to see the end results♥️