6 Gallon Nano Tank with Anoxic Filter Plenum (UGF)

[Brandy]

It could be trapped air. It really could. But the enthusiasm is literally irresistible. 🙂 

I am sure it will take time to prove anything, but there is no reason not to celebrate each positive development--as long as we don't get so wedded to an outcome that we can't accept negative results when they inevitably come, as they must if we do science long enough.

Take the joy when you can @tonyjuliano, science is full of enough disappointments. I want to hear all the happy with the sad.

[tonyjuliano]

On 6/12/2021 at 12:19 AM, ARMYVET said:

 I love your enthusiasm but I am literally going to burst your bubble

Bubble suitably burst.  

Forgive my "enthusiasm", but it seems that I was a victim of my own "fertilization regimen" this weekend!

Wowza...  Did I pay for it the morning after.

Anyhow, back to science!

I have established a proper threshold (2 ppm) of ammonia utilizing ammonium chloride.

 

For now it's a waiting game for the cycle to start.  I will be testing ammonia, nitrate & nitrate levels daily, and will post numbers.

[Greg808]

Tanks look great! I want to try out this style of filtration too. I will definitely be following this thread. Keep updating your progress please.

[Gideyon]

This is great @tonyjuliano.   I've been hooked on Dr Novak's work.   I'm planning my own experiment when I'm able to get a 20g.

As for the amount of flow, he did say that if you turn off the air for the UGF at night (or day) and run for the rest, it's fine.  I think he said it'll be better.  

I'm with you on the whole plant thing.  I want to be a fish keeper, not a plant keeper. I was discouraged when it seemed every fish I wanted to get needed plants. That is until I discovered shell dwellers.   That'll be my next tank when I have the space for it. 

They're very sensitive to nitrates, so what better scenario to have this filtration when plants aren't an option (unless I want to deal with hornwort which I don't).  

My only dilemma, that I'm still trying to figure out is how do I keep separate the sand substrate from the baked clay substrate.  So far weed fabric is my only option but I'm searching for more.   Like a plastic mesh that's fine enough not to let sand through. I read cheese cloth is good, but I feel like that'll deteriorate in time. 

Anyway... That's for another thread. 

Looking forward to seeing your progress. 

[Gideyon]

I forgot to mention... In regards to algae, I believe one sign that it is working is that you won't have much of an algae problem at all.  I remember his experiment of having his tank directly in sunlight.  I think there was algae but it was minimal considering its location. 

Maybe I misunderstood. 

[tonyjuliano]

Ok…

Ten days now from startup, and the cycle is almost fully established.  Take a look at these progressions:

Ammonia

Nitrite

 

Nitrate

 

Keep in mind that this is a fishless cycle, without any introduction of beneficial bacteria, via donation from an established tank or other means.

At this rate, cycle will be complete in another day or two.  I’ve never had any tank cycle this quickly.  It may be due to the size, as I’ve never owned a tank this small either.

Oh, and the “sister tank” is in exactly the same condition.  In hindsight, this “experiment” may have been more informative if that one was running a more “traditional” method - but oh well.

Fish are in the way, should be here by the end of the week.
 

 

[Gideyon]

On 6/22/2021 at 6:41 PM, tonyjuliano said:

At this rate, cycle will be complete in another day or two

The nitrites will be down to 0 in a day? 

I think if you want to make sure the plenum is working, I'd wait to see the nitrates are 0 as well. My memory is that anoxic filtration takes even longer to happen. According to Novak, that's when the true cycle is occurring. 

[tonyjuliano]

On 6/22/2021 at 7:42 PM, Gideyon said:

The nitrites will be down to 0 in a day? 

I think if you want to make sure the plenum is working, I'd wait to see the nitrates are 0 as well. My memory is that anoxic filtration takes even longer to happen. According to Novak, that's when the true cycle is occurring. 

Nitrite should definitely be zero by the end of the week.  Look the the progression, it been reducing a full point every day for the last three.  That trend is much more likely to accelerate  then not.

All this tells me nothing about the plenum’s nitrate reducing capability, that will only happen over time, if at all.

Edited June 22, 2021 by tonyjuliano

[tonyjuliano]

Ok folks, here we go…

As previously predicted, this fishless cycle is now complete, in record time for me.  Here are the numbers…

Ammonia - 0ppm

Nitrite - 0ppm

Nitrate - 40ppm

 

The “sister” tanks numbers are virtually identical.

Traditionally, I would do a big water change at this point, but not this time. I figure that if it’s possible to cultivate anaerobic bacteria,  then you need an ample food source.

It may take a while, it may not happen at all, it’s all conjecture st this point.

Both tanks have just been fully stocked,

Left Tank:

• 14 Neon Tetras
• 6 Orange Sakura Shrimp
• 2 Tiger Nerite Snails

Right Tank:

• 8 Emerald Dwarf Rasbora
• 1 Dwarf Gourami
• 7 Red Cherry Shrimp
• 2 Zebra Nerite Snails

All fish are juveniles.

Let’s see what develops…

Edited June 26, 2021 by tonyjuliano

[Vyce]

sorry but any update on this?