Author Topic: Cycling my Fluval Edge (Read 101154 times) 295 replies

jesnon · « **Reply #120 on:** March 01, 2013, 08:26:03 PM »

Very annoying! Measured nitrite tonight and it's down to 0 (what a beautiful colour to finally see ha). Redosed ammonia now

jesnon · « **Reply #121 on:** March 02, 2013, 08:47:39 PM »

I dosed ammonia a lot higher last night, and this morning my nitrite was still quite high. PM readings:

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0.25ppm
Nitrate 80ppm or darker

So I did a large water change and dosed the same amount of ammonia (1ml, which isn't too high given my ammonia appears to be quite weak)... am I right to be increasing my ammonia dose or should I just be sticking to a small dose?

jesnon · « **Reply #122 on:** March 02, 2013, 09:03:11 PM »

Also I know I've already mentioned my previous plan to get fish the day after plants etc... but would it be so bad if I got my plants tomorrow? I'm quite keen for something more interesting to be going on with my tank whilst I'm waiting for my fishies ha, and it gives me an actual reason to go to some fish shops other than fish window shopping when they might all be gone by the time my tank is ready!

On another note I went out today and managed to find one of those timers, which appears to work well so that's at least one more thing ticked off the list!

I do wish that I'd bought a different substrate now though... maybe a darker one or sand...

Sue · « **Reply #123 on:** March 03, 2013, 11:31:17 AM »

If you want to change your substrate, now's the time......

Yes, increasing the ammonia dose is good. The more bacteria you have when you get fish the better even if some of them then die off because you grew too many. That's much safer than not growing enough. The reason for keeping the dose low at the beginning is so there isn't as much nitrite as with higher doses while waiting for the nitrite eaters to grow. Once there are enough of both bacteria to deal with a low dose of ammonia, the dose amount should be increased till you are adding enough to give a reading of 4 to 5ppm (the API tester has a colour for 4 so 4 is easier with that tester). There will be almost enough now to deal with these larger doses, it shouldn't take very long for them to grow enough for the larger dose. In optimum conditions, these bacteria can double in number every 24 hours, though in our tanks it'll probably be a bit longer than that - our tanks won't be optimum conditions, the pH will be a bit wrong for them, or the hardness, or some mineral lacking etc etc.

Unless one of the plants experts says otherwise, I would think you can get plants. It won't be long before you are cycled so you shouldn't get much algae growth.

SteveS · « **Reply #124 on:** March 03, 2013, 01:57:11 PM »

Quote from: Sue on March 03, 2013, 11:31:17 AM

Unless one of the plants experts says otherwise, I would think you can get plants. It won't be long before you are cycled so you shouldn't get much algae growth.

You can get plants now if you wish... but, having plants during a cycle will complicate your measurements with the test kits. Plants will consume ammonia in competition with your filter bacteria, if there is insufficient ammonia, they will consume nitrates. This can mask the progress of your cycle. I would recommend that you leave the plants for a while... your cycle is almost over, why complicate your life now?

jesnon · « **Reply #125 on:** March 03, 2013, 10:02:27 PM »

I guess I'll stick it out for a little while longer then!

Today's readings:
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 40ppm

So I've dosed a larger amount of ammonia :-)

ColinB · « **Reply #126 on:** March 04, 2013, 07:40:36 AM »

I'm on my third substrate now! My first was ~3-4mm gravel, and allowed all the 'gunk' to fall through it and got dirty very quickly. The plants didn't seem to like it either. I then replaced that with the sand that MA had in stock. This was 'silver sand' and really fine grained so it compacted and allowed no circulation at all. The plants didn't like it and all the 'gunk' sat on the sand surface and looked poo! ('cos it was

)

Substrate #3 was this: http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/unipac-fiji-fine-sand-125kg-p-5203.html.
It's ~1-2mm and it allows some circulation and filtering through of water and 'gunk'. It allows the mulm to act as firtiliser and it works well to anchor the plants. It looks good and the fish can push it around while rooting for bits of food etc. I'm very pleased with it. I'm going to try and get some piccies later today so I'll post those up.

Now would be a good time to change substrate, before you have plants and fish. I would think that's even more imperative in a Fluval Edge because of the limited access.

You might want to read this if you haven't already: http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/article/substrates-and-soil-for-tropical-aquarium-plants.html

jesnon · « **Reply #127 on:** March 04, 2013, 04:50:31 PM »

Hmm I'm a little confused - how would I ensure that my java fern were to get enough nutrients if it's attached to a bogwood? And how does it work with a moss ball as they don't have roots or anything that I know of? I probably won't change my substrate now, perhaps I'll just get a different kind if I get another tank! Though all I have is gravel in my tank... do I need something else!?

Sue · « **Reply #128 on:** March 04, 2013, 05:09:12 PM »

I have plants that aren't rooted (java fern and anubias) and I add a liquid fertiliser.

Is that right, plant experts?

jesnon · « **Reply #129 on:** March 04, 2013, 09:05:31 PM »

Ooh any recommendations would be good! Is it pricey??

Tonight's readings are disappointing after a high dose of ammonia last night :-(

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 2ppm
Nitrate 80ppm

Sue · « **Reply #130 on:** March 05, 2013, 08:16:31 AM »

The one I have is Seachem Flourish, but I'm not sure if I should be using something else as well. The bottle talks about micro elements, trace elements and other nutrients but adds that for macro elements you should use something else.
This bottle cost £7.99 for 100ml and the dose rate is 5ml per 250 litres.

Note that this is not Flourish Excel, which is a liquid carbon product.

You've started me thinking now, I'll have to ask in the planted section what I should be using.

Sue · « **Reply #131 on:** March 05, 2013, 02:46:57 PM »

Jesnon, see my thread in the planted section and, more importantly, Steve S's reply

jesnon · « **Reply #132 on:** March 05, 2013, 08:58:13 PM »

Thanks Sue! Unfortunately cycling isn't going to well,perhaps I rushed upping the dose of ammonia too quickly. this morning

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 2ppm
Nitrate 80ppm or higher
So I did a large water change and have left it until I'm home from work

jesnon · « **Reply #133 on:** March 05, 2013, 10:54:52 PM »

Tonight's readings probably don't mean much since I did a water change around 2pm, but:

Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate somewhere between 20 and 40ppm (relatively dark orange, not on the red scale yet)

I've just dosed some ammonia (around 1ml) and I'm off until 3pm tomorrow so I can see how my nitrite eaters are going with the 12 hour 'limit'... I'm hoping better!

Sue · « **Reply #134 on:** March 06, 2013, 08:16:10 AM »

Sorry, my brain just isn't working this morning. I'm still half asleep, I've only been up half an hour - remind me, what ppm does your ammonia dose give?
Your tank is 23 litres isn't it? Using a cacluator on another site, 1 ml of 9.5% ammonia will give 4.15ppm in a 23 litre tank.

If your ammonia is 9.5%, you are adding 4.15ppm every time you dose 1ml. That means you don't need to increase the dose size. You are already there. And male endlers don't have a very big bioload so if it is 9.5% you are ready to go once you have a week of double zeros. With even 5% ammonia, you should be OK for half a dozen male endlers.

jesnon · « **Reply #135 on:** March 06, 2013, 09:58:50 AM »

Hmm my ammonia is quite weak, and I measured it last night to a reading of about 2ppm. Is that actually a high enough dose for my endlers?

Sue · « **Reply #136 on:** March 06, 2013, 10:04:15 AM »

I would increase the ammonia dose to 1.5ml. That should give you 3ppm, which should be enough. I would prefer it if you had too many bacteria rather than not enough

jesnon · « **Reply #137 on:** March 06, 2013, 10:46:48 AM »

Makes sense!

Unfortunately I have absolutely no idea what's going on with my tank any more

This morning's readings:
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 2 or 5ppm
Nitrate 40ppm

I'm getting so frustrated... what am I doing wrong!? Anyone have any suggestions / have a clue what's happening with my nitrite eaters?!

Sue · « **Reply #138 on:** March 06, 2013, 02:34:08 PM »

I've been having a think over lunch. How about a new approach? Rather than keep dosing ammonia and doing water changes, don't add any ammonia for 48 hours, and don't do a water change. The bacteria won't starve that quickly and it'll give the nitrite eaters chance to get rid of the nitrite there now without the ammonia eaters adding more. Then after 48 hours, add 0.5ml ammonia and see if the two bacteria can clear than in 12 to 24 hours. If they can, increase to 1ml and see what happens.

Have you been keeping an eye on your pH just in case?

jesnon · « **Reply #139 on:** March 06, 2013, 11:00:23 PM »

Thanks for the tips Sue, sounds sensible to me! I haven't measured my Ph for a while actually so shall have a look at that tomorrow.

PM readings are:
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 80ppm

So it looks like my nitrite eaters are getting to work within 24 hours, but not within the 12 hour limits. Given the zero readings shall I go back to dosing ammonia tonight? I've left it for now and I'm heading to bed as after a week of late shifts I'm feeling quite knackered, but can dose in the morning if that makes sense as I have the day off and can measure both am and pm readings easily :-)

It's so frustrating doing water changes with no fish! I guess I might have to do one tomorrow though because of my high nitrates? Eh... I wish I could get fish!

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Cycling My Fluval Edge

Cycling My Fluval Edge

Author Topic: Cycling my Fluval Edge (Read 101154 times) 295 replies

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