Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fishtank Filtration and Cycling => Topic started by: Aquamaid on December 05, 2014, 02:50:37 PM
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Well ive filled my new 260L with water today, and figured out the external filter (just hope them hoses are on tight) *blink* it filled up great no soil or sand storms, quite a clear fill, just letting it all settle and warm up. Have some old and new bogwood (or such) in it, so i think i may have some colouration, but i don't mind some, and i'm loving the sound of the spray bar. I bought some new bio media to put in the filter and it came with some gel balls with bacteria in them, so along with some old sponge media i'm hoping this fishless cycle wont be as traumatic as the first lol at least i know what to expect this time. So tomorrow all being well i will start my first Ammonia dose
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Good luck 8)
It doesn't seem long since I started cycling my 2nd tank and I've already got fish in it. I tested the water again this morning and it's still a lovely yellow and blue on the ammonia and nitrite tests ;D
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AM
What do you think of that biomedia stuff? It looks like it was made be the same machines that make Cheesey Wotsits!
I'm thinking of getting some for my Fluval 306 filters for my 240L Chrimbo present.
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Hehe NM, more chalky wotsits, i was impressed with Pondguru reconfiguring an external filter on youtube to make it more efficient, so decided to do the same, and bought the bio ultra. I will be interested to see how many days this takes, another 50 maybe :yikes: Glad your tank is up and running Gav, isn't it great to get that colour combination every time ;D
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I filled tank yesterday and was about to start my testing, but realised i didn't add any dechlorinator, so ive added it now, not sure how long to wait to test now? Oh and it came with 200w heater, not sure that will do the job of getting temp high enough for cycling 220-40 L of water?, ive got it on 32 but water is at 23c after 12 hours
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Dechlorinator shouldn't affect the test results, but waiting half an hour-ish will allow the filter to mix the dechlorinator in thoroughly if you prefer to wait.
The usual heater guidleline is 1 watt per litre, so 200 w maybe a tad on the small side.
How cold was the water when you put it in? If it was very cold water (tap water is almost fridge temps at this time of year) it will take quite a few hours to get to the setting on the heater.
If you are worried, you could test it on a bucket of water - but give it time to cool down before taking it out of the tank. There is a risk it could shatter if taken out of the water while it is hot.
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The heater you need also depends on your rom temperature. There's a big difference between a heated room and an unheated one. You could also try covering the tank with a blanket or something, a great deal of heat is lost through the glass and it will warm up quicker if it is covered. I assume you have checked the heater is actually still on when the temperature is at 23 but you have set it to 32, i.e. the light is always on. If not, the thermostat could be faulty.
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Yes light is on constantly, and temp is rising very slowly, i will leave it over night and if not up to 30c tomorrow may add another heater. If you have two heaters in the tank and want temp of 30c do you set both for 30 or what combination? will leave water test and Ammonia for tomorrow also : )
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Set both for 30.
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Thanks Richard, looks like this one is still rising and up 10 degrees :)
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I'm going to put some insulation at the back of my 240L Roma when I get it. I've got quite a bit of radiator backing which will be just perfect. Any insulation will help.
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Just a thought Richard, the first heater seems to only heat tank up to 25c and then turns off, so now ive put second heater in and set it for 30c, first heater is off so is it second heater doing all the work on it's own now?
Hi NM i have an arty farty idea to do a rock type backing on my tank somehow with a Neoprene foam yoga/camping mat, that would be good insulation too :)
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It's likely that the thermostat is faulty on the first heater, if it is set to 30 it shouldn't turn off below 30!
Insulation is very useful. All of my tanks have black painted rear wall and so whatever I put on there doesn't show through. On the tanks in unheated rooms, I've put a double layer of bubble wrap on the backs. Can't be seen but helps retain heat and hence save electricity.
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Bubble wrap eh, good idea, thanks Richard :) Temps going up as we speak, ive added a couple of kettles full of boiling water and temp up to 27 now.
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Thinking of buying this, will it do the job better,?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Submersible-All-Pond-Solutions-AH-300/dp/B002NLGCKG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417948439&sr=8-2&keywords=aquarium+300w+heater
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One of the best makes is Eheim Jager.
It is quite common for heater thermostats to be inaccurate. The simplest way to set any heater is by turning the dial to whatever setting gets the water to the temp you want.
The chap who replaced the thermostat on my oven a couple of years ago said I'd have to learn to cook all over again as no two oven thermostats reach the same temp on the same setting.
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I have the Eheim heaters, they are good, but not the easiest to calibrate, i'm running the two for now, till i get required heat, nearly there lol
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Ok guys, how am i doing this time around, it's Day 11 of fishless cycle,
so far iv'e had readings of
Day 7 Ammo= 0.50 Nitrite = 0
Day 9 added 4ml ammonia so Ammo = 2ppm Nitrite = 0.25
Day 11 today. Ammo = 0.25 (could be 0) Nitrite = 1.0
should i leave it a day or two and see if nitrite goes up, or do i need to add any more ammonia?
Oh and tank smells like old socks, don't know if it's the pond soil or the bogwood in all that heat lol
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Since your ammonia is zero (or as near as makes no difference) and the nitrite is exactly 1.0 - ie not under or over 1.0 - add one third of the full dose of ammonia. You are on the boundary between steps 9 and 10 in my method.
If you are adding 4ml for the full dose, add 11/3 ml today. Test again on day 13. Two possibilities for the day 13 tests:
1) In those tests, if the ammonia is zero and nitrite is below 1.0, add the full dose and test after 24 hours. If you then have both at zero, the cycle has finished. But if those tests show either or both above zero, ask what to do next or this post will get very confusing.
2) in the day 13 tests, if the ammonia is zero but nitrite is not zero, add another third-of-the-full dose of ammonia and test again next day.
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Thanks Sue, things are certainly moving a bit quicker this time :)
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Well test gone a bit strange, i think i know why I added what i thought was one third dose of ammonia to tank on day 11 but i suspect now it wasn't enough and didn't take reading so on day 13 i got lovely reading of Ammo = 0 and Nitrite = 0 thought i was nearly there, i added a full dose of Ammonia up to 2ppm and today Day 14 reading is Ammo =0 but Nitrite is now 2.0 so iv'e added one third ammonia, am i on track?
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That's right. Whenever amm = 0 and nit = over 1.0 it's the one third dose - but not every day. Only once very second day. So check again on day 16 and if the nitrite reading is still over 1, add another one third dose of ammonia. But on day 16 if nitrite is below 1.0 add the full dose and test next day.
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Thanks Sue ;D
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I'm getting bit confused now Sue, there is a pattern emerging not sure what though, Nitrite is appearing and dissapearing, am i dosing too often,
Day 13 Ammo = 0 Nitrite = 0 added 6ml dose up to 2ppm
Day 14 Ammo = 0 Nitrite = 2.0 (nitrate = 20ppm) added 2ml dose up to 2ppm
Day 16 Ammo = 0 Nitrite = 0 added 6ml dose
Day 17 Ammo = 0 Nitrite = 2.0 again
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I think you might indeed be dosing too often.
Test every day till the nitrite level drops below 1.0 then add 2ml ammonia rather than 6 and see what the results are the following day.
These are biological entities; they never do things in a nice predictable manner!
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Thanks Sue, should i add 2ml today or wait for result tomorrow then?
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Wait till tomorrow, if nitrite has dropped by then.
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Hi Sue, How am i doing, i'm on day 19 Nitrite seems to be struggling :(
Day 13 Ammo = 0 Nitrite = 0 added 6ml dose up to 2ppm
Day 14 Ammo = 0 Nitrite = 2.0 (nitrate = 20ppm) added 2ml dose up to 2ppm
Day 16 Ammo = 0 Nitrite = 0 added 6ml dose
Day 17 Ammo = 0 Nitrite = 2.0 again
Day 18 Ammo = 0 Nitrite = 0 added dose up to 1ppm
Day 19 Ammo = 0 Nitrite = 0.5
Should i dose a third again?
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You have ammonia below 0.25 and nitrite below 1.0 so now add the big dose of ammonia and test after 24 hours.
If that shows zero for both the cycle has finished, but Christmas eve is not a good day for buying fish so add the smaller dose every 2 days till you can go fish shopping and do a big water change that morning or the day before.
If they are not zero, test again after another 24 hours.
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And if i have Nitrite at 2 again?
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At this stage in the cycle:
If nitrite is over 2, add a small dose and test after 48 hours. Keep doing this (small dose, test after 48 hours) until you reach a day when it is below 1.
Once nitrite drops below 1 48 hours after adding the small dose, add a big dose and test after 24 hours.
If nitrite is zero 24 hours after adding the big dose, the cycle has finished.
If nitrite is not zero, test after another 24 hours then repeat either the first or second above depending on how high the nitrite is on the latest testing.
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Ok Sue, think iv'e got it now :o thanks again
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I'm not good at explaining things at the moment as I have come down with The Cold that is doing the rounds here. The one with high temp, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, aching joints etc etc. Just in time for Christmas >:(
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Aww sorry to hear that Sue, i did want to thank you and all the team for your help, you must devote a lot of your time to answering all our woes and queries. I hope if you don't manage to shift it before Thurs, that you do at least get some time to recover, and at least have a very very Happy New Year. :wave:
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Sitting in front of a computer is all I can manage at the moment ;D Though what I type may not necessarily make any sense :o
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Ooh in that case, get a few "Hot Toddy's" down you, we will be none the wiser :cheers:
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I couldn't even finish a glass of red wine last night :yikes: I'm better than I was yesterday though, I should be able to manage a whole glass tonight ;D
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One more question Sue if your still about, as in "on line" not anything worse :-[ If i completer cycle today or tomorrow and cant get fish till weekend, what would you dose up to for buying say 30-50% of fish, or is it better as i did with my other tank, to just add a few at a time?
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A tank that is fully stocked makes around 3ppm ammonia in 24 hours. Since you've been dosing to 2ppm ammonia, you should be able to get two thirds of 'fully stocked' once the cycle is finished.
If you are worried about the bacteria going dormant while the shops are shut, you could dose your big amount the day before you want to go shopping to make sure you have double zeros next day, but until then just the small dose every 2 days (after getting double zeros the first time) till the shops open again.
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Many thanks :wave: