Intro And My Fishy Project - Cora

Colin,
I presently have 9 tanks, from 60 - 125 litres. They are all different, different plants, densities etc. Some are pretty well fully stocked, one has only 2 Panda cories, one has only 10 CPDs, and one has 2 Neons, 1 Cardinal and 1 Guppy, the last lot being the remains of the fish that I inherited with second hand tanks. Those with gravel over soil have grown much better plants than sand over soil, I regret using sand, which was for cories though there has actually been no difference in success with them whether sand or gravel was used.
I have posted photos before, but at present light levels are very low because of the almost complete coverage of Amazon Frogbit (and duckweed!) which makes it very difficult to get a decent piccy. When I next skim a load off the surface, I'll try again.
I'm planning to revamp my tanks in autumn when I have more time, get rid of the sand and replace with gravel, move some fish and restock with some new additions.

I think you'll find that it is a coalition of the females of the crab people and giant lizards the rule the world.
They just let the males think that they are in charge.

Yes, that's them. They've been on tv and everything. Very clever of them to disguise themselves as men (well, human males, but you know what I mean.)

Perhaps just a rubbish disguise then.

14 hours later. I couldn't resist testing.

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: >=2
Nitrate: >=20

which means in only 14 hours 3ml of ammonia solution was completely converted to nitrite.

As per the cycle process I'll leave the tank for at least another day and test again for nitrites.

Update:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrates >=20

But the cycle hasn't finished because I haven't proven that the tank can complete a cycle in 24 hours. I have dosed again with ammonia now. I will test again tomorrow lunch time. If I get the same readings the cycle is complete!

I am off to a big aquatic centre now to buy hardscape material and get fishy prices.

Enjoy your Sunday all

The end of the cycle is in sight. Hooray.

If the 3ml Ammonia is the 5ppm dose for your tank, you are definitely accelerating towards a completed cycle I would say... Ammonia eaters - as you know - lead the nitrite eaters. But once the nitrite colonies breed up they accelerate in their multiplication... I had light a light-blue nitrite test tube before I knew it!

If the 3ml Ammonia is the 5ppm dose for your tank

For cycling the doses are

Full dose 3 ppm
Maintenance dose 1ppm


Fishless methods elsewhere are likely to be 5 ppm as that's the amount that used to be used, but it is now known that a properly stocked tank produces less than 3 ppm. Heavily overstocked tanks will, of course, make more than 3 ppm, but we shouldn't have heavily overstocked tanks except for Rift Lake cichlid tanks.

spider wood?

Search google images for "spiderwood". You'll have seen it for sure, but perhaps under another name.

I think it's usually more interesting, and cheaper than bogwood - doesn't stain the water, but because it's light it tends to float and can take months to sink. I'm going to use rocks and lead weights to keep it in position in my tank. It also seems to be cleaner and has less of a hardscaping footprint on the aquarium.

I'll send a pic of my aquascape as soon as I've finished the cycle.