Author Topic: Stringy white stuff fishless cycling (Read 11013 times) 79 replies

LeakysLab · « **Reply #60 on:** May 24, 2020, 12:53:10 PM »

I think by the photos the media that in there is at the bottom of the box where the water is sucked in, then it travels up through the media the out the top.

When you add the cut sponges, they will go where the missing media will go(use the manufacturer booklet to see where the exact location will be) As long as you cut them to be a snug fit the water will travel through the media and not around it.

From the picture the water Level looks too high, I would ensure the water is below the max level marker and the outlet grill from the filter is not submerged. I may be wrong but you’ll know what I mean when you look at it.

Beckins · « **Reply #61 on:** May 24, 2020, 01:20:09 PM »

Quote from: LeakysLab on May 24, 2020, 12:53:10 PM

I think by the photos the media that in there is at the bottom of the box where the water is sucked in, then it travels up through the media the out the top.

When you add the cut sponges, they will go where the missing media will go(use the manufacturer booklet to see where the exact location will be) As long as you cut them to be a snug fit the water will travel through the media and not around it.

From the picture the water Level looks too high, I would ensure the water is below the max level marker and the outlet grill from the filter is not submerged. I may be wrong but you’ll know what I mean when you look at it.

The water level is exactly on the max line on the filter....I have had trouble with the position of the bloody thing as with the sucker mount that came with it would not sit high enough to the rim of the tank to enable me to position the filter high enough so I can fill the tank to the top rim so it looks nice without exceeding the max line on filter...so basically I had to glue a ledge onto the side of my tank to enable me to hang the filter higher and it's just high enough now so I can fill my water to the tank rim with the water at max on it :-/

LeakysLab · « **Reply #62 on:** May 24, 2020, 01:48:12 PM »

I’m quite fortunate that my filter hangs via a clip from the lid assembly. I wouldn’t worry about it too much as long as the water isn’t flooding back into the filter box at the top and is flowing out nicely and is providing some surface agitation then I wouldn’t recommend keep messing around with it if it’s sat and stable where it is. I apologise I just thought I’d mention it from the way I saw the image. As long as your happy with it and it’s working then it’s all good

Sue · « **Reply #63 on:** May 24, 2020, 02:14:26 PM »

I think you need @Matt to help here as he has the smaller version of your filter.

@jaypeecee I see what you mean now. Though during cycling and whenever fish are added to the tank you do have to test for nitrite as there's no alert gizmo for that so it's just as easy to do ammonia at the same time. But yes, the alert can help you spot a problem as soon as it happens rather than waiting till you see the fish acting differently.

Matt · « **Reply #64 on:** May 24, 2020, 03:00:22 PM »

Firstly the filter is at the right height so that should not be something to worry you.

To see how the water flows take all bits of media, carbon, pad etc out and turn the filter off. You will see a little rectangular thing the the centre bottom of the compartment. The flow comes out of here and is directed towards the back. The theory being that it should them flow both upwards and forwards towards the cascade into the tank. This is also why I replaced everything with a big block of sponge as the direction of flow is not very good.

It may see drastic but I would honstely recommend taking everything out, taking the noodles (white tube bits) out of the biological media compartment and placing these in the bottom of the filter then place sponge over the top. This arrangement served me very well for years until I transitioned it to just the sponge - you have bacteria on your noodles you want to keep there for say 4-6 months at least. I know this seems drastic but it is honestly a much better way of operating what is otherwise a powerful filter.

I have some diagrams somewhere I can dig out if that doesn’t make sense?

Matt · « **Reply #65 on:** May 24, 2020, 03:01:54 PM »

To add, it’s also how a lot of other filters are set up!

Beckins · « **Reply #66 on:** May 24, 2020, 03:16:51 PM »

Quote from: Sue on May 24, 2020, 02:14:26 PM

I think you need @Matt to help here as he has the smaller version of your filter.

@jaypeecee I see what you mean now. Though during cycling and whenever fish are added to the tank you do have to test for nitrite as there's no alert gizmo for that so it's just as easy to do ammonia at the same time. But yes, the alert can help you spot a problem as soon as it happens rather than waiting till you see the fish acting differently.

I'm happy to do regular testing anyhow

I've already spent a fortune on everything I've bought for this set up so I'll just stick with what I have I think!

Beckins · « **Reply #67 on:** May 24, 2020, 03:20:07 PM »

Quote from: Matt on May 24, 2020, 03:00:22 PM

Firstly the filter is at the right height so that should not be something to worry you.

To see how the water flows take all bits of media, carbon, pad etc out and turn the filter off. You will see a little rectangular thing the the centre bottom of the compartment. The flow comes out of here and is directed towards the back. The theory being that it should them flow both upwards and forwards towards the cascade into the tank. This is also why I replaced everything with a big block of sponge as the direction of flow is not very good.

It may see drastic but I would honstely recommend taking everything out, taking the noodles (white tube bits) out of the biological media compartment and placing these in the bottom of the filter then place sponge over the top. This arrangement served me very well for years until I transitioned it to just the sponge - you have bacteria on your noodles you want to keep there for say 4-6 months at least. I know this seems drastic but it is honestly a much better way of operating what is otherwise a powerful filter.

I have some diagrams somewhere I can dig out if that doesn’t make sense?

I think it makes sense, would several pieces of sponge tightly packed above the noodles work too? just that I already bought the sponges now but they are not going to be thick enough to do it in one block :/...so it would fill the whole of the inside of the filter?

edit..I'm imagining placing several pieces in horizontal would be better than having them vertically wedged in?

Sue · « **Reply #68 on:** May 24, 2020, 06:53:35 PM »

If the water flows from the bottom to the top, having sponges lying across the direction of water flow is best, so yes lay them horizontally. That will stop the water sneaking along the tiny gaps between sponges as it would if they are vertical.

Beckins · « **Reply #69 on:** May 24, 2020, 07:14:09 PM »

Ok I will do that when they come...just added some bicarb...I think it reads either 80/120ppm KH now...I added 2 5mL spoons dissolved in tap water like you said. Hard to tell between the two of those though, is that enough?

Sue · « **Reply #70 on:** May 24, 2020, 07:24:05 PM »

It will do for the present. Keep an eye on it and if it falls below 4 dH (80 ppm) add another 5 ml spoonful. And keep an eye on the pH as well.

Beckins · « **Reply #71 on:** May 24, 2020, 07:50:25 PM »

Quote from: Sue on May 24, 2020, 07:24:05 PM

It will do for the present. Keep an eye on it and if it falls below 4 dH (80 ppm) add another 5 ml spoonful. And keep an eye on the pH as well.

oki doke thanks sue, ph @7.4 still at the moment

Matt · « **Reply #72 on:** May 24, 2020, 10:07:12 PM »

Sound like you have the right plan for the filter

Beckins · « **Reply #73 on:** May 28, 2020, 01:04:44 AM »

Still no movement on anything with cycling

*sigh*

did some more googling on the white gunge stuff and it seems theres a few people who have had the white stuff grow on new suction cups and other plastic items like tubing like I have, mention it might be to do with what they coat it with when new, most say its harmless and goes away if washed with super hot water so I might give that a try sometime.

Wishing I could get fishes already! patience running thin. ..Just come across mosquito rasbora and congo tetra on trop co website, beautiful fishes!

Littlefish · « **Reply #74 on:** May 28, 2020, 06:39:36 AM »

Be patient. You are doing the right thing.
Cycling can be very frustrating, but it gives your future fish an great start in your tank.

There are so many amazing fish that it is very easy to get carried away and end up with multiple tanks within a relatively short space of time.

I was considering a large tank of congo tetra last year, but the new job & relocation put an end to various plans.

Beckins · « **Reply #75 on:** May 29, 2020, 12:49:41 AM »

Quote from: Littlefish on May 28, 2020, 06:39:36 AM

Be patient. You are doing the right thing.
Cycling can be very frustrating, but it gives your future fish an great start in your tank.
There are so many amazing fish that it is very easy to get carried away and end up with multiple tanks within a relatively short space of time.
I was considering a large tank of congo tetra last year, but the new job & relocation put an end to various plans.

hah I can totally understand people getting lots of tanks, if I had a bigger house I would be all over it, I've already been thinking about the potential for a smaller tank I could put on my pc desk to put a couple fishes in 😂 I think i need to get this tank sorted out first though really and that's proving challenging!! I just chucked in some dr Tim's bacteria that's arrived today, the tetra safe start and the interpet ones haven't seemed to do bugger all

maybe the lil bacterias have all exhausted themselves out in the heat weve had lately, if this dont work I'm not wasting any more money on quick start products

my friends media didnt even seem to help too much either. must. ..have... patience!!!

fcmf · « **Reply #76 on:** July 05, 2020, 04:52:55 PM »

For the benefit of anyone else looking for advice on here and potentially using products to speed up the cycle, do you think it was the Dr Tim's that finally "did the trick", the combination/cumulative effect of some/all of the products (mature media, Tetra Safe Start, Interpet plus the Dr Tim's) and other factors (re-arranging the positioning of the filter media, the bicarbonate of soda), and/or did you use another product after that or get hold of someone else's media?

What ultimately happened to the white, stringy stuff - did it disappear of its own accord or did you do something in particular to get rid of it such as pouring boiling water on it?

Beckins · « **Reply #77 on:** July 05, 2020, 05:35:08 PM »

Quote from: fcmf on July 05, 2020, 04:52:55 PM

For the benefit of anyone else looking for advice on here and potentially using products to speed up the cycle, do you think it was the Dr Tim's that finally "did the trick", the combination/cumulative effect of some/all of the products (mature media, Tetra Safe Start, Interpet plus the Dr Tim's) and other factors (re-arranging the positioning of the filter media, the bicarbonate of soda), and/or did you use another product after that or get hold of someone else's media?

What ultimately happened to the white, stringy stuff - did it disappear of its own accord or did you do something in particular to get rid of it such as pouring boiling water on it?

So after not having much luck with tetra safe start or Dr tims, i did try one last product which seemed to work for me, wether that was a coincidence with other things im not sure...

I purchased some seachem stability and thats when i started seeing some readings on nitrites and nitrates

I also added probably double the ceramic media i already had to my filter, along with 3 sponges so prehaps that helped too.

I did try putting my suckers in boiling water, but it just grew back, i tried this twice.. so i dont think that is a fix!

I believe the white stuff is probably a product of having the excess ammonia in the tank during fishless cycling, and something to do with that damn plastic lol

Since being virtually cycled and having fish (i still question wether my ammonia reading is 0 or 0.25 sometimes seems to have a tiny tinge of green) , i am not seeing nearly as much of it on my plastic stuff anymore, and for some reason ive seen my cories snuffling around my airline tubing, maybe they like to munch the tiny bit that is there i dont know??

fcmf · « **Reply #78 on:** July 05, 2020, 06:52:01 PM »

Thanks - this update is really interesting and helpful generally, and especially for anyone else reading this thread and in the same predicament of wondering what to try next. I'd read elsewhere this week about others having success with Seachem Stability too (among other products for other folk). As you say, though, it could be the combination of that plus the doubled ceramic media plus the sponges.

As for the white stuff, you may well be correct - once I got my cories (RIP/SIP), they seemed to enjoy snuffling around the fungus-like white stuff that grew on my new wood during cycling, and it never came back after that.

If any consolation, I too have some trouble figuring out certain readings on different tests / test kits, and reckon it's often somewhere in between the two.

Beckins · « **Reply #79 on:** July 05, 2020, 07:16:51 PM »

The seachem stability had the longest expiry date out of the others I tried also and I purchased from my local fish shop rather than online. Unsure if these could also be a factor!

I have been doing a water change or adding prime every few days when I get paranoid about the ammonia being 0.25 instead of 0, just incase lol But the fishes seem happy enough

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Stringy White Stuff Fishless Cycling

Stringy White Stuff Fishless Cycling

Author Topic: Stringy white stuff fishless cycling (Read 11013 times) 79 replies

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