Newbie with Questions

jonto said:
Hi folks,
I have read the instructions adnauseum. I have the newer bottle of ammonia and thus 4 drops per gal. I set up the tank on 8/11 and Dr Tims and ammonia 4 days (8/15) later. Ammonia was at 2+.
On 8/22 it dropped to .1 and nitrite was 1 and nitrate was 40.
On 8/24 ammonia was still .1 and nitrite was .05 and nitrate was 12.
On 8/27 ammonia is at 0 and nitrite is .05 and nitrate is 12.
I will stop the ammonia dosing and let it sit a few days. I just figured there still needed to be an ammonia source since there is no livestock in tank. My bad!
Will retest everything this afternoon.
Jim
Click to expand...

Give it another week and you are all cycled..
You do NOT need to keep feeding it ammonia and doing so has just prolonged your cycle but didn't cause any negative issues other than a longer cycle which is fine.... Seen many people think/post that lately.. out of curiosity did you read that somewhere?.. The bacteria can easily live months without adding any food source to the tank

Give it a week to clear up and then on with the fun... :thumbsup:
 
mcqyvr, do you have a creditable source for thinking that bacteria can survive for long periods w/o any food source? I was one of those who questioned that line of thinking. I was concerned about days without food and I have changed my thoughts on that but months?
 
JTL said:
mcqyvr, do you have a creditable source for thinking that bacteria can survive for long periods w/o any food source? I was one of those who questioned that line of thinking. I was concerned about days without food and I have changed my thoughts on that but months?
Click to expand...

Well. I personally have cured rock and its stayed cycled for many months in my garage without any additional food input.. Just top off RO/DI water..
and I know many more that have done the same..

I thought I found a scientific article about it a while back too.. I'll see if I can dig it up again..

Not to mention that the "bacteria in a bottle" products are typically given a 1 year shelf life or more by the manufacturers and no one is opening them up and adding anything to them on the shelves..
 
Hi folks,
Tests tonight show::
Ammonia ........ 0
Nitrite ............ 0
Nitrate ........... 14
I'll give it another week. Should I do a full 75gal ammonia dose in a few days?
IE get the ammonia up to 2 and see if it settles out in 24hrs?
Jim
 
jonto said:
View attachment 378835

As you can see, I have a lot of Pukani for everything to grow and filter.
I guess I still question if I need to supplement the ammonia to keep
the buggies growing??
Click to expand...

I'd do the water change let it settle out then add your clowns. Seems like you've cycled the tanks and it's gone up to high ammonia and then gone away. Everyone will probably say to dose it then see if it goes away. In my eyes that's not necessary. It comes down to the confidence that you cycled it right. The extra dose is just to confirm it's cycled. I don't think that's necessary and have never done a final check. Just dosed then gone to adding. I'm in my first tank that I've owned but have helped my brother with his many tanks and he does the same. You dose and all you are doing is spiking the nitrates. It also depends on what you plan on adding livestock wise out the gate. If you plan on having clowns do the water change wait a day recheck then add the clowns. To give you a little piece of mind my clowns are perfectly happy and content and my nitrates finished at like 40ppm then added them in. So you're in better shape than me.
 
As stated do a water change to remove some nitrates as it'll just fuel algae growth. Wait a day recheck and you can add a small cleanup crew and your first fish.
 
I agree. You are already properly cycled, since you saw a 2ppm spike of ammonia, and ammonia and nitrite are now zero.
 
Today I started the lights, skimmer (Octo1000), and Aquafin 110 with just the foam insert. Will travel this weekend to get a couple clowns, shrimp, and a small cleanup crew. Did a water change today and will test water again tomorrow.
 
jonto said:
Anyone have a favorite LFS in Bakersfied, Ca or Visalia or Fresno?
Click to expand...

So my family is from the Bakersfield area and I've been back there once before. I wouldn't trust any store there. No offense but it didn't really seem like a thriving good quality shop area.
 
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