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what do these numbers tell you?

799 views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  anddrival 
#1 ·
7/2/13
PH:6.6
High PH:0
Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: .25
Nitrate: 20 ppm

7/4/13
PH: 6.8
High Ph 7.4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

7/11/13
PH: 7.0
High PH: 7.4
Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: .50
Nitrate: 20 ppm

7/17/13
PH: 6.8
High PH: 7.4
Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5.0 ppm

Is this this ok for a tank mid way through the cycle? Seems to be jumping around a lot. I'm doing 10 gallons of water every sunday. It's a 29 gallon tall. Eheim Ecco with new media. 5 tetra and 2 otos are in the tank. Hagen co2 system. Dosing EI on a set schedule. Shouldn't the ammonia spike at some point? I've already had some hair algae in the tank, on the rocks and plants with Some green on the glass.
 
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#2 ·
I would say you have too many things going on at once: fish in un-cycled tank that eat and poop; plants still probably adjusting, with unstable nutrients uptake and decay; co2 is all over the place; and who knows what your substrate is up to.

Not a good recipe for a stable tank. Algae is loving it, as you have already found out.

Daily 50%++ water changes are your best friends.

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#3 ·
I the substrate came from an established tank. I rinsed it. I knew the fish were going to be an issue, but I had to take them out of my 50, I've got a breeding pair in that tank now. It was only suppose to be temp. Until I find someone to take them.

Will it correct over time with water changes and vac? I was expecting it to take longer with the fish in there.
 
#6 ·
When you set up a new tank, it is not just about substrate, plants, decorations and fish.
It is all about bacteria. No matter what else you do, the bacteria need to match the fish.

Here are several ways to do this:

1) Divide the filter media from their old tank, and share the bacteria in the same ratio as you are moving fish. Roughly half the bacteria lives in the filter. The other half is all over the tank.
Think of the fish not as inches or individuals, but as mass. If you move a lot small fish, and leave a couple of big ones is that like moving half the fish mass? Move half the bacteria. That is: Move the filter media, so that the new tank gets as much bacteria as is needed. The fish that stay behind have all the bacteria living on all the surfaces of the tank, substrate, decor.
If you move 1/4 of the fish mass, then move 1/4 of the bacteria (for example, half the filter media).

2) Add bottled bacteria to make up for losses. Look for a product with Nitrospira species of bacteria. You can still do this. Add the bacteria to the established tank if there is any question about the bacteria. Add it to the tank you are trying to get going, and finish out the fishless cycle. Add it to the temporary holding tank because that is where the fish are now, and the fish cannot deal with ammonia any better in one tank than in another.

3) If you know ahead of time you can do the fishless cycle in the new tank. It takes about 3 weeks if you start with no bacteria, but can go a lot faster if you can jump start the population.

4) If you are stuck doing a fish-in cycle, here is how:
Do enough water changes, frequency and volume to keep the ammonia under .25ppm and the nitrite under 1ppm.
When the tests indicate NO2 may be present add salt (sodium chloride) at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 20 gallons to protect the fish from brown blood disease.
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You do not need to do both pH tests. The high range test is only useful if the pH is over 7.5. See how it keeps bottoming out? Your pH is in the range tested by the other test.
 
#7 ·
Solid advice, I don't have a filter ready to take media out of. I was doing fishless at the start. I had to pull the tetras, and a buddy coming by next day turned into 2 weeks. I used a 50/50 of tap and r/o for the holding tank. With an air stone and some lights from the garage. Thank goodness I hold on to equipment lol. I'm going to test again tomorrow and sat doing water changes, and look for bacteria to drop in.
 
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