planted cycling - how much how long?

[Django]

Hi Shift,

I can see the new stems in the back in the picture. That's a good step in the right direction. (thanks for the pic). Yeah, that's a tall tank. You might try moving the LEDs (if that's what they are) up a little more, just because you want the light coming from above. Er, you'd get more light from a Compact Fluorescent bulbs - they cost around $8, I don't know about the clip-on desk lamps, probably not too much. I think maybe you need more light, but you'll have to watch the plants closely and if they start yellowing or getting leggy, then you'll know. Watts per gallon doesn't work with LEDs or tall tanks. I'm using two 10s on my 10g but maybe you could go hgher than that in terms of watts per bulb and maybe do just one bulb pointed at the middle. Btw, are you using a timer for the lights? Makes things a lot easier, especially the photoperiod. I think you should start with 10 hours and adjust as needed.

The more fast-growers the sooner you'll be done

Steven

[shift]

Good call. Ill pop on a cfl clamp on with a timer. It will be a good fix for now until i build something a little more elegant. My other tank 12g edge seems to be doing pretty well with just leds. Will adding to0 much lite affect the fish negativity in any way? (sames question for breeding)

[Django]

Originally Posted by shift

Good call. Ill pop on a cfl clamp on with a timer. It will be a good fix for now until i build something a little more elegant. My other tank 12g edge seems to be doing pretty well with just leds. Will adding to0 much lite affect the fish negativity in any way? (sames question for breeding)

I don't know what kind of fish we're talking about and I don't know a lot about fish. My Pristella Tetras don't mind it - they just hang out under plant overhangs, and they're supposed to be forest fish. They travel together so they do spend a good amount of time in the light. Their coloration is not pale at all - I think it's very good for tan gravel.

If a specie of fish doesn't like sun, some floaters might be helpful or some bog wood or rocks. I think breeding needs low water circulation where they are spawning.

So take this link and look them up in the fish directory:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/myFish.php

Steven

[shift]

Thanks for the link These are the guys i'm trying to breed. I decided the clamp on light didnt look as good beside the tank so i started building a led light for over the tank. Its drawing .53A at 12V and about 6.5W.. so not sure how led compares to normal Watts per gallon but it should hopefully do the trick.

sneak preview :

[Django]

Nice job! I hope it's what the tank needs. How about a picture of the tank with the lights on top?

[shift]

I some how lost my strip for the back so i still need to do the back side and plexi glass the bottom (for water proofing). It puts off a ton of nice light. If i do the second option with out the stock filter (and get a hob or sponge) ill cut the sides down and make the light sit closer to the tank.

[Django]

Shift, you did a great job with the LEDs - the 2nd picture looks even too much light without the filter. It doesn't really matter if you get a HOB, except for the light. Too much light and you might have an algae problem, but if you keep the tank clean, you can always disable some LEDs to reduce the light some. But that's in the future. I'm having problems with algae and the 10w CFLs when I remove the screening under the lights.

I think you've probably got enough light with your current filter. I really wouldn't touch the plexiglas. The light is getting through now and it's a beautiful tank, rimless.

You're doing nice work, the plants look very good and growing. Did you test the ammonia yet? I rinse my arms and hands once before I go into the tank. Since you're working with test solutions it's not a bad idea. Eh, once I get going I don't bother with it - probably get rinsed off when I rinse out the test tube. Let me know about the ammonia level.

Steven

[shiloh]

The amount of light looks good and tbh you could probably add the cpds now if you wanted to. They are a very hardy fish and I have cycled a tank with them before so some ammonia/nitrites will not kill them. Hold off on the shrimp until you've got zero readings for a week or two then do a good sized water change for the nitrates.

[shift]

Well i finsihed it except for the back strip (until i find it) and added the plexiglass for water proofing since it more or less touches the top of the filter.


I tested my water again today

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0.1-0.3 depending on the lighting..
Nitrate: 5 (maybe a bit lighter so could be lower)

If i was to do a 50% water change do you think it would be okay to add a few of them in?

[shift]

Well i decided to move some in, I will just do water changes a little more frequently to be safe. I ended up with 3F/2M in there.

[shift]

When i first put the CPD's in they hid for a bit then came out to eat. i fed them some frozen food and they seemed quite happy. I just got home and all 5 of them seem to be glass surfing and swimming back and forth along the glass... seems like strange behaviour.. is this a sign that something is off or wrong in the tank or just the fish adapting to the new pad?

[Django]

Hi. The nitrogen results (ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate) look good, although I am concerned about the nitrite. It should go down, and I think it's less than the last time you checked it. Nitrate is very good - anything below 20 ppm is alright.

The fish sound like they're ok. If you see everyone gasping at the surface, which I don't expect at all, do an immediate 50-75% water change and then do 50% water changes, say, every day to get the ammonia or nitrites back down. They sound very good though.

I guess you can get yourself a chair and sit back and enjoy. Make sure the lights are on a timer - 10 hours daylight to start off.

Looking good!

btw, I'm pretty sure that when you get a low nitrate level like yours, it means that most of the ammonia is going to the plants instead of the rest of the Nitrogen cycle with bacteria. The bacteria establish their own level in the tank, probably in the same time frame as a no-fish-in cycle.

[shiloh]

Originally Posted by shift

When i first put the CPD's in they hid for a bit then came out to eat. i fed them some frozen food and they seemed quite happy. I just got home and all 5 of them seem to be glass surfing and swimming back and forth along the glass... seems like strange behaviour.. is this a sign that something is off or wrong in the tank or just the fish adapting to the new pad?

This is common behavior. I have had fish that did this for like 8 hours a day for many years... they're stupid, what do you expect?

[shift]

Django - I did a 10% ish water change before i put them in... ill do another one in a few days to be safe. but sounds like the levels are within reason.. so hopefully all good. They are probably still recovering from being hunted with a fishing net for half an hour.

Shiloh - haha fair enough. They didnt do it in the 12G,, only the 5G which seemed odd.

[shift]

Would trowing some pond snails into a new tank help it filter any faster? I have 2 new 10 gallons i'm going to use for shrimp that i need to get fast track cycled.. sadly i'm still waiting for the sponge filters to show up