[PiDo]

I am trying to cycle a 10 us gal planted tank and I discovered something that looks like molds on the gray sleeves of the Fluval filter intake and output

Sorry for the bad photo, I should had corrected the color.
Can someone tell me what this could be?
If more infos are required, please don't hesitate to ask

 

[mooner]

@PiDo

No worries, wash or wipe it off and keep going.

You might add some details of your cycling process so we may help.

Cheers

 

[PiDo]

@PiDo

No worries, wash or wipe it off and keep going.

You might add some details of your cycling process so we may help.

Cheers

OK! My setup is:
10 US gal tank
Substrate is 7.7 ltr Flourite Black Sand
Plants: Marsilea crenata, Pogostemon erectus, Rotala Robustus Mini, Rotala rotundifolia from ABC Plants
25W water heater
Filter is Fluval 207 with 3 baskets full of lava stones
Water temperature maintained at +/- 25.6 C
Every morning I test water for Ph Ammonia, Nitrite, nitrate
Started adding ammonia to 4 ppm on day 8
Since then ammonia level is 0 ppm after 24 hours, nitrite goes UP to 5+ ppm and nitrate went to 15 ppm and dropped to 0 ppm on day 17
So I did a 10 ltr water change which lower nitrite to 2 or 5 ppm
Day 18 (today) ammonia level is 0 ppm, nitrite is 5+ ppm and nitrate is 5 ppm. Also I did a 10 ltr water change which lower nitrite to 2 or 5 ppm

I don't think I have cycling problems but should I add more ammonia or not and do more water change
In the 70's we didn't bother with cycling. So trying this method is a bit frustrating
Meanwhile plants are growing fast and shrimps will have to wait

 

[Le duke]

You aren’t cycled yet. When cycled, you’ll never see any nitrite 24hrs after dosing ammonia.


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[PiDo]

You aren’t cycled yet. When cycled, you’ll never see any nitrite 24hrs after dosing ammonia.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks

 

[mooner]

What light are you using?

 

[PiDo]

What light are you using?

Sorry forgot the lighting
I made my lamp from 378 LED and framed it at 12 inches from the tank top

 

[mooner]

WOW ! nice light, is it dimable? programmable?

Don't worry about the tank cycling as you have no fish yet.

Feed the plants(choose a fert routine that you want), put the light on a timer (6-8 hrs @ 50% for LED's), do weekly 50% WC's. The plants will use any ammonia that is left over leftover or it will be converted to NO3 by bacteria. Run the tank for a month then slowly add fish/shrimp from your quarantine tank (right??).

70's we didn't bother with cycling

I never cycle a planted tank, there is no point since the plants will use the ammonia up as fast as you add it. What you need to wait on is the bacteria to colonize the filter which will happen in due time.

Cheers

 

[PiDo]

WOW ! nice light, is it dimable? programmable?

Don't worry about the tank cycling as you have no fish yet.

Feed the plants(choose a fert routine that you want), put the light on a timer (6-8 hrs @ 50% for LED's), do weekly 50% WC's. The plants will use any ammonia that is left over leftover or it will be converted to NO3 by bacteria. Run the tank for a month then slowly add fish/shrimp from your quarantine tank (right??).



I never cycle a planted tank, there is no point since the plants will use the ammonia up as fast as you add it. What you need to wait on is the bacteria to colonize the filter which will happen in due time.

Cheers

I have a dimmer but it's not installed. Lights are on full blast 15 hours daily. MAYBE I SHOULD LOWER THIS TO 12 HOURS LIKE I DID IN THE 70'S
I will fertilize with liquid soup
I don't have enough space for a quarantine tank since I am renting an apartment in a residence for old people. So shrimps will have to go directly in the tank.
I like your "in due time" a lot, but if it's to long I will introduce shrimps even if I have no algea and feed them with dry food and snowflakes

 

[Johntheskier]

I like your light frame set up. What material is it made of?
You do not need visible algae for shrimp to feed on. They eat micro fauna and algae that we can't see.

 

[PiDo]

Thanks for your reply.
Well the LEDs are glued on an aluminum sheet to diffuse the eat
and the frame is made 1/2x1/2x96" PVC (or similar) angle bar

 

[yodog]

I would lower it to 12 hours per day or potentially lower to 10, pending on observations of inhabitants and plants