quick cycle

[Lornek8]

adding 4 drops off ammonia to feed BB per day

Is this all you've been adding the whole time? Is this per gallon or for the entire tank? How big was the tank again?
The recommended dosing for the ammonia was for about 4ppm. Its difficult to
estimate how much it'll take to achieve this level in your tank as it depends on the concentration of the ammonia used, but from one source it was about 1.5 drops/gallon. The reason this is important is, remembering that bacteria is a living organism, it dictates the bio-load the filters can handle. Therefore, if you only cycle it to 4drops ammonia/tank volume than that is the equivalent amount of fish wate it can handle. Stock the tank all at once with more fish than this & you'll see another cycle (not as bad as the initial cycle but a cycle non the less).

ps have noticed a lot a algae forming tho.is that cos of the high nitrates?

That is the reason.

 

[Tener ds]

Is this all you've been adding the whole time? Is this per gallon or for the entire tank? How big was the tank again?
The recommended dosing for the ammonia was for about 4ppm. Its difficult to
estimate how much it'll take to achieve this level in your tank as it depends on the concentration of the ammonia used, but from one source it was about 1.5 drops/gallon. The reason this is important is, remembering that bacteria is a living organism, it dictates the bio-load the filters can handle. Therefore, if you only cycle it to 4drops ammonia/tank volume than that is the equivalent amount of fish wate it can handle. Stock the tank all at once with more fish than this & you'll see another cycle (not as bad as the initial cycle but a cycle non the less).


That is the reason.

hi,it's a 75L tank.but with sand, substriat, wood and it's not
filled to the top prob only 70L water.I've been following jozebs
guide on this site.there will be only 4 fish in the tank, over a space
8 weeks.do uthink I should add more ammonia then? Even if I'm
only having 4 fish in there?

 

[Lornek8]

hi,it's a 75L tank.but with sand, substriat, wood and it's not
filled to the top prob only 70L water.I've been following jozebs
guide on this site.there will be only 4 fish in the tank, over a space
8 weeks.do uthink I should add more ammonia then? Even if I'm
only having 4 fish in there?

From jozebs article:
"Use 100% pure ammonia.
Using a dropper, add 5 drops of ammonia per 40 liters of aquarium water."

Again, bacteria are living organisms. Provide an abundance of food & the population will expand accordingly. Provide too little food & the population will shrink accordingly. Better to provide more food than not enough. If the population shrinks there isn't really much harm. It's when it is require to expand that problems will exist.

The number of fish isn't necessarily relevant as much as the size & type of fish. For instance, one large oscar will still probably outproduce 100 neon tetras. Its dependant on body mass and diet.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

hi,it's a 75L tank.but with sand, substriat, wood and it's not
filled to the top prob only 70L water.I've been following jozebs
guide on this site.there will be only 4 fish in the tank, over a space
8 weeks.do uthink I should add more ammonia then? Even if I'm
only having 4 fish in there?

Your BN is like putting 5 fish in all on it's own. Get your ammonia up to at least 4ppm. Put your 4 drops in them test the ammonia level 3 mins later that will help you work out how many more drops you need to add to get it up to 4ppm. Always over cycle your filter, that's the safest, and when the tank is established always add fish very gradually so the filter can keep up.

In my 4ft tank I am planning on changing my substrate so I know I'll be losing a hell of a lot of bacteria when I take the old gravel out so I am currently cycling an internal filter in a bucket to 12ppm so that I can use that to supplement my external filter when I swap gravel. That's probably more than I need but I do not want to put my fish through a mini cycle. I have been cycling for 4 weeks now and it's clearing 12ppm ammonia but the nitrites are still way off the scale so I expect a few more weeks to get them down.

With fish keeping you need patience!

 

[GrubbyGirl]

Lornek8's .....you beat me to it.....glad we're singing from the same song sheet :thumbup:

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

have noticed a lot a algae forming tho.is that cos of the high nitrates

It may be the nitrate or it may be the ammonia, ammonia triggers spore development in the green algae. Once you have the algae the high nitrate levels will cause it to grow more quickly.

You can either keep up the water changes (if it is an un-planted tank), or add lots of plants (Floaters like Amazon Frogbit (or even Duckweed) are good because removal is easy, remove the plant remove the nitrate.) I like Hornwort as well, and Amazon Swords etc.

The high tech. planted tank community have very high nitrate levels (for quick plant growth), but try to keep ammonia levels undetectable (plants will preferentially take up both ammonia and nitrite before nitrate).

I keep planted tanks but try and maintain very low nutrient levels by a daily 10% water change, this method gives stability but you usually have a small amount of algae (particularly BBA).

cheers Darrel