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Aaahhh interesting the plot thickens, well the hobby does anyway :lol: So after a couple of months you think it's a good idea to replace the carbon bags with the same BioMax ceramic rings that are in the other compartments? So basically all trays and all compartments will have the same media...

Interesting rdd1952, I wasn't aware - thanks :good: I have a Fluval with the original media that came with it which I think will have to be changed at some date in the future. I have three trays each with two compartments. The top tray have BioMax ceramic rings in them, the middle tray has...

:drool: Yeah I do indeed. Have a good read of Miss Wiggle's thread regarding what fish to have and how many in your tank, it gives you some good ideas. My partner and I have made a list of what we are getting, was surprised at how hard it can be, especially if you want a peaceful fun tank...

Hiya fiskkeeperpro, Check out this great post on fishless cycling it also has advice about levels etc. Basically you need to get your ammonia and nitrite down to ZERO, then get your Nitrate as low as possible by doing a large partial water change. Make sure you use dechlorinated water though...

Hiya Sunrise, It can take a little getting use to. Have half the vacuum out the water and half in, then as you repeatedly move the largest end up and down the water will take and start going past the zenith of the tube. Then once the flow starts you'll be on your way. Good luck :good: Martin

Exactly the same with me. I'm going to test my ammonia tonight which I'm sure will be near to Zero then I'll take it up again to 3mg to 4mg and then test again 12 hours later tomorrow morning. Then I'll know if the ammonia bacteria can handle the full stock. My Nitrite is at 0.5mg so that should...

I'm going through the same and I have been advised and agree that Cardinal Tetras are a better fish to go with than Neon Tetras as they are more 'hardy', otherwise yes it is better to wait until the tank is muture - but that could take a few months.... or more :blink: Good luck. Martin :good:

Yeah Watersprite, Just so you don't feel alone there, I had pretty much the same situation. My PH dropped, and I think the Great Miss W is right about the bog wood, but I'm so near the end of my cycle I'm leeping mine in there and will just do the water changes. I did a 50% water change...

Yeah I thought that was a good idea to do a big water change but I just ran the tests and I'm quite happy with how good my tank is at getting rid of the ammonia. Last night I put around 10mg of ammonia in by mistake :sick: But this morning these are my results: Ammonia: 2mg (wow.) Nitrite...

Indeed rdd1952, Thanks to squid I have the perfect amount now. Looks like I did put twice the amount in the tank :angry: I take it this won't damage my cycle process in anyway? Martin :good:

Blimey Squid, It's as if you had my setup hee hee. I have a 180 litre tank too and I also have the Homebase ammonia (9.5%). I worked it out wrong then, I had nearly twice as much than you did and thought it was too high (I hope this doesn't effect the development of the bacteria that kills off...

Hi all, I just want to confirm the amount of ammonia I'm putting in is correct for the fishless cycle. Basically would you say that that 1ml per 10 UK litres is too much? Not too sure if it is showing up too dark for the stage I'm at that's all. Cheers Martin :good:

You're not far off guys, what I did was this. I came home and did a 50% water change (dechlorinated) as the PH was dropping badly (below 5.5!) I left it for an hour and tested it again. The Nitrite reading was looking right this time, it was showing darkish purple which obviously means I have...

Don't worry, I'm going by rdd1952's thread he posted very closely. Nothing's going in until all apart from Nitrate is a ZERO. By the way, I called the lfs yesterday and they said it sounds weird as this is the kit they use. I'm taking it there tomorrow with some of my water for them to test and...

That is so strange because when I first add the drops my test tube goes purple at the bottom, even shaking it turns the whole lot purple - but only for a while. Whilst it sits I seeit turning from purple to this yellow/orange. I think I will take a sample of my water to the lfs I bought the kit...

Well thank you anyway doresy, much appreciated. I sometimes feel like I am the only customer of Hagen Nurafin. I think I'll go for the API test kit when this one runs out (or when I pour it all down the sink). Cheers Martin

Hi doresy, No definitely the bottles marked up as No2. Do you have the same testing kit? Wouldn't surprise me if the bottles are labelled up wrong! :crazy: For the Nitrate test it is three bottles, the first 2 go in first, then the third bottle goes in after a good shake and the 1st and 2nd...

Thanks for the fast reply rdd, what percentage of a partial water change should I do? It's weird as I did a 10% water change about 3 days ago :unsure: Our tap water is PH 8.0 so it should be okay. I will raise the temp a little higher too, I only have bog wood and sand in there so nothing...

Hi all, Just a quick question really that I need confirmation on. I'm about 3 weeks into my fishless cycle and as the ammonia is dropping fast I'm testing the Nitrite. The thing is, after adding the reagent drops and leaving the colour to develop for 2 minutes, the result is a kind of...

Hi rdd1952, I've noticed that my cycle has slowed how a little, I say that because it was doing really well getting to killing off all the ammonia within 15 hours, then I have discovered that it has stayed to 15 or maybe a little higher, and the Nitrite readings are still off the chart to the...

Hiya bhamlin154, Welcome to the forum. I've been here only a short while and I haven't any experiance with Tropical fish. One thing I will say though, don't take advice from fish shops until you have checked with these guys here and don't associate the amount of threads members have posted as...

Thanks guys, very much appreciated. Martin :good:

You're totally right rrd1952, my PH has dropped from 8.0 to 7.0. I was surprised but tested after you first mentioned it on your fantastic fishless cycle topic. Martin :good:

What is meant by a 'mini' cycle, what does that entail? (no pun intended :hyper: ) Cheers Martin :good:

Hi rdd1952, Okay I think I was reading it all wrong :crazy: Okay, when using the Hagen Nutrafin test kit on the Nitrite and Nitrate and it doesn't go a colour that is on the chart at the back, does this mean that it is so off the chart the colours are not registering? If so, I'm a plonker...

That's not the route I'm going down, or have been guided down. My cycle finishes in about a week and I'm adding 10 Cardinal Tetras or Neons if I can't find any. Why would you not add Neons? Martin

I see. My plan was to do the water change, whilst fitting the tank out with my new plant life then go to the fish supplier and get the fish. That will be within 12 hours so I should be okay with that. I'm sure that my local supplier won't have all the fish I want so there will be a break of a...

Hi all, I must be about (hopefully) less than a week until my fishless cycle has completed, I just wanted some advice on the filter system when I do my big water change. I have a Fluval 305 with the original media that came with it. When the water quality is Ammonia: 0ppm / Nitrite: 0ppm /...

When I started I decided to take all the 5 plants out and threw them (only a few quid in the bin) but didn't want to mess up the true fishless cycle. I put loads of ammonia in to raise the NH3 to the correct level and I saw it start dropping after a couple of days :good:. Both the Nitrite and...

PERFECT! Thank you, I will look later. I ruled Cichlids out as most of the things that I read portrayed them as trouble makers :) But not too sure how true that is. Martin

As always Miss W - thank you. Can you give me the full names of the Rams and Kribs so I can do some research later. I llike your way of thinking through regarding the room for a few more at a later date. The only worry I had was the existing fish harassing any new fish introduced, but I suppose...

Hello, I have posted a thread here and was wondering if anyone could help out by giving me some pointers in the right direction in what kind of fish to look out for. The more I read through my books the more confused I get :hyper: :crazy:

Hello, I'm near the end of my fishless cycle and I want to get it right when I populate the tank. So if I give you my tank spec etc and my quantity/type of plants I've just ordered can you please advise me on the quantity and species of fish. My equipment is: Juwel Vision 180 180 UK Litres 40...

So a lot of fertiliser tablets required then? Martin

This site ROCKS :good: And Welcome 'New_to_fish_keeping' Martin

Maxamus, I'm going through exactly what you are right now (apart from you are ahead by a week or so). My Nitrite and Nitrates are off the chart, but I know that the Nitrite will start falling soon. When it does only the Nitrate will be there off the chart, but that will be taken care of by the...

I'm going through the fishless cycle at the moment and after adding enough ammonia to take the level to 5ppm it's taken a week for it to drop to under 1ppm. Both the Nitrite and the Nitrate are off the chart which is natural if you think about it. I believe it will take about the same time for...

I have aquarium sand in my tank, what are plants like in that? Martin

Then it's just me :crazy: My girlfriend thinks I'm silly, but I asked if she would still eat lamb if she had sheep as pets (as her mother has them) and she gave me the typical 'well that's different' hee hee, the bike ride back from the shops was a very silent one :good: If only I knew it...

OH MY GOD!!!! That's one of the most inhuman things I have heard!!! I think I'd end up destroying the LFS if I found out that they even had anything to do with that kind of thing :angry: Jesus some people!!! I know this might sound bizare but I think that I'm even going off eating fish since...