A place 4 my questions & ponderings as I build a 34 Gallons (127L) tank

[AilyNC]

This morning was still close to 4ppm so did another 26 litre change and tested now. It's at about 2.5-3ppm. Just saw @FishBearer9845 post her cycle took 6 weeks and cried a little inside

 

[FishBearer9845]

How long have you been cycling? Not going to lie, it felt like a long six weeks and I'm pretty sure it stalled too!

 

[AilyNC]

6 days I am so impatient! I need to add more plants I reckon. So annoyed my other tank has worms and I couldn't just put extra sponge in there *deep breath* slow & steady. It'll be worth it

 

[FishBearer9845]

6 days

 

[Ch4rlie]

How long have you been cycling? Not going to lie, it felt like a long six weeks and I'm pretty sure it stalled too!

It would have taken more than 6 weeks if the cycle stalled tbh.
Stalled or crashed cycle means having to starting afresh by doing a 100% water change.

Most successful cycles take between 4 - 8 weeks depending if part seeded, plants added, type of ammonia used and tank water parameters all play their part in either speeding up or slowing the cycle down.

It's the development of the nitrying bacteria (nitrospira) that takes the longest to form to get nitrite to peak and then waiting for nitrite numbers to fall to zero and then nitrate numbers will start to appear if theres no nitrate in your tap water in first place.

For me, generally it takes between 4 - 6 weeks to do a full cycle starting from scratch.
I actually like doing cycles from the start funnily enough!
Yeah I know, I'm weird!

The fastest way of cycling is obviously swapping the old filter and/or media to the new cycling tank, anywhere between 24 hours to 3 days for a instant / mini cycle to do.

6 days

Heh, 6 days, just barely started.

You know they say that patience is a virtue.......

 

[AilyNC]

Ah with the plants I still enjoy looking at the tank. Water changes & planting & aquascaping are all easier without fish in the tank. My husband actually said "would you not leave this with no fish" my biggest frustration currently is finding the Xmas moss I need to finish the bonsai. I'd like to order from one source (less postage) & also get some floating plant & some more fore & back ground plants. Maybe another piece of rock to secure the cliff/hill..... So yeah actually I've lots to do that'll take at least 3 weeks to do all that.

 

[Wells]

Have you looked at proshrimp? I got my plants from them, they have a good selection and ordered Sunday and it came today.

 

[kwi]

This morning was still close to 4ppm so did another 26 litre change and tested now. It's at about 2.5-3ppm. Just saw @FishBearer9845 post her cycle took 6 weeks and cried a little inside

View attachment 117332

Day 22 with no nitrites on Khadens 55l cube. So you're in good company.

 

[AilyNC]

Have you looked at proshrimp? I got my plants from them, they have a good selection and ordered Sunday and it came today.

No. I'm a bit unsure about ordering live plants from the UK - would they be ok during delivery? I know I get delivered plants from Irish stores but it's a much shorter journey. I'll have a look though & see what delivery charges are like. Seems most shops here just don't have enough moss stock are you using super glue? I did but wondering if a clear thread would be better. Hard to know really.

 

[AilyNC]

Day 22 with no nitrites on Khadens 55l cube. So you're in good company.

Hopefully you see some progress soon. I find my little one is happy to just keep turning the lights on and off

 

[Wells]

I believe they're mostly tropica plants so should be fine in transit, they're packaged to sit on shelves in self contained little pots.

I didn't use glue, I thought the branches had enough to hold them in place, so sort of stabbed and wrapped and it held when I checked it in the bucket of water.

 

[AilyNC]

Also for the love of all that is unholy would that driftwood ever sink

 

[Ch4rlie]

You can either superglue (100% cyanacrylate) or use fishing line to tie the moss onto wood, brances, rocks and decor.

Either works fine though tying them on is a bit fiddly but certainly doable.

ANd as for driftwoods, depends on the wood, but i find for me standard boogwood takes about 1 to 3 weeks for them to sink without assistance or weights on them.

Mopani wood or branchy / root woods can take a little longer.

A trick I learned, if your wood has a nice base, simply make a small drill hole in middle of a nice rectangular piece of slate, screw in the slate to the base of wood and cover slate with substrate, hey presto, submerged wood and eventually will be properly waterlogged

 

[kwi]

Hopefully you see some progress soon. I find my little one is happy to just keep turning the lights on and off

Khaden is 7 and is helping with the tests and reading the results.
Charleigh-Lou is 4 and is upset she can't put the shells she collected from the shore into the tank.......

 

[AilyNC]

You can either superglue (100% cyanacrylate) or use fishing line to tie the moss onto wood, brances, rocks and decor.

Either works fine though tying them on is a bit fiddly but certainly doable.

ANd as for driftwoods, depends on the wood, but i find for me standard boogwood takes about 1 to 3 weeks for them to sink without assistance or weights on them.

Mopani wood or branchy / root woods can take a little longer.

A trick I learned, if your wood has a nice base, simply make a small drill hole in middle of a nice rectangular piece of slate, screw in the slate to the base of wood and cover slate with substrate, hey presto, submerged wood and eventually will be properly waterlogged

It's Azelia Root. I'm sure it'll sink by the time the tank cycles I super glued some moss but the glue turns white when dry. I might try get some fishing wire & use that.