Fishless Cycle Log

[frida]

As usual, very quiet
Where are you, N bacs?

 

[anon02]

As usual, very quiet
Where are you, N bacs?

I can assure you I dont have them

 

[frida]

hehe, they seem to like tormenting us, don't they?

As usual, very quiet
Where are you, N bacs?

I can assure you I dont have them

 

[frida]

Again, no change...

 

[frida]

Ended up dosing late today as I was away last night and this morning...
7 hours after dosing, ammonia is at 0.25ppm

Nitrite still seems off chart but it seems to be less dark purple when first adding the drops and more of a blueish tinge so perhaps it's getting closer to be on chart... Here's to hoping!

 

[anon02]

We need some clever bio chemist type to work out a way to encourage n bac division, a bacs are like a tidal wave once they start

 

[Geoff-]

look up DIY coil filters, if you make a large filter that the water moves through at 1-2 drips per second then you can encourage n-bac growth in it. but they can take 6 months to seed so it's not an easy solution. however, if you get the flow rate wrong then it can produce hydrogen sulphide and that will kill fish off quick smart.

in a large tank system it might be worthwhile to reduce water changes further.. but you can't avoid it as there are plenty of trace elements your fish will benefit from when doing water changes.

 

[frida]

We need some clever bio chemist type to work out a way to encourage n bac division, a bacs are like a tidal wave once they start

A shame I wasn't into fish keeping and didn't think of trying something like this out as a small project when I was an undergrad... Although I'm not sure I would have gotten anywhere - I was a biochemist but not sure I was a particularly good one! And I can imagine a microbiologist making more ground

Shame... Maybe we need to persuade people at universities to consider this type of research. (not sure who will fund it though!)

look up DIY coil filters, if you make a large filter that the water moves through at 1-2 drips per second then you can encourage n-bac growth in it. but they can take 6 months to seed so it's not an easy solution. however, if you get the flow rate wrong then it can produce hydrogen sulphide and that will kill fish off quick smart.

in a large tank system it might be worthwhile to reduce water changes further.. but you can't avoid it as there are plenty of trace elements your fish will benefit from when doing water changes.

I think it's slowly getting there and I'm only 18 days in my fishless cycle anyway so I'm just being impatient!
I should read up on other tricks and tips when it comes to N-bacs. I really don't know anything about them!

 

[frida]

YEAYYYY
Just checked and my nitrites are finally back on chart again!!

P.S. in my excitement, I managed to break (yet another) API glass test tube - does anyone know where I can get more of those without buying a whole new kit?

 

[anon02]

YEAYYYY
Just checked and my nitrites are finally back on chart again!!

P.S. in my excitement, I managed to break (yet another) API glass test tube - does anyone know where I can get more of those without buying a whole new kit?

Great news ... it wont be long now

You can just use one of the other test tubes as long as you`re scrupulous cleaning between uses

Have you decided on a stocking plan ?

 

[frida]

Great news ... it wont be long now

You can just use one of the other test tubes as long as you`re scrupulous cleaning between uses

Have you decided on a stocking plan ?

Yeah, I've been reusing tubes but it's just a pain (I'm a lazy person at heart).

I think I've just about decided on what I want:

2 honey gouramis
6 pygmy coydoras
6 cherry shrimp
8 green neon tetras

I might add the shrimp later though, as I think they are quite sensitive to the water quality? Not really sure how to go about it yet.

What about you? What are your plans?

 

[anon02]

I keep changing my mind every time I see someone elses stocking plan

Up to now it`s
8 cory 3 lined or sterbai
and 3 or 4 shoals of small fish and 2 bolivian rams, I have about 60 inches to play about with, I fancied a large shoal of galaxy danio but they are way too expensive for what they are (20mm long). I`ve had to mess with bicarb to adjust pH so a lot will depend on the stats after I do the big water change

 

[frida]

I keep changing my mind every time I see someone elses stocking plan

Up to now it`s
8 cory 3 lined or sterbai
and 3 or 4 shoals of small fish and 2 bolivian rams, I have about 60 inches to play about with, I fancied a large shoal of galaxy danio but they are way too expensive for what they are (20mm long). I`ve had to mess with bicarb to adjust pH so a lot will depend on the stats after I do the big water change

Sounds great I love bolivian rams - one day when I have a bigger tank...
Yeah, I think those Danios are really expensive too but they are stunning!

 

[anon02]

I`ll be using my 50 litre tank as a q tank for my 215 litre but when I`ve finished with it I`m thinking of trying to breed BRs,I`m lucky in that I have just the right water supply

There is another member also thinking of breeding them so it will be interesting to share info and compare notes

 

[frida]

Yeayyyyy!!!!

0ppm nitrites this morning! Wooohooo!! Pretty blue colour