L_Plates - Fishless Cycle Log - Complete

[eaglesaquarium]

Eaglesaquarium, thanks for the link to the post by DocTim. I had no seen that before. His statement about the preferred concentration to encourage the right bacteria goes much further than WD and I have been going. The .14mg/l concentration is less than 1 ppm of nitrites. I will try to keep that in mind when I am giving advice since DocTim is the authority on what conditions the various bacteria need for proper growth.

No problem, it was my pleasure. TwoTankAmin mentioned that he had been on several forums previously answering questions about his product (One and Only) and I figured I'd do a google search. I didn't expect it to bring me back to this forum.

 

[L_Plates]

Looks like i am getting to then end of my cycle now if all goes well i plan on making a trip to my local lfs on saturday to purchase my first batch of fish.

Just a few questions i hope you could all help me out with.

1. I plan to do a full water change on Friday evening ready for my fish on Saturday. When i remove all the water to give the tank a good clean what would you recommend i do with the biomedia ? The filter is stuck into the tank with silicone so i cannot remove it to keep it running in a bucket of tank water while i do the clean. Would it be best to just remove the media and sit it in the bucket with the heater on ? Should be back in within 45 minutes.

2. When would be best for me to add the plants ? i was thinking when i do the water change.

Cheers
LP

 

[Tizer]

Biomedia will be fine once you have drained the tank for the time period you are talking about.

I would add plants slowly, over the next few weeks/months. It keeps you interested and gives you time to read up on the ones you want.

 

[L_Plates]

I have some Java moss, Anubias and Bolbitis ready to go.

Also I have been looking into the following.

Sagittaria platyphylla x 1
http/www.thegreenmachineonline.com/products/aquatics/plants/tropica-potted-plants/sagittaria-platyphylla

Sagittaria subulata x 1
http/www.thegreenmachineonline.com/products/aquatics/plants/tropica-potted-plants/sagittaria-subulata

Echinodorus bleheri x 1
http/www.thegreenmachineonline.com/products/aquatics/plants/tropica-potted-plants/echinodorus-bleheri-bleherae

Rotala Rotundifolia x 1
http/www.thegreenmachineonline.com/products/aquatics/plants/tropica-potted-plants/rotala-rotundifolia

Eleocharis parvula x 1
http/www.thegreenmachineonline.com/products/aquatics/plants/tropica-potted-plants/eleocharis-parvula

Taxiphyllum barbieri x 2
http/www.thegreenmachineonline.com/products/aquatics/plants/tropica-potted-plants/taxiphyllum-barbieri

Cheers
LP

 

[Tizer]

I cant really comment on many of those, until im up and going with Co2 at least, but the ones you have already will do fine, my java moss has doubled in size in about 2 months which i think, without Co2 is pretty good. its a great place to squirt fry food, my baby Kribs dig around in it and fatten themselves up while the other fish ignore it.

Also the brown algae i had seems to have vanished now.

The Sagittaria might be a tough one without Co2, mine didnt fare very well and i just ditched it. Its a little bit of trial and error really.

If like me, you get to the stage where you really do want your plants to do well, then for £100 you can get going with the FE Co2, its the regulator and solenoid valve which are the costly bits. Fortunately mine arrived at work while i was away, so i can start moving forward now.

The one plant i can recommend, is the crypto wendtii 'green', its taken a while to root but its in there solid now and i've got dozens on new shoots coming through.

My lights are only on from 6pm till 11pm at roughtly 1.2W per Gallon and i just dose Flourish Excel (daily) and some standard Ferts.

The only thing that isnt doing too good are the two large Amazon Swords, they seem to be draining themselves of goodness and slowly dying. bleh!

 

[L_Plates]

Cheers Tizer. I am currently running yeast co2 in the smaller tank to see how i fare up with running co2 before planning anything like that in the larger tank.

I will stick with hardy plants with very low demands in the bigger tank to start until i get a feel for the whole co2 subject.

Keep us posted on your FE experience as i would be interested to see how hard/easy it is to get right

Cheers
LP

I have added flourish tabs into the small tank last friday and stopped using the excel after i introduced the co2. So far the plants seem happy and look little greener than normal. Only time will tell

 

[Tizer]

cool, good work, i might have a crack at the Yeast Co2 myself in my small tank but being quite lazy i think 1 planted tank will be enough for me

 

[L_Plates]

I don't really want the big tank heavily planted i think the above list would roughly be about all i would place in there to be honest. So if i can just pump a little co2 in via the yeast setup i would be happy.

 

[L_Plates]

Day 37, 9th May 2011 - 07:00: Ammonia: 0ppm, Nitrite: 0
Day 37, 9th May 2011 - 19:00: Redosed ammonia to 4ppm

 

[The chilly dipper]

Day 38, 9th May 2011 - 07:00: Ammonia: 0ppm, Nitrite: 0
Day 38, 9th May 2011 - 19:00: Redosed ammonia to 4ppm

so after the week of 12 hour tests is that it ? cycled?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Day 38, 9th May 2011 - 07:00: Ammonia: 0ppm, Nitrite: 0
Day 38, 9th May 2011 - 19:00: Redosed ammonia to 4ppm

so after the week of 12 hour tests is that it ? cycled?

Assuming no blips, yes.

 

[L_Plates]

Hopefully no changes, then fish on Saturday

 

[L_Plates]

Day 38, 10th May 2011 - 07:00: Ammonia: 0ppm, Nitrite: 0
Day 38, 10th May 2011 - 19:00: Redosed ammonia to 4ppm

 

[Aqua Tom]

looking good

 

[L_Plates]

It is indeed

Roll on Saturday