Si's Fishless Cycle

[PDSimon]

It is indeed closest to that blue. I tested it twice and it was the same colour. I think its blue just not as bright as 0.

So just to confirm, if my nitrite is 0 tonight, that means 3ppm has processed within 24 hours, so I should add 5ppm ammonia and then my cycle is over once it all cycles within 12 hours(if its quicker than that still do it for 7 days?) Or is it I cycle it all within 12 hours and then once its doing that, continue it for a week?

 

[kaivalagi]

Bear in mind you'll want to keep the ammonia dosing going for as long as it takes before you add your fish...otherwise the bacteria will start to drop back in volume as it wont have anything to survive on...

Not sure whether you should keep doing for a week at 5ppm daily regardless of it taking 24/12 hrs just to "cement" the bacteria as it were?

 

[Twinklecaz]

I like those floating plants, I think I read I should get some for my Gouramis too. They don't cover the whole of the water (say if I just got 2) though do they coz I wouldn't like that?

 

[PDSimon]

Unsure, I hope just 7 days will be enough cos i'm going to go mad if I do'nt get some fish soon

I think on the day before I get the fish, I'll do a 95% waterchange in the morning, add all the plants and bogwood, dose it at night and get the fish the next day.


I was thinking about getting some tropica substrate, its relatively inexpensive and because I'm adding almost a dozen plants I thought maybe it would help growth. What do you think? Or would root tabs be sufficient for the majority of the plants?

Also got some roof slate to do a little shrimp den. I want to get a coconut or something similar for the rams

 

[kaivalagi]

I would try plants with what you have as a substrate first, if not happening then try root tabs...it really does depend on what the plants are you will be getting...the tropica stuff is meant to be really good but it does mean a dramatic change....won't you have nice fish that ideally want sand to sift etc? When you get to this point I think you need to ask yourself which comes first, plants or fish?

For me I am now contemplating getting silk plants as my Tapa's just nip at my plants all day long, you wont believe the amount of plant leaves I have to take out from the water line...and when I get Severums I'll have the true plant destroyer in there so will have no chance. I've given up with plants (except for the surface ones) for now on the basis the fish are the main thing and plants are just a pain with the fish I have

 

[PDSimon]

The plant layout is aesthetics but it would also be appreciated by all the fish, specifically the tetras.

I know I could just take a load of water out, push the sand up with some plastic and lay down 1cm of tropica substrate below the sand and i'd have thought it'd help? I dont know, I just know that if all the plants start dying (lol) it'll be difficult to put in substrate then.

I could buy some ADA stuff which you can put on top of sand...maybe do that and block it in with some little stones for the bigger plants.

It makes sense for your set up... the severums would be awesome I like the idea of varied plants too just with low tech approach. Fish could still sift through the sand without disturbing the substrate? Or is that a disadvantage of the extra substrate below the sand?

I just don't want to think I wish I did so and so when its too late I think you're right though.

I like those floating plants, I think I read I should get some for my Gouramis too. They don't cover the whole of the water (say if I just got 2) though do they coz I wouldn't like that?

You could pull it out anyway with a low tech tank they're not going to grow that quick anyway.

 

[kaivalagi]

I understand what you're saying, it might well work using something below the sand...as long as the sand is deep enough no sifting should cause much issue....but over time sand does end up mingling with whatever else you have in there substrate wise regardless of how careful you are. You still have gravel as an option though, don't ignore that. Gravel was far easier for planting and I think better for plant roots too than sand has been for me. Also look at the fish you will have and what they might do to your substrate and plants...

I think though that whatever effort you put in upfront you will find something not to your liking down the road and want to change things later, whether that be substrate, plants or fish...

IMHO go with the cheaper option now and spend more down the line when you are 100% certain of what you want to change etc...you might find you want no substrate and lots of wood with plants growing off those? Who knows right now...

I haven't given you any answers really, probably put some things in question now instead, the point is there are loads of options and all have pros and cons...you need to make the call on those pros and cons based on everything.

For me having sand is so nice with the fish I have, no matter what hassles it creates....it is messier and not great for planting when compared to specialist substrates or arguably gravel either.

 

[PDSimon]

Yeah, I think you're right. Theres no point going into too much depth...

I could always put some ADA soil on top. If I was going to go major I'd think about this

My link

apparently its really good, and brings the pH down well too.


I really like sand, the colour and I really like the idea of kuhlis and sand is perfect for them


cheers for the guidance

I think i'll go with the sand, probably ferts and liquid carbon if need be + root tabs. If it still doesn't work, i'll think about putting some of that soil in or something.

 

[kaivalagi]

Ouch! £17 for 3 litres....absolute rip off in my opinion, I assume the people who have recommended it will be selling it too

If I was happy in the knowledge my plants wouldn't get massacred I would be adding root tabs now...I need to find something the fish can't stand to eat....so far java fern has been the only thing but I am not sure how you use root tabs with it if it's fixed to a piece of wood

Maybe I should post a new topic asking for what indestructible plants there are...probably only plastic and silk though

 

[PDSimon]

The plant lovers seem to recommend it.

The bag of tropica substrate is about 13 pound and would cover 1cm right across my tank.


I think i'll just go with root tabs in the sand though. I'm looking foward to testing later hopefully the test will be bright blue



I heard some of the waxy plants are hated by the fish but not to sure what plants they are

 

[kaivalagi]

The thing is that most planted tanks using that sort of substrate will be done in smaller tanks, i.e. 60litre max...can you imagine the cost in your 125 litre tank for using it throughout

 

[PDSimon]

The thing is that most planted tanks using that sort of substrate will be done in smaller tanks, i.e. 60litre max...can you imagine the cost in your 125 litre tank for using it throughout

oh you mean the ADA stuff? I'd just put that with some of the bigger plants. It could just go on top of the sand block it in with stone so it doesn't fall everywhere.

Your tank getting along ok?

 

[kaivalagi]

I've decided to slow things down for a bit, still no Hatchets and am pondering on what next TBH, might try to get some water lettuce or duckweed to compliment the frogbit...it's just I have a lot of other things to be getting busy with for now as I've neglected a lot of other things for a while...this hobby certainly steals a lot of time from you I'll be taking this opportunity to enjoy what I have for a while I think

A couple of small things worth mentioning......I've bought some arcadia t5 reflectors off here today to better direct the light and I have since tested my hot water from the tap (old style boiler) and there is zero copper in it

So I have given myself the green light for big water changes using hot and cold water from the tap, next weekend I plan on a nice clean up of the 5ft tank with atleast a 60% water change to reduce the tannin content...it's gettings very murky, too murky for me now...I am guessing I will need to do atleast a 30% water change each week to keep the water light yellow and stop it getting orange That's just over 100 litres water to change each week, atleast I can use the syphon for it all now

Oh yes, and the HRPs are still hiding the babies in the pot, they are almost free swimming now I think from peeping through the hole in the bottom of the pot...any day now they'll be out and about I think with Mum and Dad protecting their every move I will try to get some pics but I don't want to push it as the male is getting very agitated with me sitting so close to the tank as it is....

 

[PDSimon]

Thats really convenient

No rush I suppose! If you rush it too quickly you'll want another tank before you finish this one

 

[PDSimon]

Ok so nitrites were 0ppm after 24 hours.

So i've added 5ppm of ammonia Will have to remember to do the test tomorrow morning now.

edit: So just to confirm, the stabilisation week is 7 solid days of ammonia to nitrate within 12 hours right? But i've done the right thing by adding 5ppm now I assume...

Cos if it was 7 days from now, I should order the kuhlis in to the LFS

I'm glad I decided to do that waterchange. Otherwise it'd probably be about 90ppm nitrites in there still! You can see from the graph how big the nitrite spike was...