Noob Success Story!

[Rosenweiss]

Hey guys! As some of you may know, my boyfriend and I started a community tank without knowing about cycling or anything, and we had some struggles with our ammonia levels, etc.

Well, once we learned more, we started doing more PWCs and bought an ammonia test kit in hopes of getting a fish-in cycle completed.

Today, we finally got nitrite and nitrate test kits and here's our results:

Ammonia: between 0 and .25
Nitrites: between 0 and .25
Nitrates: between 5 and 10.

YAY! Cycle nearly complete!

 

[Amicus]

Congratulations! That's the great thing about this hobby, everyone can learn. That's good that ammonia and nitrite levels are almost at 0. The opinion differs but I am not concerned if my nitrates are not always 0. My opinion is that if you vac the tank too much your tank has to constantly keep recolonizing the substrate. Nitrates are much less toxic and with weekly 20% pwc the levels can be maintained at appropriate levels. When the nitrates begin to rise then you can do a partial vac, wait a week and see what it did to the levels. A lot of decaying matter and poop will may also start mini-cycles so weekly testing is important. Sorry to be so long-winded.

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[Rosenweiss]

Don't worry! We plan to do weekly testings and pwc's, as well as gravel vacuuming every now and then. Thanks!

 

[Amicus]

Have fun, you'll have a 75 gallon before you know it.

 

[Rosenweiss]

I know, right.... >.< But I just can't afford that right now!

 

[Amicus]

Since your tank is too small for a biowheel there are bacteria that you can keep on hand in case ammonia levels peak.

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[Amicus]

For some reason thought you had a 10 gallon, if 29 or bigger get an emperor by marineland.

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[severum mama]

The Biowheel is just another form of biological media. It isn't any better than any other kind. Regular gravel vacs are fine, and recommended. I change 50% weekly in all our tanks and the fish love it. 20% is fine in some instances, but I have a lot of heavily stocked tanks.

 

[HN1]

Once you have one cycled and stocked tank, you have cycled media for more tanks!

 

[Rosenweiss]

Thanks for the input guys! It's actually a 29, yeah. But right now we're happy with our filtration (Tetra Whisper10 and AquaClear 50) and a regular gravel vac. Thanks though!