Getting back in - 40 gallon

[AndI3kAY]

What is the struggle with the skimmer?

When i first plugged it in, water would come out the top. I stared messing with hoses and got it to stop overflowing, but then the water would make a chugging noise. I guess i dont even know what it is supposed to do, i was just told i needed one and it came with my sump.

 

[Sniperhank]

Who made the skimmer?

 

[AndI3kAY]

Tested the water today;

high range ph - 8.2
ammonia - 8.0
nitrite - 5.0
nitrate - 10 or 20, hard to tell

this stupid decaying shrimp is stinking up my whole apartment!

 

[Barliman]

this stupid decaying shrimp is stinking up my whole apartment!

Blech!

When I cycle a tank, I add one drop per gallon of pure ammonia and then test to see when it and nitrites again reach zero. I keep doing that until the cycle takes only 24 hours to complete.

Takes patience, but it does save on a stinky home.

 

[AndI3kAY]

I couldn't find any of the pure ammonia anywhere, i really wanted to try that way!

 

[AndI3kAY]

Test #2 results:

High range ph 8.2
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0.0
Nitrate 5.0

 

[Sniperhank]

This is with the shrimp method?

 

[TMaier]

How much shrimp did you put in there? You only need a little piece.

 

[AndI3kAY]

This is with the shrimp method?

Yes the shrimp method

 

[AndI3kAY]

How much shrimp did you put in there? You only need a little piece.

I put 2 shrimps in

 

[TMaier]

I think all you need is a piece about the size of a pencil eraser.

 

[AndI3kAY]

I think all you need is a piece about the size of a pencil eraser.

Thanks for the info, but the tank has been cycling for a few weeks now, i think its almost finished actually. Ammonia has dropped a lot..

 

[AndI3kAY]

So this is the skimmer that came with the sump i bought. Its a terrible picture, sorry, but i'm trying to get it cleaned up a little. There is no name on it or any kind of numbers to identify what it is.

Any time i try to test it in the system water just comes out the holes in the top of the cup