My kids received a hand me down Marineland 28g Euro bow front tank (dimensions are 24" wide x 18" tall x 12" to 15" deep front to back) w/ glass top a while back. I finally got around to cleaning it and setting it up this month. I'm currently in the fishless cycle process.
Even though I'm not showing the results in this thread, I have been checking Ammo every day and Nitrite periodically. I'm only showing dates that show changes.
4/16/11
added water to tank
parameters before adding Prime
Ammo: 0 - 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm
4/16/11
80 drops of Prime and 1 tsp (5ml) of Ace Hardware Janitorial ammonia, 10% ammonium hydroxide
Ammo: 4.0 ppm - 8.0 ppm (not quite sure of the shade of green)
4/19/11 8PM
Added 2 gallons of HOT water with Prime. I realize now the hot water was not a good thing for any developing bacteria
Ammo: 4.0 ppm
4/22/11 5PM
25% to 35% PWC with HOT water because I was still unsure if I was over 4.0 ppm on the ammonia. Swished filter media around in removed tank water to clean out PFS dust). Dosed up ammonia.
Ammo: 4.0 ppm (sure of it this time)
4/30/11 8AM
Ammo: 4.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25 to 0.50 ppm *getting excited now*
Nitrate: 0 to 5.0 ppm - Not 0 ppm bright yellow but not quite 5.0 ppm orange yet either. Probably just 0 ppm though.
Soo...I'm getting excited now. I'm thinking the hot water added on 4/19 and 4/22 could have stunted bacteria growth. I also originally had the bonded filter pad in the Aquamaster set up so that water passed through the tighter weave blue side first. On 4/22 I rearranged it so that the water passed through the more open weave white side first. The instructions say the blue side should "face up", but that doesn't tell me whether UP is towards or away from the water flow. Any suggestions?
I should probably get some decorations in there quickly, that is unless adding directions later will not negatively affect bacteria growth.
- Water paramter testing is with API Freshwater Master test kit.
- Substrate is Quikrete PFS
- Will be adding decorations soon
- Live plants will be added after fishless cycle is complete - will probably get a 2x24w 24" wide setup from http://www.fishneedit.com.
- Filters are a Top Fin 30 filter with the standard filter media without adding the carbon and a Danner Aquamaster PM-E filter. The Aquamaster is set up so water passes through two layers of Marineland Rite-Size Bonded Filter Pad and then one layer of Fluval Biomax bio rings.
- I'm using a combination of two heaters to maintain 85 degrees. They both cycle on and off very near the same time. I was running a single 100w heater but it was on constantly, so I added a non-submersible heater that I had from 19 years ago. I plan on replacing these heaters with a 150w or 200w Aqueon Pro.
Even though I'm not showing the results in this thread, I have been checking Ammo every day and Nitrite periodically. I'm only showing dates that show changes.
4/16/11
added water to tank
parameters before adding Prime
Ammo: 0 - 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm
4/16/11
80 drops of Prime and 1 tsp (5ml) of Ace Hardware Janitorial ammonia, 10% ammonium hydroxide
Ammo: 4.0 ppm - 8.0 ppm (not quite sure of the shade of green)
4/19/11 8PM
Added 2 gallons of HOT water with Prime. I realize now the hot water was not a good thing for any developing bacteria
Ammo: 4.0 ppm
4/22/11 5PM
25% to 35% PWC with HOT water because I was still unsure if I was over 4.0 ppm on the ammonia. Swished filter media around in removed tank water to clean out PFS dust). Dosed up ammonia.
Ammo: 4.0 ppm (sure of it this time)
4/30/11 8AM
Ammo: 4.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25 to 0.50 ppm *getting excited now*
Nitrate: 0 to 5.0 ppm - Not 0 ppm bright yellow but not quite 5.0 ppm orange yet either. Probably just 0 ppm though.
Soo...I'm getting excited now. I'm thinking the hot water added on 4/19 and 4/22 could have stunted bacteria growth. I also originally had the bonded filter pad in the Aquamaster set up so that water passed through the tighter weave blue side first. On 4/22 I rearranged it so that the water passed through the more open weave white side first. The instructions say the blue side should "face up", but that doesn't tell me whether UP is towards or away from the water flow. Any suggestions?
I should probably get some decorations in there quickly, that is unless adding directions later will not negatively affect bacteria growth.
