Hello all.
First off, thanks for all the posts to great articles on cycling a tank. I have read 5+ of them, and have some questions.
1) with a bio additive like Seachem stability, can you accelerate the cycling? I've been using 5 ml daily since we got the tank.
2) can plants in the tank take care of the ammonia for you and prevent the ammonia build up in the first place? If this happens is there anything bad about this method of ammonia consumption? Will the bacteria of the ammonia detoxification still grow on the biofilters or is there no food for them now?
3) how much surface agitation is required in an 8.5 gallon tank? Have an in water filter that's circulating things, but not causing bubbling or waterfall action. Is that enough?
Details:
Fish in tank since December 23. Did some reading after the purchase ( kids Christmas present of course). Realized we needed to cycle the tank. Have 4 guppies in it. Realize we have been overfeeding a fair bit- have recently corrected this ( based on the leftovers I've been sucking up with water changes. Have been doing 3 gallon changes once a week.
Added plants to tank see picture) at about week 2. Tank looks better, fish seem way happier. About 1 week ago, plants went crazy- new runners, floating plants had gigantic root extension/growth. Last three days slight increase in algae growth- for the first time some is noticeable on glass and items in tank.
Realized we are leaving lights on tank for 16 hrs a day- will change that.
Measuring ammonia levels for the last 2 weeks ( since getting plants) and we have had no spike! It would seem that the plants and algae are getting ammonia otherwise they wouldn't be growing like crazy this last week- so why can't I detect any? Could tank have cycled already?
I'll attach a pic of the tank. Using API liquid/drop ammonia kit- all readings negative now week 4.
Thanks for any advice.
Scott
First off, thanks for all the posts to great articles on cycling a tank. I have read 5+ of them, and have some questions.
1) with a bio additive like Seachem stability, can you accelerate the cycling? I've been using 5 ml daily since we got the tank.
2) can plants in the tank take care of the ammonia for you and prevent the ammonia build up in the first place? If this happens is there anything bad about this method of ammonia consumption? Will the bacteria of the ammonia detoxification still grow on the biofilters or is there no food for them now?
3) how much surface agitation is required in an 8.5 gallon tank? Have an in water filter that's circulating things, but not causing bubbling or waterfall action. Is that enough?
Details:
Fish in tank since December 23. Did some reading after the purchase ( kids Christmas present of course). Realized we needed to cycle the tank. Have 4 guppies in it. Realize we have been overfeeding a fair bit- have recently corrected this ( based on the leftovers I've been sucking up with water changes. Have been doing 3 gallon changes once a week.
Added plants to tank see picture) at about week 2. Tank looks better, fish seem way happier. About 1 week ago, plants went crazy- new runners, floating plants had gigantic root extension/growth. Last three days slight increase in algae growth- for the first time some is noticeable on glass and items in tank.
Realized we are leaving lights on tank for 16 hrs a day- will change that.
Measuring ammonia levels for the last 2 weeks ( since getting plants) and we have had no spike! It would seem that the plants and algae are getting ammonia otherwise they wouldn't be growing like crazy this last week- so why can't I detect any? Could tank have cycled already?
I'll attach a pic of the tank. Using API liquid/drop ammonia kit- all readings negative now week 4.
Thanks for any advice.
Scott
