new to aquariums - Page 5 - Aquarium Advice

harmy4993 · 07-20-2008, 12:24 AM

i have something brownish in color about 2-3 mm long growing on my driftwood and starting to form up on my rock. at this stage should i be worried about that?

SpeedEuphoria · 07-20-2008, 06:29 PM

Most likely its diatoms, they are brownish and grow on anything(gravel,decorations,glass), they wipe off easy. Basically every new tank gets them, I still have it in mine thats been running for 4-5months. Its harmless.

Although its normally not a long stringy type thing. So just keep an eye on it and look around closely at the rest of the tank.

harmy4993 · 07-23-2008, 09:16 PM

well it hasnt spread to anything else. it has grown a little but not much. i will clean it when thetank cycles before adding fish.

now for the good news. i have nitrites now. woohoo.

harmy4993 · 07-25-2008, 10:33 PM

woot day 9 of my cycle and got a reading of 4.0 ammonia after i redoesed it this morning and my nitrite is up to 2.0. nitrite has just about doubled every day since i got my first reading.

im sitting here looking at my other wall and picturing what a 125g or so tank would look. how many inches across is say a 125g?

SpeedEuphoria · 07-25-2008, 10:53 PM

heres standard tank sizes and weights( I find myself looking at the link quite often and dreaming)
Fish Aquarium and Tank* Sizes and Characteristics, starting an aquarium, buying equipment, choosing tanks

harmy4993 · 07-25-2008, 10:58 PM

well i cant do anything till i get this one running but was browsing craigslist and saw some 75+ for under or around $100. some of them even including the stand.

i look at that wall that has nothing on it and think of all the little fish i could put in a much larger tank. i love the idea of alot of smaller 2-3 inch fish.

harmy4993 · 07-27-2008, 10:05 PM

should i be worried about my cycle?

my ammonia is 2.0
my nitrite is 5.0+ only goes up to 5.0
and my nitrate reading looks to be 10.

the reason im wondering whats going on is my ammonia has not disappeared. i thought when i gotnitrite is should drop quickly. that never happened and now i have enough nitrite to bring nitrate into the cycle and still ammonia hasnt had a quick drop off.

it is only day 11 of the cycle andi expect for the whole process to take much longer. i was just under the impression that ammonia would drop off before nitrates appear.

rich311k · 07-27-2008, 11:14 PM

Nitrate test kits don't really work when nitrites are in the tank. I think you are moving along normally.

harmy4993 · 07-27-2008, 11:39 PM

so i take it i should wait for nitrites to drop to 0 before testing nitrates.

rich311k · 07-28-2008, 07:26 AM

You can test for them, just bear in mind they will be skewed higher because of the nitrites.

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07-20-2008, 12:24 AM	#41
harmy4993 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: s.cali Posts: 298	i have something brownish in color about 2-3 mm long growing on my driftwood and starting to form up on my rock. at this stage should i be worried about that?

07-23-2008, 09:16 PM	#43
harmy4993 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: s.cali Posts: 298	well it hasnt spread to anything else. it has grown a little but not much. i will clean it when thetank cycles before adding fish. now for the good news. i have nitrites now. woohoo.

07-25-2008, 10:33 PM	#44
harmy4993 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: s.cali Posts: 298	woot day 9 of my cycle and got a reading of 4.0 ammonia after i redoesed it this morning and my nitrite is up to 2.0. nitrite has just about doubled every day since i got my first reading. im sitting here looking at my other wall and picturing what a 125g or so tank would look. how many inches across is say a 125g?

07-25-2008, 10:58 PM	#46
harmy4993 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: s.cali Posts: 298	well i cant do anything till i get this one running but was browsing craigslist and saw some 75+ for under or around $100. some of them even including the stand. i look at that wall that has nothing on it and think of all the little fish i could put in a much larger tank. i love the idea of alot of smaller 2-3 inch fish.

07-27-2008, 10:05 PM	#47
harmy4993 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: s.cali Posts: 298	should i be worried about my cycle? my ammonia is 2.0 my nitrite is 5.0+ only goes up to 5.0 and my nitrate reading looks to be 10. the reason im wondering whats going on is my ammonia has not disappeared. i thought when i gotnitrite is should drop quickly. that never happened and now i have enough nitrite to bring nitrate into the cycle and still ammonia hasnt had a quick drop off. it is only day 11 of the cycle andi expect for the whole process to take much longer. i was just under the impression that ammonia would drop off before nitrates appear.

07-27-2008, 11:14 PM	#48
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,972 Images: 35	Nitrate test kits don't really work when nitrites are in the tank. I think you are moving along normally.

07-27-2008, 11:39 PM	#49
harmy4993 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: s.cali Posts: 298	so i take it i should wait for nitrites to drop to 0 before testing nitrates.

07-28-2008, 07:26 AM	#50
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,972 Images: 35	You can test for them, just bear in mind they will be skewed higher because of the nitrites.