Upgrading to a 125 Gallon Tank

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Then you should be pretty much cycled, have you tested the water or added any ammonia?
 
Then your tank should be seeded with BB. Give it a few weeks and you should be cycled. The BB needs to grow to support a 125g tank. Again, patience. Lol
 
Today I added two Amazon Swords and dropped in Flourish Tabs into the substrate. I think the liquid version may have cost me my Amano Shrimp. I read where someone else had a similar experience. I have not seen any in a few days in the old tank. Maybe I'll find one or two when I remove the decorations.

I've been eyeballing more Mystery Snails, Ivory, Blue and Gold. And Chopstick Snails... Then there are the Cory Catfish. And various colors of Mollies. And Fancy Guppies... And a freshwater shark.
 
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The Family keeps wondering why I have not moved the inhabitants from the smaller tank into the larger tank. I keep saying it is going to take awhile for the tank to cycle properly otherwise the fish will die. I the meantime I keep making subtle changes to the new environment and the cabinet that it sits upon.

See my chemistry numbers below. Patiently waiting. 20190713_065550.jpeg
 
After many, many days of not seeing any of the Amano Shrimp in the old tank, I finally spotted one on the bottom, it appeared to be actively feeding. Where are its seven other cohorts? I'll keeping searching.

It has been a week since I started cycling the new tank. So today I pulled one of the larger filter media pads from the canister on the old tank and placed it in the canister of the new tank. A bit more seeding material to get this party really started. I'll check the chems later this week. I also put a new filter media pad back in the canister for the old tank.

The one odd thing that I did notice in the new tank, is that there is some sort of clear slimy coating on some of the rubber components. I'll keep an eye on it. Hopefully it is nothing to worry about.

I am so tempted to put snails in the new tank to see some other aquatic life, other the plants moving about in the new tank. I've read where others have accidentally placed snails in a tank being cycled for the first time with no seemingly ill effects. What are you thoughts on this?
 
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I can tell you I know a guy who puts Nerite snails in his cycling tanks to clean up algea and diatoms. He doses the ammonia to 4 ppm. He claims he's never killed a snail. I've never tried it personally but sounds like maybe snails are affected the same as fish???
 
That is interesting. Has he performed this feat on large tanks? I am starting to see some algae form on the plants I migrated over to the new tank. In the older tank I have the Mystery and Nerite Snails munching away at any algae that forms. So I was thinking about adding some snails to the new tank as well. I've ready where Mystery Snails are sensitive to high ammonia levels, so they are out. So maybe the Nerites are a good choice.
 
King Fisher said:
I can tell you I know a guy who puts Nerite snails in his cycling tanks to clean up algea and diatoms. He doses the ammonia to 4 ppm. He claims he's never killed a snail. I've never tried it personally but sounds like maybe snails are affected the same as fish???
Click to expand...
Earlier this evening I put a Nerite snail in the new tank... Acclimated it to new tank temp... Dropped it in on the sandy side. This is the first time I actually saw a Nerite move fast. It crawled across the white sand leaving a small trail behind. Made it's way to the side glass and "quickly" made its way to surface. I thought it was going to stop at the surface, but no... It crawled completely out of the water to upper frame and seemed to cower in the corner. I felt sorry for it and placed it back in the old tank.20190715_163425.jpg20190715_163456.jpg
 
King Fisher said:
Well that didn't seem to work. Lol
Click to expand...

I had read somewhere that some Nerite snails are similar to the canaries used in mines, in that if they congregate at the top of the tank then there is something wrong with the chemistry in the tank. Since I've had the Nerites, they have moved extremely slow, but yesterday that little guy had no shame and was boogying to get out of the water.

Question... With the addition of "seeded" gravel and filter media, shouldn't there have been some change in level of ammonia in the new tank? I know it would be gradual, but how long does it take for any decrease in ammonia levels? I'm trying to make sure I didn't inadvertently stall the cycle process. When I get home I am planning on checking the ammonia level by diluting the sample with an equal part of tap water. It should be roughly half of my current readings, correct?
 
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Even though you seed the tank it will take a bit of time for it to cycle completely. Usually around a couple weeks to start converting 2-4 ppm ammonia to 0 within 24 hours.
 
It has been at 4ppm since the beginning... So I'm wondering if somehow I hit the max of the test kit and therefore not really seeing the actual levels.
 
Once your tank is seeded you'll begin to see a nitrite and nitrates reading along with the ammonia. Give it a couple days.
 
Here are the results of my ammonia dilution test. The 50% tap/50% sample on the left and a normal sample on the right. Looks like the sample on the left is slightly more than 2ppm, but noticeably less than 4ppm. The sample on right looks like 4ppm, but definitely less than 8ppm.20190716_154316.jpg
 
 
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You're doing a lot of reading which is good.

4-5 ppm ammonia is pretty standard dosing when cycling fishless. Once you seed the tank I'm thinking within the week you should start to see the other readings.
 
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