New 29 Gallon Build - Journal

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jfhrtn

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
335
Location
East NC
Hello all thought I would start a journal on my new 29 gallon build. It won't only help me keep all my information​ in one place but maybe it can help a fellow member that has some questions. I built the stand 3 days before I planned to start the tank to give the paint time to dry. I started this tank on 5/18/17 with little plans on the scape/plants and a lot of questions. I knew I wanted to do a fishless cycle so I ordered Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride and used Seachem's Stability. It is my first planted tank so I am sure I still have a lot to learn and a lot of progress to still to be made. I decided I wanted a sand substrate so I went with pool filter sand to try to mimick the natural look of a ecosystem. I collected rocks from below the dam here in the local river and tested them with muriatic acid to see if there was a reaction. I then washed them and soaked all the rock for 48hrs with 4 water changes. I cleaned the pool filter sand for about an hour in a bucket with the garden hose pushing clean water through it to remove any debris. Rinsed the tank out really well and let it air dry. Once I had the stand in the final resting place I placed the tank on it and started the beginnings of a new adventure. Wish I would have painted the back glass black but since I didn't I will tint the back glass with 5% static cling tint. Once I had the substrate in I placed some old decorations in the tank as the main rocks were still soaking and placed some S Repens & Anubias on one side so it could go ahead and get started. Once I had the main rocks in place I used them to hold the Anubias. The fishless cycle was started on 5/18/17 when the tank was started. I dosed the ammonia up to 4ppm and began using Seachem Stability & what I had left of API Quickstart the same day. Not sure yet if the Stability & API Quickstart had much of an effect and believe I should have gone with Dr. Tim's "One & Only". After 13 days the ammonia hasn't budged on it's level and the nitrites have come up to a trace (still below .25ppm but not at 0 anymore). Nitrates have come up to about 10ppm but I think that is due to dosing Nilocg's Thrive for the plants. Diatoms have started to appear since around day 9. I have been testing the water daily and might move to every other day until I see the nitrites really start to spike. Then I'll monitor to make sure the ammonia doesn't crash. Can't have the BB starving. Got to keep them fat and happy haha. I will post up pics, water test results, plant progress, and probably a few questions here and there. I do want to make this tank a nano fish home and I'm still learning a lot on the nano fish subject. As far as plants I'm also still learning more each and every day. So try to bare with me during my learning curve and hopefully all will turn out as planned. I will post up a list below of all the equipment and progress so far.

Equipment:

Aquaclear 70

Hydor Koralia 425gph Circulation Pump

Hydor 150w Heater

Zacro Digital Thermometer

Aquaclear Versatop

30" Beamswork DA Pent 6500k .50w Light


Ferts & Chems:

Nilocg's Thrive

DIY Osmocote Root Tabs

Seachem Stability

Seachem Prime

Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride

API Freshwater Mater Test Kit


Plants (So Far):

S Repens

Anubias Nana


Substrate:

Pool Filter Sand


Media (inside filter):

Sponge filter

Aquaclear Biomedia

Fluval Biomax




Thank you for reading and if anyone has any questions for me please post up. I will be glad to answer any questions and am more than happy to hear opinions or critiques on what I am doing as I am still learning. Seems like every time I listen to others critiques and opinions on what I am doing I learn something [emoji106] Pics will be posted up in separate posts to separate the days of progress.

-James
 
5/18/17:

Added Ammonium Chloride to 4-5ppm
Added Seachem Stability
PH: 7.6
Temp: 79.6
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0

5/19/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4-5ppm
2nd dose Seachem Stability
PH: 7.6
Temp: 79.8
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0

5/20/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4-5ppm
3rd Dose Seachem Stability
Temp: 79.8
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0
pH: 7.4

5/21/17
Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
4th dose Seachem Stability
1st dose API Quickstart
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0
Temp: 80.6
pH: 7.4

5/22/17
Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
5th dose Seachem Stability
2nd dose API Quickstart
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 2.5ppm
Temp: 80.6
pH: 7.4

5/23/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
6th dose Seachem Stability
3rd dose API Quickstart
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 2.5-5ppm
Temp: 80.6
pH: 7.4

5/24/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
7th dose Seachem Stability
4th dose API Quickstart
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 2.5-5ppm
Temp: 81.1
pH: 7.2

5/25/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
5th dose API Quickstart
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: ~2.5ppm
Temp: 82.1
pH: 7.2

5/26/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
1st dose Thrive
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: ~2.5ppm
Temp: 81.9
pH: 7.2

5/27/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
Nitrites: ~.25ppm
Nitrates: ~5ppm
Temp: 81.9
pH: 7.0

5/28/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
Nitrites: ~.25ppm
Nitrates: ~5ppm
Temp: 81.9
pH: 7.0

5/29/17

Ammonium Chloride: 5ppm
Nitrites: ~.25ppm
Nitrates: ~10ppm
Temp: 81.9
pH: 7.0

5/30/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
Nitrites: ~.25ppm
Nitrates: ~10ppm
Temp: 81.6
pH: 6.8-7.0

5/31/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
Nitrites: ~.25ppm
Nitrates: ~10ppm
Temp: 81.9
pH: 6.4
50% water change
Dosed Thrive
Added 10 drops Ammonium Chloride
 
Pics of stand being built
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IMG_20170514_171457860_HDR.jpgIMG_20170514_193225761_HDR.jpgIMG_20170514_193242522_HDR.jpgIMG_20170514_205950116.jpgIMG_20170514_210004662.jpg
e743c9ee49be331f0a42d1779b47b934.jpg
a6b251972d233be1a1cbccc3297ed155.jpg
e11e69eef446b82dadb8cf16fdc7d9a5.jpg
6594bbadeb02f8891c55efdd42c5b1b2.jpg
 
After a 50% water change and second dose of fertilizer last night IMG_20170601_000454322_HDR.jpg
 
Updated pic of the tank. Not much has changed. Noticing some small new growth on the S Repens. Lowered the temp to just a few tenths above 80 and lowered the photo period to 6 hours. Also added an Anubias Hastofolia in the rear corner. No signs of melting after 24 hours. Going to do a 50-60% water change this evening and dose Thrive again. Will do another test on the water right before the water change and post the results up.

Updated Parameters:

6/1/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
Nitrites: ~.25ppm
Nitrates: ~10ppm
Temp: 81.9
pH: 7.0

6/2/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
Nitrites: ~.25ppm
Nitrates: ~10ppm
Temp: 81.9
pH: 6.8

6/3/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
Nitrites: ~.25ppm
Nitrates: ~10ppm
Temp: 81.1
pH: 6.6

6/4/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 10ppm
Temp: 80.6
pH: 6.4-6.5

6/5/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 10ppm
Temp: 80.2
pH: ~6.0
Added crushed seashells
Added topfin readistart bacteria

IMG_20170604_233936483_HDR.jpgIMG_20170604_233500154_HDR.jpgIMG_20170604_233523368_HDR.jpg
 
@megi-lin I appreciate it and thank you for reading. I know it's a slow process but being on a budget can't do but so much at once haha
 
Thought this evening was Wednesday but it was Tuesday so the water change will be tomorrow night. Water parameters from tonight are posted below. The pH did come up from near 6.0 to 6.6 in the past 24hrs. Added the crushed sea shells and some Marineland pH regulator. Hopefully it will come back to 7.0-7.2

6/6/17

Ammonium Chloride: 4ppm
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: ~10ppm
pH: 6.6
 
Did a 50% water change this evening. Tested the parameters before the change and they are posted below. Once I got the water change done I topped off the Ammonium Chloride to 4ppm and dosed Thrive. Every water change I dechlorinate the water with Prime but I'm thinking of switching to Safe since it is more cost efficient. I added 5ml of Marineland pH regulator hopefully to keep it in the 7.0-7.4 range. Updated pics of the tank and plants are below. If anyone sees anything that needs to be brought to my attention please speak up.

Thank you,
-James

6/7/17

Ammonia: 4ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: ~10ppm
pH: 6.8
Temp: 80.1
Dosed Thrive
Added 5ml of Marineland pH regulatorIMG_20170607_222855954_HDR.jpgIMG_20170607_222904929.jpgIMG_20170607_222909651.jpgIMG_20170607_222915395.jpgIMG_20170607_222930015.jpg
 
With the current surface agitation do you think it's necessary to add an air stone? I have an extra Top Fin air pump meant for a 10 gallon just laying around that I could get an air stone for and put it in if necessaryIMG_20170607_230142317.jpg
 
Airstones offgas naturally occurring Co2. I removed mine when I learned this. Surface agitation is fine.
 
@TMaier I appreciate that bit of info. I don't think I'll be putting it in the 29. Just use it as a spare for my 10. The pump on my 10 will be 2 years old in a few months. I'll be doing a rebuild on that tank also once this 29 is stable enough to hold it's inhabitants.
 
Tested the water this evening and got a nice surprise. The nitrites are finally showing up decently. No less than .25ppm maybe a hair higher. pH is 6.6-6.8 range. Topped the ammonia off to 4ppm. And nitrates are around 10ppm. I'll post a pic of the test below.

One problem I have run into is for some reason my 10 gallon is going through a mini cycle. I don't know why but ever since these pH drops everything has been thrown into a spiral. Tested the ammonia to be around .5ppm. pH of 6.0, nitrites 0, & nitrates around 10ppm. Been dosing daily with prime and used some pH regulator along with crushed sea shells to try to get control of the pH but to no avail. Did a 50% water change in it tonight and will keep doing them until I go out town Monday & Tuesday. Anyway what do you think the ETA of getting them transferred to the 29 is? I hate for them to be stressed cause of a mini cycle. Or should I just keep doing daily maintenance until the 29 is completely done with the fishless cycle and then transfer?

IMG_20170609_014116325.jpg
 
Had a nice surprise tonight. Nitrites are you to 1ppm and finally having to constantly top off the Ammonium Chloride

6/8/17

Ammonium Chloride: 2-3ppm (topped to 4ppm)
Nitrites: .25ppm
Nitrates: 10ppm
pH: 6.6-6.8
Temp: 80.0

6/9/17 (pic of results below)

Ammonium Chloride: 1ppm (topped back to 4ppm)
Nitrites: 1ppm
Nitrates: 10ppm
pH: 6.6-6.8
Temp: 80.0
 
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