pokrface
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Is it possible to cycle a tank in only 9 days? My intention is to have a breeding tank for my rasboras.
I set up my old 15 gal on Feb 24 using 5 gal water from my established aquarium, 5 gal RO water, some rocks (clean & dry), several bunches of plants from the est aq, 3 goldfish-type feeder fiish from LFS, 14W flourescent, and a new hydor EKIP 250 (fresh out of the box) set for low flow and high aeration. I found out later that using water out of the est aq only provided unwanted nitrate. After initial setup PWCs have been done with tap water conditioned with the correct amount of "Prime." I have tested my tap water and, although I don't remember the exact numbers, I do remember that they were all acceptable with the pH being 7.0.
I have attached a file (both .doc and .txt formatted) to show my test results since setup. On about the 3rd or 4th day I raised the temp and lowered the lighting. Notice that a couple of days (and a few individual tests) were skipped during the test period. I am using a Tetra test kit (because I like the rectangular test vials) that gives me some results in mg/l. Do these quantities convert directly to ppm, or is there a conversion factor?
After 4 days nothing seemed to be happening with the nitrite level, so on Mar 1 I added an appropriate amount of "Cycle". I finally got concerned about the nitrate level and on Mar 3 I did a 50% PWC. Nitrate was back up the next day, so on Mar 6 I did a 40% PWC, filling the tank almost to capacity. I tested before and after the water change and it dropped from 25 to 12.5. Feeling fairly confident in the water condition and stability, I later added 4 juvenile Pygmy Corys on the 6th. I intend to remove the 3 feeder fish* before moving 4 mature Harlequin Rasboras to the tank for conditioning and breeding.
Now the nitrates seem to be slowly increasing again. Am I kidding myself or is it possible that the bacteria population is stable enough to support a small biomass? If so, I think the addition of the plants was the key. Please comment. Also, please provide any suggestions for breeding Rasboras, i.e. diet; essential conditioning material; the type of plant that really "gets 'em in the mood"; etc.
*On the subject of starter fish, I have read a lot of negative threads about using live fish to cycle a new aquarium. I am not comfortable putting ammonia from a bottle into the aquarium, and I'm uncertain whether I would be able to regulate the amount correctly. I selected these particular fish not only because they were on death row already at the LFS; but also they were not in particularly good shape when I brought them home (ragged fins, thin waistlines, emotional issues). Since I have had them they have fattened up, they are neatly attired, and they have gotten very perky. I daren't give them names, though....Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to flush them when they're job is done. My next door neighbor has several ponds in his back yard with goldfish in one or two. I intend to give them to him and wish them well. I don't know if they'll survive outdoors or not, but they'll have a better chance than they did in their original occupation as feeder fish.
I set up my old 15 gal on Feb 24 using 5 gal water from my established aquarium, 5 gal RO water, some rocks (clean & dry), several bunches of plants from the est aq, 3 goldfish-type feeder fiish from LFS, 14W flourescent, and a new hydor EKIP 250 (fresh out of the box) set for low flow and high aeration. I found out later that using water out of the est aq only provided unwanted nitrate. After initial setup PWCs have been done with tap water conditioned with the correct amount of "Prime." I have tested my tap water and, although I don't remember the exact numbers, I do remember that they were all acceptable with the pH being 7.0.
I have attached a file (both .doc and .txt formatted) to show my test results since setup. On about the 3rd or 4th day I raised the temp and lowered the lighting. Notice that a couple of days (and a few individual tests) were skipped during the test period. I am using a Tetra test kit (because I like the rectangular test vials) that gives me some results in mg/l. Do these quantities convert directly to ppm, or is there a conversion factor?
After 4 days nothing seemed to be happening with the nitrite level, so on Mar 1 I added an appropriate amount of "Cycle". I finally got concerned about the nitrate level and on Mar 3 I did a 50% PWC. Nitrate was back up the next day, so on Mar 6 I did a 40% PWC, filling the tank almost to capacity. I tested before and after the water change and it dropped from 25 to 12.5. Feeling fairly confident in the water condition and stability, I later added 4 juvenile Pygmy Corys on the 6th. I intend to remove the 3 feeder fish* before moving 4 mature Harlequin Rasboras to the tank for conditioning and breeding.
Now the nitrates seem to be slowly increasing again. Am I kidding myself or is it possible that the bacteria population is stable enough to support a small biomass? If so, I think the addition of the plants was the key. Please comment. Also, please provide any suggestions for breeding Rasboras, i.e. diet; essential conditioning material; the type of plant that really "gets 'em in the mood"; etc.
*On the subject of starter fish, I have read a lot of negative threads about using live fish to cycle a new aquarium. I am not comfortable putting ammonia from a bottle into the aquarium, and I'm uncertain whether I would be able to regulate the amount correctly. I selected these particular fish not only because they were on death row already at the LFS; but also they were not in particularly good shape when I brought them home (ragged fins, thin waistlines, emotional issues). Since I have had them they have fattened up, they are neatly attired, and they have gotten very perky. I daren't give them names, though....Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to flush them when they're job is done. My next door neighbor has several ponds in his back yard with goldfish in one or two. I intend to give them to him and wish them well. I don't know if they'll survive outdoors or not, but they'll have a better chance than they did in their original occupation as feeder fish.
