zparticle
Aquarium Advice Addict
Okay, so change the water now and test again, instead of waiting for tonight? Don't worry about being bossy, I need all of the advice I can get. Do I need to dose it up again with ammonia right away? 50% PWC?
eco23 said:I don't personally believe nitrAtes will stall your cycle since they are the end result of the cycle (at least the parts that take place inside your aquarium not counting the negligible amount of denitrification that occurs).
I'd let it ride until the 24 hours are up and dose back up the ammo and keep going.
The benefit of doing a few pwc's between now and adding fish are the ability to keep your nitrAtes in check so you don't have to do a total pwc before adding fish. It's easier to deal with when you have a smaller tank...but a friend of mine has a 125 and had a nightmare trying to get his nitrAtes down after cycling.
LOG: Day 11 (12 hours after re-dosing the ammonia)
I was just curious to see what the tests looked like half way through a 24 period so I just tested again, here are the numbers:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 1-2ppm
Nitrates: off the chart
So the ammonia is getting converted completely within 12 hours. I'd guess when I test in another 12 hours the nitrites are going to be gone.
Good job. Sorry for my indiscretion.zparticle said:I really appreciate everyone chiming in on this. It gives me more food for thought. At this point I'm not sure when I will be adding fish. When I do I will probably do it slowly, assuming that won't cause problems, lol.
In the mean time I'll keep testing, I find the testing kind of entertaining, I'm into chemical sciences. I know, I'm a geek. lol
I have, through both personal experience and testing, long before I recommended it on this forum. No offense but do you really know everything about a product if you are basing your opinion on product reviews? Sure, it'll give you a good idea, but some concession must be made.Due to the fact I enjoy the site and want to continue being a member, I'm going to stay out of this particular one.
What concerns me, seeded media or not, I have NEVER heard of a tank cycle this quickly at 4ppm using an Angels Plus sponge filter and I'm familiar with lots of members who have used them not only on threads, but also through tons of PM's I get. Like I said, it is scary fast to the point it worries me.
There's nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution, but when a product is doing as-stated, it may be unnecessary. I know I transfer cycled media to new tanks all the time and put fish in right behind them, and IIRC you have done the same as well.I will restate my personal opinion that due to the quickness this cycle seemed to show...I see no downside on erring on the side of caution and testing your bio-filter as extensively as possible before stocking.
jetajockey said:I have, through both personal experience and testing, long before I recommended it on this forum. No offense but do you really know everything about a product if you are basing your opinion on product reviews? Sure, it'll give you a good idea, but some concession must be made.
There's nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution, but when a product is doing as-stated, it may be unnecessary. I know I transfer cycled media to new tanks all the time and put fish in right behind them, and IIRC you have done the same as well.
I agree with most of your methods, and in cases like this, I just have a different method of doing things. I have a fishroom with dozens of tanks in it, and hundreds of fish. I also have extensive experience with cycling products, and years of studying and working with the nitrogen cycle.
That said, the respect thing goes both ways, and I don't expect you to conform your methodology to match mine, nor mine yours. You have reviews from people using a product, I have tested the product personally, extensively, have plenty of reviews, and spoken directly with the manufacturers of it.
Does that make my opinion any better than yours or anyone elses? Nope, but it does make it just as valid.
eco23 said:Okay, reread the thread...day 7 the sponge filter was added. So, in 3 days is there any way that sponge filter colonized enough bacteria to handle 4ppm of ammo in your opinion? Not arguing, actually asking.
If there wasn't an instant cycling product added, I'd be sending out congratulations and start my 4th of July drinking early...but you have to admit there's at least a curiosity here.
That's a ton of ammonia to process. That's been one of my issues with the fishless cycling method and using seeded filters, because a regular stocked tank isn't going to instantly drop 4ppm ammonia on the filter like that. It is amazing that it's processing that much.Okay, reread the thread...day 7 the sponge filter was added. So, in 3 days is there any way that sponge filter colonized enough bacteria to handle 4ppm of ammo in your opinion? Not arguing, actually asking.
I might've missed the part of when he used a bacteria booster product. I have really little faith in stuff like stresszyme, cycle, and even less in the powdered stuff, since it's not even possible for these autotrophic nitrifiers to have a spore form/dry form.If there wasn't an instant cycling product added, I'd be sending out congratulations and start my 4th of July drinking early...but you have to admit there's at least a curiosity here.
Okay, reread the thread...day 7 the sponge filter was added. So, in 3 days is there any way that sponge filter colonized enough bacteria to handle 4ppm of ammo in your opinion? Not arguing, actually asking.
If there wasn't an instant cycling product added, I'd be sending out congratulations and start my 4th of July drinking early...but you have to admit there's at least a curiosity here.
zparticle said:This was an active sponge, and it came with a bunch of water in the bag that was clearly full of stuff. The entire point of getting the active sponge was to has a huge colony of BB ready to go. I don't know, it seems to have worked at any rate. I'm going to go test my tank.