Fishless Cycling New 120gallon tank

[eco23]

The tank is not sitting in direct sunlight and there are no lights on it at all. There is just daylight in the room, but no direct sunlight at all shining on the tank.
The tank has been in total darkness since April 27, wrapped in black plastic. But I couldn't take the black plastic anymore, I put a flowered comforter over it and it's much cheerier looking.
There are no plants in the tank yet to compete with algae for the light and that's why I thought it was supposed to be kept dark.
Photographs will be coming as soon as I finish this water change.
Do you want me to scrape the slime off the walls of the tank?
Okay, so I'm off to do another pwc and then I'll send you new water parameters, photographs and then I'm assuming you want me to dose it up to 4ppm.
Ann7667

I'll be happy to look at the pics and maybe start a new thread if we need to. It just seems odd to have that much slimy, murky growth as your describing in a tank that has been covered with no light and no direct sun hitting it. I wouldn't scrape anything off until we finish cycling, there's a good portion of the beneficial bacteria on the walls of the tank. And yes, I'd get the no2 down low and then dose the ammo back up to 4ppm.

 

[Ann7667]

Well, I did have those 3 jumbo prawns in there for about 3 weeks. Maybe the murkiness is from them.

 

[eco23]

Well, I did have those 3 jumbo prawns in there for about 3 weeks. Maybe the murkiness is from them.

There are some definite risks such as fungal infections from using shrimp to cycle a tank...but I'm not personally familiar with any physical appearances it would cause in the water or on the tank walls (doesn't mean it's not possible...I'm just don't know them). I would think it'd be pretty darn hard for algae to really take over in a dark, covered tank.

You can check out this link if you want and see if anything looks familiar.
Algae in the Planted Aquarium-- Guitarfish

 

[Ann7667]

Hello eco23
I did my water change - it was probably 80 gallons.
Here are the new numbers before and after the water change:
Before After
pH 6.5 7.0
Ammonia .50 .25
NitrItes 5.0 1.0
NitrAtes 60. 40.
Temp. 86 deg. 89 deg.

I took some photos, but Ian's computer is in the hospital, but he'll download them when it comes back.
Then, the water itself is absolutely crystal clear . . . completely.
I did scrape some of the stuff off the inside wall of the tank that was making the water look murky and it only looks murky because you are looking at it through the stuff on the glass.
I wanted to take some off so I could see the water clearly and also I want to see if it comes back. If it's prawn stuff it won't; but if it's something else - algae or something - it will come back.
After I took the water readings I dosed it up to 4ppm (and I'll check to see that it is at that point).
Then I'll check the water again tomorrow (Thursday at 2pm-ish).
By the way, my 75 gal. tank is perfect . . . except for the hair algae. There are 0 nitrates and perfect soft water for them. I took some photos of them also which will be coming along.
Thanks!
Ann7667

 

[eco23]

Hello eco23
I did my water change - it was probably 80 gallons.
Here are the new numbers before and after the water change:
Before After
pH 6.5 7.0
Ammonia .50 .25
NitrItes 5.0 1.0
NitrAtes 60. 40.
Temp. 86 deg. 89 deg.

I took some photos, but Ian's computer is in the hospital, but he'll download them when it comes back.
Then, the water itself is absolutely crystal clear . . . completely.
I did scrape some of the stuff off the inside wall of the tank that was making the water look murky and it only looks murky because you are looking at it through the stuff on the glass.
I wanted to take some off so I could see the water clearly and also I want to see if it comes back. If it's prawn stuff it won't; but if it's something else - algae or something - it will come back.
After I took the water readings I dosed it up to 4ppm (and I'll check to see that it is at that point).
Then I'll check the water again tomorrow (Thursday at 2pm-ish).
By the way, my 75 gal. tank is perfect . . . except for the hair algae. There are 0 nitrates and perfect soft water for them. I took some photos of them also which will be coming along.
Thanks!
Ann7667

Sounds like you've got it in good shape. On a positive note...every pwc you do just makes you stronger, lol. You should look into a Python or Aqueon water changer for a tank that size. I couldn't live without mine and I've only got a 48 gallon.

 

[Ann7667]

Fishless cycle

Yes, it makes you physically and mentally stronger! LOL, but I had two syphons going - one was a phyton that has a super long hose and drains outside in the french drain and the other one was a shorter hose that went into buckets. I might get one more very long hose and have two going when I do water changes! . . . takes awhile!
But I think I'll get one more real long hose and water the plants outside! They love that fish water! And so do my cats, if I leave a stray bucket out.

 

[eco23]

Yes, it makes you physically and mentally stronger! LOL, but I had two syphons going - one was a phyton that has a super long hose and drains outside in the french drain and the other one was a shorter hose that went into buckets. I might get one more very long hose and have two going when I do water changes! . . . takes awhile!
But I think I'll get one more real long hose and water the plants outside! They love that fish water! And so do my cats, if I leave a stray bucket out.

If you have a good quality water conditioner like Seachem Prime, you can actually add the raw tap water directly to your tank. You would just dose the Prime based on the total volume of the tank (not just the water you are replacing), swish it around real good...then add the tap water straight in. You just want to make sure the temperature of the water is as close as possible to the tank. I do this on every pwc...no buckets required

 

[Deckape]

If you have a good quality water conditioner like Seachem Prime, you can actually add the raw tap water directly to your tank. You would just dose the Prime based on the total volume of the tank (not just the water you are replacing), swish it around real good...then add the tap water straight in. You just want to make sure the temperature of the water is as close as possible to the tank. I do this on every pwc...no buckets required

And an absolute back saver. Been following this and Ann you're one of the nicest folks and extremely eloquent also. Keep up great job..

Wayne the Deckape

 

[Ann7667]

Exactly . . . that's what I do too. The buckets were to just take the water out of the house because one hose was too short. But I also add my tap water in with the phython; however, I usually only put in the amount to cover the new water. But this time I put in enough to cover the whole tank just because I thought it would be better to have too much than too little and I was just guessing how much I would need. So I do like the idea of doing it that way all the time . . . putting enough in for the whole tank. Thank you.
I appreciate any ideas and any tweaking.

 

[Ann7667]

Well THANK you for the compliment Deckape. But don't you have to be REALLY nice to love fish?! Well, also, I like water. I think you really have to LIKE water to want to have fish! And you have to not be afraid of water or of getting shocked.
Yesterday when I was putting water back in the aquarium, the hose slipped out of the tank and water was going everywhere. So I put down my "dollar store bucket that was pretty full" really fast, picked up the hose and wrestled it back into the tank and wondered where the water was STILL coming from and looked at the bucked and it had split when I set it down! So then I took the bucket and thew the water on the patio. My husband heard the ruckus and came in while I was skating around on towels trying to mop up the water (thinking to myself, "Please God, I don't want to die this way!") and he said "Why don't I get the Shop Vac!" Now I also love fish AND water AND shop vacs!
That was funny today; but not very funny yesterday, so I didn't mention it.

Ann7667

 

[Deckape]

Well THANK you for the compliment Deckape. But don't you have to be REALLY nice to love fish?! Well, also, I like water. I think you really have to LIKE water to want to have fish! And you have to not be afraid of water or of getting shocked.
Yesterday when I was putting water back in the aquarium, the hose slipped out of the tank and water was going everywhere. So I put down my "dollar store bucket that was pretty full" really fast, picked up the hose and wrestled it back into the tank and wondered where the water was STILL coming from and looked at the bucked and it had split when I set it down! So then I took the bucket and thew the water on the patio. My husband heard the ruckus and came in while I was skating around on towels trying to mop up the water (thinking to myself, "Please God, I don't want to die this way!") and he said "Why don't I get the Shop Vac!" Now I also love fish AND water AND shop vacs!
That was funny today; but not very funny yesterday, so I didn't mention it.

Ann7667

 

[librarygirl]

Interesting thread

I can't believe it takes 4 cups of ammonia to dose your tank! My jug of ammonia will probably outlast me.

Good luck with your cycle, you seem pretty close and like it's going well (unlike me lol).

 

[bcurlacher54]

ok posting this again without the thread from another sight, because it was taken down. BUT THE LA AWESOME PURE AMMONIA FROM THE DOLLAR STORE BUBBLES WHEN SHAKEN. the other sight i read says the it bubbles and stays bubbly when you shake it. i was going to use it for my cycle but went with the ace brand instead. sorry for the potentially bad news.

 

[Ann7667]

Hi Libray Girl,
Well, it IS a 120 gallon tank. LOL When I first started dosing it, the directions said to put 3 to 5 drops of water for every 10 gallons - so I figured out the amount and was counting my drops LOL, I would have been there all day, except that the drops did not make a dent so I put in 1/4th cup, then a cup, then another cup, and finally at 4 cups it tested out at 4ppm ammonia. Yikes! So I went back to the dollar store and bought 4 more half gallons of their PureAmmonia (I called the company and it's ammonia and water and nothing else). And every 5 or 6 days I buy more or my husband does if he is over that way. So doing the "drop by drop" thing does not work for me LOL.
I do hope I'm coming up on the end of this. It is not my goal to have the beneficial bacteria as pets. I mean, I can't even SEE them . I want them to make the tank a nice home for my FISH which are the pets. But everytime I dose the tank with ammonia, I know that I am feeding the bacteria. And I bet they can hardly wait, because the ammonia always tests at 0 in 24 hours so they have eaten the previous 4 cups.
Libray girl, did you say your tank is not moving along quickly. What's happening with it?
Ann7667
PS: I usually have 4 or 5 jugs of ammonia by the aquarium - makes me a little nervous when I get down to 1 jug.

 

[bcurlacher54]

ok..im sorry if i am wrong...BUT shake the bottle. does it foam?

 

[Ann7667]

bcurlacher54 I did notice that too so I called the company and I said I need to know what all is in that ammonia and they said it is ammonia and water. I asked if there was anything else like surfactants or anything else at all and they said the scientists said that there is only water and ammonia in their brand and that was also stated on the MSPS government sheets. So, that's why I used it. However, you are right that it DOES foam. So I just sent the company an email requesting a list of the ingredients AND I am going to call them again tomorrow and if they tell me that it contains only ammonia and water I'll say that the test or ammonia to see if it has surfactants is to shake it and if it foams it has surfactants. So I'll definitely will check this out again. Thank you for posting about it.

Ann7667

 

[Ann7667]

Well, anyway, after I finish up my 3-1/2 remaining half gallons of Totally awesome Ammonia, (which will only take 7 days) I might just switch to ACE like you did.

 

[Ann7667]

Hi again bcurlacher,
My ammonia definitely does foam and that's why I'm calling the company again. If they say there are no surfactants in it then I'm going to ask why does it foam if there are no surfactants in it.
I've heard that people have a concern also about ammonia hydroxide and ammonia hydroxide is simply ammonia mixed with water. Whenever a company adds something to a chemical, they have to give it a new name (usually that we cannot pronounce . . . LOL) so when they add water to ammonia, it becomes known as ammonia hydroxide. Anyway, if I have chosen the wrong ammonia, at least I haven't harmed any fish, which is my goal . . . to not harm them. I'll let you know what I find out tomorrow.
Thanks for pointing this out.

Ann7667

 

[bcurlacher54]

yes that is the goal. im just a newbie myself and i made it through my fishless cycle w some help from eco23. stick to it and you'll get there. i read another easy way to test the ammonia is to simply fill your sink with some water, pour in your ammonia and turn the water back on, if it foams up like dish soap its not good.

 

[Ann7667]

Hello bcurlacher54,
Mine already foams in the tank, so I just called Totally Awesome and they said to call back in 15 minutes because they are not quite open yet. So I'll do that then post here again. I'm a newbie too at doing a fishless cycle. I tried some bottled stuff twice and nothing happened at all. But thank you for your heads up on this.
Oh, and if they say there is only ammonia and water in it then I'll ask them why it foams up.