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I fill two 55 gallon barrels tied together using pvc and uniseals with cold tap (hot water tanks are bad news) and let it age 24h with a pump recirculating the water. After a day or so it's up to temp. Dose with prime while i drain the aquariums, use the same pump to push it into the tanks...

If your ph is below 6.5 or so it can stall the cycle, usually nitrites will show up before that happens. If you're using unbuffered rodi water, it happens very quickly due to lack of kh. I'm a fan of regular water changes during fishless cycling, just to replace the buffering capacity, which...

Once chinese "algae" eaters reach a certain age, they go psychotic and start eating the eyes/slime coat of tank mates. Seems your guy may have reached that stage. Also, red streaking of the body and/or fins is a hint at septicemia. It's generally brought on by stress and poor water quality...

Quality dried food (i like massivore) with what you're currently feeding. Feed two or three times a day. Also frequent large water changes, keep nitrates under 15. Keep the temperature near the high end of their range for a faster metabolism. This will likely shorten their life somewhat, but...

I love safe. Safe is prime without water, it's a bit tricky on smaller tanks but saves tons of $. Dissolving it in a cup of water prior to adding it to a tank is a good idea. Sent from my LG-E980 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Age tap water for 24 hours to get an accurate ph reading. I age water in brute trash cans for a day to avoid a swing in my tank. Sent from my LG-E980 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

If using buckets, dose each buckets with enough prime for 5 gallons. If using a hose to add water to the tank, dose the tank with enough to treat 75 gallons before adding new water. Also, make sure the new water is within 2f of the tanks water. It's also important to know if your city uses...

Without looking up the exact numbers, 1ppm of ammonia becomes 3ppm of nitrites, 3ppm of nitrites becomes 3.4 ppm of nitrates. That might be off by a little. As ammonia is converted, carbonate is used up, which will lower ph. If none is replaced you can have a ph crash which will stall a cycle...

Any chance you have a salt water led setup? Sent from my LG-E980 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

10ppm of ammonia? Retest please. Anything over .25 is generally bad news. If it's above .5ppm do a very large water change of at least 75%. Sent from my LG-E980 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

There are higher resolution test strips, Grainger has a couple. http://m.grainger.com/mobile/product/INDUSTRIAL-TEST-SYSTEMS-Test-Strips-WP70513/_/N-kr6Z1z0a583?fromPidp=true Sent from my LG-E980 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

It'd work, you may need restrict the level of flow to the side with the fry using foam or floss. It might be easier to build a drop in fry cage than trying to retrofit the filter to keep them contained. Sent from my LG-E980 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

There are lots of reagentless online free chlorine monitors, though unless I'm missing a consumer grade one they start around $3000. Would teeing off the line prior to the membrane for regular testing be feasible? Sent from my LG-E980 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Look to be about done, congrats! your fish will thank you. Sent from my LG-E980 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

If the ph falls you will stall a cycle, which can happen easily in a small tank. It should stay over 7.0 while cycling, which will likely require a handful of water changes semi regularly, depending on the buffering capacity of your tap water. My opinion is nearly every stalled cycle is from a...

A total dissolved solids meter would tell ya if anything is getting by. Sent from my LG-E980 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

I only recently learned this stuff myself, it's way above my head. Apparently very little chloride is needed to combat nitrite toxicity compared to sodium needed to combat certain parasites...

Unless nitrites spike I'd not worry about it. But the dosage is 1 teaspoon per gallon. It's important to not use salt if ammonia is present, since the higher ph will greatly increase its toxicity. Large water changes daily or more frequently using predechlorinated water is the best route if...

Ah i missed that, sorry. I'd wait until nitrates are detectable before assuming a light stocking is stable. Even then expect a mini cycle from 20 rapidly growing fish and be prepared with prime + time to do large water changes to keep ammonia as safe as possible. Maybe some aquarium salt to...

You need an ammonia source and test results showing the ammonia and nitrites are being processed before a tank can be called "established." Then you can sort out the sort of fish load you can add. Does it process 2ppm of ammonia into nitrites, then nitrates in 24 hours? You're good to add a...

You could use both lines as drains, and plumb the return out the back of the stand. Sent from my LG-E980 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Long fin bristlenose Sent from my LG-E980 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

If you don't mind twisting wires together Home Depot sells single bulb t5ho shop lights that can be wired individually for ~40. You could also snag a few ballasts and rig up something with what you have most likely. After double checking, it seems they're lacking a reflector. I'm sure with...

From Bulkhead Flow Rate Art These results demonstrate that with typical overflow plumbing (that is a straight shot to the sump, no strainers) a: 2 inch bulkhead will flow approximately 1350 GPH 1 ½ inch bulkhead will flow approximately 975 GPH 1 inch bulkhead will flow approximately 350...

I use styrene sheets, like what diffuses lights in offices. Six bucks per 2x4 sheet. Cuts like acrylic with score and snap, or a saw blade. It's not very ridged but it doesn't warp from moisture...