trennamw
Aquarium Advice Addict
OK, so I nerded out on fish less cycling for 2 months before starting my first "real" aquarium. I was really sure I knew what I was doing, but obviously I'm missing something. Given I've had some interesting issues with super-soft water, I think it's time to stop reading and start asking.
Tank details:
-My first big aquarium but I've had experience with smaller Betta tanks. I fully understand the nitrogen cycle and have a decent number of A's in college chemistry and biology.
-Marineland 29 gallon kit (Pengiun 100 Bio-Wheel, heater with thermostat, LED)
- I do have the charcoal filter in the Penguin filter; I realize there are those who say "don't" but this filter holds two filter cartridges, so I want to populate the charcoal on this filter with bacteria, and when it starts to wear out I'll add the second filter cartridge, and only discard the first after the second is well populated.
-Powerhead blasting sideways near the surface of the water, and water level a touch low for aeration.
-Intent - Fresh Community Aquarium (danio, cory, a few other tiny schoolers)
-Decor - Plastic plants. Sand, small and medium gravel substrate.
Environmental Stats:
-80-82 degrees (internal thermometer, stick on glass thermometer, and instant read baking thermometer all agree)
-Tap Water, dechlorinated with the correct dose of dechlorinator (various brands)
-pH has been right about 6.5-7
-Using a touch of aquarium salt, slightly less than the instructions on the carton.
**My tap water has very low GH and KH (API dropper test kit turns color at 1 drop, or 17.9 ppm / 1* dKH)** Adjustments detailed below adjust this to a consistent 125 ppm GH, 9 dKH.
Process:
- Calculated 3.7 ml of additive-free ammonia to start things off. Confirmed with API dropper/test tube kit to 4ppm.
- Started with Proper pH 7.0 after months of struggling with other methods of maintaining pH, GH, KH with my super soft tap water. Since then I've finally found success with the Beta Tank without the Proper pH.
- Added a handful of gravel from a healthy tank, but one that hasn't ever cycled (the Beta tank gets aggressive water changes, it has never cycled)
- After no changes for a few weeks I followed advice from both LFSes and PetSmart and added API Quick Start.
- ONE time I saw ammonia suddenly down at .50 with no nitrites or nitrates, but a test the next day had ammonia back at 2-4 ppm so I presume I did that one test wrong.
- The Bio-Wheel on the filter is getting dark colored and smells a little, so I find that somewhat promising ...
Today I got frustrated, read some more, turned up the temperature to 85, and
Ok so the longer story about the soft water ... I've struggled with Bettas in small tanks for the past 6 months, sadly losing a few. I've learned A LOT, including my super soft water being the root of many evils. That and that 1 gallon Mini-Bow aquarium that looks like one of the bigger choices for bettas on the fish store displays (argh).
My favorite fish book has been by Baruchowitz, and recommends Chiclid salts for soft water over crushed coral. I liked the idea, being more exact and controllable. That brought up GH but not KH. Then I tried adding the Chiclid Buffer to the Chiclid Salts, but the KH (in my Betta tank) would be up in a happy place one day, then down to nothing the next.
While wanting to be sensitive about osmotic stress, I've tried a few different things for the soft water. I pay more attention to the Betta tank, as it's "live" and more likely to change.
With the Chiclid Salts and Buffer, even the big tank though would have a big pH drop after a few days. So I tried proper pH, and again this lasted only a few days.
Even Portland's best and brightest LFS suggested Chiclid Salts first, but when I explained what's happening they said to try crushed coral. That (aside from making a huge mess of white powder, even in its nylon sock) has done good things. The pH in the Betta tank and the big tank has been totally stable for 2 weeks now. And the Betta is soooooo happy. He's got lots of new growth on his fins, which had experienced a trace of fin rot, and he's got a bubble nest 2" wide and 1/4" deep. My worst complaint is I've got some diatom/brown algae going on.
Sooo ... the smart thing to do would have been change nothing before I asked everyone here. But what I did instead was, seeing yet another note that cycling works better with a slightly higher pH and temp, I turned up the temp (I'll shoot for 85) and added some more Chiclid buffer (which may raise the KH above what tropical community fish like, but I'm assuming that'll be fixed since I have to do a massive water change before the fish come in anyway).
What next?
And, once it has cycled, what is the most STABLE long term choice for managing my soft water? Just the coral? Or, use the coral but supplement a touch with the Chiclid salts?
I'm following the Baruchowitz book with the stocking scheme too ... Danios, dwarf pencil fish, dwarf cories, dwarf gourami ... he says Pristella but I don't like them and will probably do more Danio or pencil fish instead. (That's another thread).
Thanks all in advance for sharing your knowledge & experience!
Tank details:
-My first big aquarium but I've had experience with smaller Betta tanks. I fully understand the nitrogen cycle and have a decent number of A's in college chemistry and biology.
-Marineland 29 gallon kit (Pengiun 100 Bio-Wheel, heater with thermostat, LED)
- I do have the charcoal filter in the Penguin filter; I realize there are those who say "don't" but this filter holds two filter cartridges, so I want to populate the charcoal on this filter with bacteria, and when it starts to wear out I'll add the second filter cartridge, and only discard the first after the second is well populated.
-Powerhead blasting sideways near the surface of the water, and water level a touch low for aeration.
-Intent - Fresh Community Aquarium (danio, cory, a few other tiny schoolers)
-Decor - Plastic plants. Sand, small and medium gravel substrate.
Environmental Stats:
-80-82 degrees (internal thermometer, stick on glass thermometer, and instant read baking thermometer all agree)
-Tap Water, dechlorinated with the correct dose of dechlorinator (various brands)
-pH has been right about 6.5-7
-Using a touch of aquarium salt, slightly less than the instructions on the carton.
**My tap water has very low GH and KH (API dropper test kit turns color at 1 drop, or 17.9 ppm / 1* dKH)** Adjustments detailed below adjust this to a consistent 125 ppm GH, 9 dKH.
Process:
- Calculated 3.7 ml of additive-free ammonia to start things off. Confirmed with API dropper/test tube kit to 4ppm.
- Started with Proper pH 7.0 after months of struggling with other methods of maintaining pH, GH, KH with my super soft tap water. Since then I've finally found success with the Beta Tank without the Proper pH.
- Added a handful of gravel from a healthy tank, but one that hasn't ever cycled (the Beta tank gets aggressive water changes, it has never cycled)
- After no changes for a few weeks I followed advice from both LFSes and PetSmart and added API Quick Start.
- ONE time I saw ammonia suddenly down at .50 with no nitrites or nitrates, but a test the next day had ammonia back at 2-4 ppm so I presume I did that one test wrong.
- The Bio-Wheel on the filter is getting dark colored and smells a little, so I find that somewhat promising ...
Today I got frustrated, read some more, turned up the temperature to 85, and
Ok so the longer story about the soft water ... I've struggled with Bettas in small tanks for the past 6 months, sadly losing a few. I've learned A LOT, including my super soft water being the root of many evils. That and that 1 gallon Mini-Bow aquarium that looks like one of the bigger choices for bettas on the fish store displays (argh).
My favorite fish book has been by Baruchowitz, and recommends Chiclid salts for soft water over crushed coral. I liked the idea, being more exact and controllable. That brought up GH but not KH. Then I tried adding the Chiclid Buffer to the Chiclid Salts, but the KH (in my Betta tank) would be up in a happy place one day, then down to nothing the next.
While wanting to be sensitive about osmotic stress, I've tried a few different things for the soft water. I pay more attention to the Betta tank, as it's "live" and more likely to change.
With the Chiclid Salts and Buffer, even the big tank though would have a big pH drop after a few days. So I tried proper pH, and again this lasted only a few days.
Even Portland's best and brightest LFS suggested Chiclid Salts first, but when I explained what's happening they said to try crushed coral. That (aside from making a huge mess of white powder, even in its nylon sock) has done good things. The pH in the Betta tank and the big tank has been totally stable for 2 weeks now. And the Betta is soooooo happy. He's got lots of new growth on his fins, which had experienced a trace of fin rot, and he's got a bubble nest 2" wide and 1/4" deep. My worst complaint is I've got some diatom/brown algae going on.
Sooo ... the smart thing to do would have been change nothing before I asked everyone here. But what I did instead was, seeing yet another note that cycling works better with a slightly higher pH and temp, I turned up the temp (I'll shoot for 85) and added some more Chiclid buffer (which may raise the KH above what tropical community fish like, but I'm assuming that'll be fixed since I have to do a massive water change before the fish come in anyway).
What next?
And, once it has cycled, what is the most STABLE long term choice for managing my soft water? Just the coral? Or, use the coral but supplement a touch with the Chiclid salts?
I'm following the Baruchowitz book with the stocking scheme too ... Danios, dwarf pencil fish, dwarf cories, dwarf gourami ... he says Pristella but I don't like them and will probably do more Danio or pencil fish instead. (That's another thread).
Thanks all in advance for sharing your knowledge & experience!