Videonut85
Aquarium Advice Regular
Are you using carbon? If so I recommend removing it. Trust me
Carbon removed.
Are you using carbon? If so I recommend removing it. Trust me
Check out the last couple pages of my guide thread in my signature. We've been dealing with this a lot recently and there's lots of discussion about crushed coral. Fixed everyone right up so far.
tmdavies said:why does carbon affect the cycle, because i am about to do my first fishless cycle with a fluval 305 and that comes woth carbon in the filter should i remove that?
tmdavies said:yeah i read it a few times already what could i put in instead of carbon because the filter is filled half with carbon
tmdavies said:why does carbon affect the cycle, because i am about to do my first fishless cycle with a fluval 305 and that comes woth carbon in the filter should i remove that?
tmdavies said:yeah i have lots of seeding material from my other tank, think i will replace the carbon with gravel from that tank.
I have filled my old tank with all the decorations i have aswell so when i put them in the new one ill have a bigger head start.
tmdavies said:yeah i have put extra media in my old one aswell. will keep you posted
tmdavies said:yeah i have extra media in my old tank to take out and add into the new filter when i get it up and running
Videonut85 said:Make that day 89. I'm going crazy here.
Ammonia 3 to 3.5 ppm (dosing with Austin's Clear Ammonia)
Nitrite over 5 ppm (it was around 3 ppm 2 days ago)
Nitrate I believe between 40 and 80 (It's stop sign red)
PH 7.8 (should I be lowering this?)
Temp 84 F
29 Gal Freshwater, filled with tap water (from well, not public water)
No carbon
Aquaclear 50 with floss media and 2 ceramic bio bags.
A pinch of flake food once per week.
Plenty of aeration.
The ammonia conversion is happening but extremely slowly. I can't tell a difference from day to day on the tests, but over the course of a few days I can see the ammonia dropped about 1 ppm. The water is mildly to moderately cloudy, but I can def. see through the tank. It has been like this for about a week.
Ammo's good, spikes of no2 and no3 are good, pH is good, temperature is good.
Are you using a water conditioner? Even though you're on a well and there is no chlorine, a water conditioner like Seachem Prime is still a good idea because it neutralizes heavy metals and other compounds that could be putting the breaks on the cycle.
If the nitrIte is above 5, I'd do around a 50% water change and use a conditioner (sorry if you said you already are ). I know that brand of ammonia is good...but it may be worth checking to make sure there is no tiny print that says it contains anything other than ammonia and water. I assume there cam be different versions of the same brand.
Yeah, that stuff is fine as long as you used the proper dose when you set it up. Did you add it in initially? When's the last time you did a water change? If it's been a long time, the cycle is probably just stalled from super high no2 and no3. I'd say a 50-60 pwc with conditioned, same temp water may be all you need to get moving.