Log for cycling my 75g tank.

[zparticle]

Wow awesome another tank? Um, how many is this for you now? lol This is great! Good luck!

Five total: 2 75gs, 1 55g, 1 20g, 1 5g

 

[zparticle]

Anyone here want to make my day and tell me these aren't soap bubbles?

View attachment 48419

 

[eco23]

Anyone here want to make my day and tell me these aren't soap bubbles?

<img src="http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=48419"/>

That thing has a date with a garden hose...a long date.

I'd look into the bleach solution breaking down soap residue idea..

 

[zparticle]

Crap....

Okay time to get out the sand scoop. Bleach huh, just a little I assume. Any tips before I get this all broken down and put back together just find out I didn't clean it enough again? I might as well go whole hog while I'm doing this.

 

[Clynnking]

Impossible to have too many tanks! Wish my husband agreed.

 

[eco23]

Crap....

Okay time to get out the sand scoop. Bleach huh, just a little I assume. Any tips before I get this all broken down and put back together just find out I didn't clean it enough again? I might as well go whole hog while I'm doing this.

The idea that bleach helps break down the soap residue is just something I saw mentioned last night when I was researching this...I'm not sure if it works or not. The normal bleach solution for cleaning aquariums is 20:1 I believe. (water to bleach obviously).

Sorry dude. This definitely sucks...but at least you discovered (what sure looks like) a problem before you got too deep into it.

Watch out for spiders in the yard

 

[eco23]

Hang on.....

*oops, I meant to edit this post...not make a new reply.

 

[eco23]

To me, that 100% looks like soap, but before you break it down I'd definitely try tasting it, and scoop a bit of water into a jar and shake it around to see if it foams and stays there compared to tap water.

I had some bubbles cranking out during a cycle and never saw anything like that...but I'd hate for you to spend the day cleaning it, only to set it back up and have the same thing happen. Maybe stick the air stones in the other tank (after a rinse), and see if it does anything remotely similar?

 

[zparticle]

Well it tastes okay and when I shake it in a jar I do get a little bit of bubbles but they look like normal air bubbles to me, they don't last long. The thing is I tested the pH again and it is back to normal after I did the water change which has me spooked. I think I'm going to tear it down just to be safe.

If I don't do this then the entire bottled-bacteria experiment is invalid because I'll never be sure if the bubbles were a problem or not. Off to the store to get some bleach and breakfast.

I guess this gives me the opportunity to do another time lapse video.

 

[eco23]

I'd do the same. Sorry man.

 

[zparticle]

Okay the tank is back up, so far no bubbles, the glass literally squeaks when rubbed so that is good. I used Clorox Green Works bleach to clean it.

The pH is back to normal.

Time Lapse Video

 

[zparticle]

LOG: Day 1 - REDUX

Ammonia: 4ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm
pH: 7.4

Took the two used chunks of filter material from the canisters on the 55g that I was using to seed the thing and completely rinsed them out into this tanks water. They were filthy, hopefully that will get things going. I also put in the last 50ml of the nutrafin cycle that I had.

I know putting the seed material in there invalidates the test, at least partially, but I'm too frustrated to care right now.

 

[eco23]

I'm sorry you had to do it...but I LOVE these videos, haha! This one even had a guest appearance by the cat

 

[librarygirl]

Ha, those time lapse videos are great!

Wow, um, you can carry a 75 gal all by yourself! That's nuts! lol

Sorry you had to redo this but doing it now is a lot better than 3 months down the road when you're wondering why your tank isn't cycling. :/

 

[zparticle]

Wow, um, you can carry a 75 gal all by yourself! That's nuts! lol

Well I'm a pretty big guy. LOL

 

[zparticle]

Wow getting the tannin (sp?)out of the DW was way faster than I expected. I have added it to the tank. It will be interesting to see what it does to the pH.

The blue fuzzy things on the left are chunks of used filter I'm using to seed the bacteria. They are almost cleaned out now, the water is still a bit icky from them.

View attachment 48483

 

[JimmyA]

Wow, that tank looks beautiful! But you have fake plants, right?

 

[zparticle]

yep waiting for the real ones to show up in the mail.

 

[JimmyA]

Man you are doing great! Looks terrific! Hope your plants work out well! You have an awesome setup!

 

[zparticle]

I just rinsed the filters of three tanks in this tanks water. You can't even see the fake plants or the DW, lol. If that doesn't get things going nothing will. I guess the bottled bacteria experiment is ... OVER!