Plants vs Ammonia / Nitrites / Nitrates

[F4A]

I bought a German JBL nitrite testing kit today and it is a LOT better than the API one. The ranges on the JBL are a lot smaller so its far more accurate than the API.

The API goes: 0 - 0.25 - 0.50 - 1.0 - 2.0 - 5.0
The JBL goes: 0 - 0.025 - 0.05 - 0.1 - 0.2 - 0.4 - 0.6 - 0.8 - 1.0

+1 for JBL
-1 for API

My nitrite is showing as 0.05ppm exactly. I take it this level is acceptable?

 

[fort384]

I am not sure why you would need a kit that measures it that precisely. Was there a cost difference? In my opinion the only acceptable nitrite reading=0.

Keep checking it, and do a PWC of 50% when it gets above 0.2. Same with your ammonia.

 

[F4A]

I don't but the API was showing 0 nitrite when clearly there was. Likewise the ammonia reading has been showing 0.25 when it was 0.5 and thats only assuming the 0.5 is actually correct. API was £25 for 5 tests. These were pH High, pH Broad Range, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. The JBL was £13 just for the Nitrite, however the refil is just £6 in future. I am far more impressed with the quality of the JBL over the API one.

I have just cleaned the tank and filter. I have managed to add all of the SeaChem Matrix into the same basket as the Fluval BioMax, plus I added about 16 API BactiStars into the bottom basket with a polishing pad. Water flow has been reduced but its still enough to do the filtering.

I did find another snail in the filter, this time it was a Ramshorn by the look of it. Its still very tiny about 5mm. I am yet to read up on these but I saved it just incase

One other thing I have tried is adding a small amount of filter wool into the end of the inlet pipe. I am hoping this will stop guppy fry being sucked up into the filter, plus it should also help block large leaves.

 

[fort384]

That should help out with your fry.

Good to know on the JBL tests, thanks for sharing. I just had a quick look around, and it doesn't look like it is available is the US... but will keep it in mind for our UK folks.

I think though that the API FW Master kit is economical, and close enough... but it goes to show that often times you get what you pay for!

 

[F4A]

Fort, maybe you can help me with two other things...

When I started my tank after a few days I got a white slime building up all over the tank. For some reason it built up on the rubber suction cups more than the glass. Several weeks on and it still builds up, and its a pain. You don't really notice it on the glass because it build up evenly so unless you look down the side of the glass and rub your finger along it you can't really see it. It is noticable on the rubber suction cups. I've asked around but no-one seems to know what it is. Any ideas?

Secondly, two of the plants in my tank are starting to rot. I don't know the name of these but they are aquatic plants.

My egeria densa are growing like mad, I had to trim them down to 2 inches a few weeks back and already they are back to a foot tall :/ The water wisteria is also doing very well considering it doesn't have any roots. I also have some Vallisneria Spiralis which seems ok, 1 or 2 leaves are brown but I think I broke some last week cleaning around it.

 

[fort384]

They do not look aquatic to me at first glance.

 

[F4A]

They do not look aquatic to me at first glance.

Sorry bud you are wrong there....

Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis 53B'- buy Nature Aquarium Plants | The Green Machine

Vallisneria americana (gigantea) - buy aquatic aquarium plants online | The Green Machine

 

[fort384]

Maybe I am looking at it wrong, but it doesn't look like that particular type of val. The leaves on your plant look variegated. There are not any variegated aquatic vals that I know of.

If that is h corymbosa, it is in pretty sad shape. H Corymbosa usually has leaves that grow much more densely.

 

[F4A]

The leaves you can see are new-ish leaves, the big ones got cut off a few weeks back. Do these vals like plant foods? I've heard some plants die off with florish plant feed (or whatever its called?).

 

[Crepe]

Plants favor the absorption of ammonia over nitrates. Don't know about nitrites.

I'd also wait a tad longer on those plants. The second one looks emersed....it'll die off then come back (if it is aquatic). The top one also looks aquatic to me but I can't give an id without a whole picture.

additionally - those don't look like giant vals....some other val maybe...Either way you need more light....

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Yes, you can get faulty test kits. I've had a couple.

Is this heard of?

I'm using the API Freshwater testing kit so its not cheap rubbish that I'm using.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

With these plants, you will need more light. I have so many vals in my 75G, the bottom of the tank is dark. They cover almost the entire surface of the tank. They grow fast, and spread fast. Just need the right light.

Sorry bud you are wrong there....

Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis 53B'- buy Nature Aquarium Plants | The Green Machine

Vallisneria americana (gigantea) - buy aquatic aquarium plants online | The Green Machine

 

[redfisher1139]

Taking out the foam pads and rinsing them with cold tap water. I would replace the filter wool or polishing pads with new. If necessary, rinsing the bio media with clean dechlorinated water.

This is why you are not cycling. If the media needs to be cleaned, just rinse it real good in the tank water just pulled for a PWC. Everytime you rinse with fresh water or replace, you lose all the beneficial bacteria that has built up, and essentially restart your cycle. You should only have to replace media when it is falling apart. The info provided by the instructions and your lfs is for sales purposes and not the health of your tank.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

This is why you are not cycling. If the media needs to be cleaned, just rinse it real good in the tank water just pulled for a PWC. Everytime you rinse with fresh water or replace, you lose all the beneficial bacteria that has built up, and essentially restart your cycle. You should only have to replace media when it is falling apart. The info provided by the instructions and your lfs is for sales purposes and not the health of your tank.

Also, if you have more than one type of media, don't clean it all at the same time. Just lightly clean one item in tank water taken out from a PWC, wait a couple days and do another item. The more you do at once, the slower the cycle will be.

 

[F4A]

The tank is cycling just fine, I had a faulty testing kit which confused me into thinking it wasn't cycling at all. All is ok now though

 

[Sergiotorr]

The tank is cycling just fine, I had a faulty testing kit which confused me into thinking it wasn't cycling at all. All is ok now though

How did you figure out that your test kit was faulty?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Cool....

The only way to tell if you have a faulty kit is to take a water sample in and have it tested at the pet shop, or buy another kit to see if it does the same or not.

 

[F4A]

How much water can be changed per day if the ammonia gets too high? If I wanted to do say a 50% water change, could I do 5 x 10% changes in one day, or 2 x 25%?

 

[fort384]

You can change 50% in one change. I do 50% weekly on my tanks.

 

[F4A]

If I did 50% in one go, wouldn't I have to heat the fresh water before adding it into the tank?