Q re cycling new 10gal tank

[Andy Sager]

Everything u’ve said (re nitrate load) makes sense—period—no argument!

After 60 years of fish keeping, ya get to know a few things.

Since i’ve been learning on the go, i’ve made a truckload of mistakes that have ultimately been beneficial since they’ve highlighted the priorities of this process & heightened my edge in knowing what to look for/what to avoid, etc.. I’ve become somewhat fanatic—i’m not a ‘half way’ type—it’s ‘all in’ or not at all…

The thing with fish tanks is that there are a number of " If this, then that" situations going on so if you have "that", you had to have "this" . If you have "this" you can expect to have " that" soon.

So, i check certain water parameters daily:
amm., nitrite, pH; i sometimes check the pH 2ce/day because it sporadically creeps toward acidity, & i like to keep it within the 7-7.6 range.

The pH level can change throughout the day based on plant respiration, fish excretions, fish activity, etc. so seeing an " off" number is not cause to panic but a reason to check again to confirm the reading AND check again another time of the same day to see if it corrected before doing anything about the situation.

Amm./nitrite r consistently 0; i don’t always check nitrate because i know it’s mostly high & i do a water change every 5 days to keep it below 20ppm.

I suggest checking nitrates about day #3 just to make sure the level did not exceed 40 ppm faster than you are changing water. It SHOULDN'T but as I said before, I like to know things, not guess at things.

Re the hillstream’s eating/pooping, my thoroughness extends to daily removal of uneaten grub & any other conspicuous waste.

But the ammonia can be being produced during the time they are eating the wafer and you may not be finding it all. Snails poop so with your other snails eating algae all day, they be pooping all day too.

Although i have a product on hand, i haven’t used fertilizer because the plants have gone wild without it, which is why i was able to transfer a quantity of them to the 10gal

If that's the case, then you know there are enough nutrients being produced in the tank which means..... you knowwwwwwww

Tonight i did the ~75% water change, temp reset, etc, on the 10gal per your instruction:
dropped temp to 75F—pH, at the moment, remains at 7.6—amm./nitrite both 0 (yippee)—& the nitrate is a bit above 5ppm (est. re ‘colour’).

Not sure when i’ll feel confident enough to add varmints; will check levels tomorrow—stability will boost my confidence!

Of course u continue to have my gratitude—you’re a stellar teacher

You make me blush Glad to help.

 

[EGGBERT]

Hey Andy—hope all’s well w/u…
I’m back w/a progress report & need for further advice

Re ‘progress’…
It’s day 6 of the occupation of the newly cycled 10 gallon. The readings r mainly consistent: ‘0’: nitrite, ammonia; pH: 7.6.
Nitrate however is betw. 10-20, so i’m thinking today it’s water change time; yes?

Also, right now, mostly from testing, testing, & testing—WATER LEVEL DROP. It’s down about 1/4”. So—big Q: is it better to do a partial water change (to replace h2o & hopefully reduce nitrate) or just replace the lost water?

On the topic of dropped water level, when should lost water (via testing or evaporation) just be replaced?

I purchased an assassin snail—should be coming today. I also introduced 2 hillstream loaches—so now there r ‘3’. Didn’t want the singlet to remain a solo act, & i’ve read, consistently, that they’re happiest in groups. 5 would probably be preferable, but i’m hoping this compromise (a threesome) works.

I know some folks will pitch a fit re population vs real estate (10 gal!!!), but i’m otherwise insanely responsible. The tank is loaded w/plants & some brilliant hiding spots that they all love.

Wanted to be transparent about this. Any & all input welcome, but right now, most important: water change or replacement. Please advise. TY!!!

 

[Andy Sager]

Hey Andy—hope all’s well w/u…
I’m back w/a progress report & need for further advice

Re ‘progress’…
It’s day 6 of the occupation of the newly cycled 10 gallon. The readings r mainly consistent: ‘0’: nitrite, ammonia; pH: 7.6.
Nitrate however is betw. 10-20, so i’m thinking today it’s water change time; yes?

Yes, if you started with 0 nitrates after cycling and changing the first batch of water and in 6 days you got that much nitrates, you will probably be best to do water changes every 3-4 days IMO.

Also, right now, mostly from testing, testing, & testing—WATER LEVEL DROP. It’s down about 1/4”. So—big Q: is it better to do a partial water change (to replace h2o & hopefully reduce nitrate) or just replace the lost water?

If you take water out of the tank, you are taking all of the things in the water ( i.e GH, nitrates, ammonia, etc.) and the levels will be the same as if the tank was full. If water evaporates, nothing leaves with the water so your GH rises, other chemicals rise, etc. so if you want to get really technical, you should be replacing evaporated water with RO or distilled water as those also have nothing in them other than H &O.

On the topic of dropped water level, when should lost water (via testing or evaporation) just be replaced?

IMO, when it's noticeable that the water level has fallen. There is no up side to having leftover water from evaporation in a fish tank. Fish like consistency more than most anything else. Evaporation and refills causes ups and downs. By doing more frequent water changes, you'll be removing water that may have just a little bit of a rise and refilling to the proper level.

I purchased an assassin snail—should be coming today. I also introduced 2 hillstream loaches—so now there r ‘3’. Didn’t want the singlet to remain a solo act, & i’ve read, consistently, that they’re happiest in groups. 5 would probably be preferable, but i’m hoping this compromise (a threesome) works.

You'll find out when you find out. Hopefully you end up with 1 male and 2 females. That would be better than 2 males and 1 female as the males might fight for her affections.

I know some folks will pitch a fit re population vs real estate (10 gal!!!), but i’m otherwise insanely responsible. The tank is loaded w/plants & some brilliant hiding spots that they all love.

Hey, it's your tank and your money to lose. Nobody else should be pitching a fit. What they can do if it doesn't work is say " I told you so."

Wanted to be transparent about this. Any & all input welcome, but right now, most important: water change or replacement. Please advise. TY!!!

 

[EGGBERT]

Thanks for the input Andy

I can do a partial water change every few days, per your recommendation. If i’m doing it that frequently, what %age would u suggest?

Re distilled h2o—it sounds like it might be a good idea to keep a jug (or 3) at hand. Assuming ‘conditioning’ the water remains a necessity? But i’m only thinking of minor h2o replenishment between changes.

Per the hillstream sexing vids i’ve watched, i think i have 2 females, 1 male. One of the females is Pancake—the original occupant—& she is very territorial; the newbies r very peaceful, & appear to be crafty—ie, they’re adapting to the lay of the land (recognition of Queen Pancake), so seem happy.

Received the assassin snail—appears very healthy, & determined—has ‘quadrinavigated’ the tank several times—appears primed for its purpose in life! My only concern is that they apparently prefer a sandy substrate, whereas the tank’s substrate is geared to hillstreams: lotsa smooth rocks interspersed w/regular gravel. Do u think i should introduce some sand? Apparently the assassins like to excavate!!! Please advise. TY

 

[Andy Sager]

Thanks for the input Andy

I can do a partial water change every few days, per your recommendation. If i’m doing it that frequently, what %age would u suggest?

Check your nitrate on day 3 and see what it is. That can help determine your percentage to change. It's all about the math. For example: If you have 10 ppm and you want to get to 5 ppm, you change half the water. If you have 5 ppm and you want to get to 1 ppm, you change 4/5th of the water.

Re distilled h2o—it sounds like it might be a good idea to keep a jug (or 3) at hand. Assuming ‘conditioning’ the water remains a necessity? But i’m only thinking of minor h2o replenishment between changes.

What are you referring to by " conditioning"? If you have water that evaporated, you pour in distilled water to bring the level back to full. Bottled distilled water or RO needs no additives when you are using it for evaporation reclamation. This is not like you are replacing water you took out on purpose that you need to remineralize distilled or RO water before using.

Per the hillstream sexing vids i’ve watched, i think i have 2 females, 1 male. One of the females is Pancake—the original occupant—& she is very territorial; the newbies r very peaceful, & appear to be crafty—ie, they’re adapting to the lay of the land (recognition of Queen Pancake), so seem happy.

I'll have to take your word for it. I've never kept them before and they were not available when I was selling fish.

Received the assassin snail—appears very healthy, & determined—has ‘quadrinavigated’ the tank several times—appears primed for its purpose in life! My only concern is that they apparently prefer a sandy substrate, whereas the tank’s substrate is geared to hillstreams: lotsa smooth rocks interspersed w/regular gravel. Do u think i should introduce some sand? Apparently the assassins like to excavate!!! Please advise. TY

Guess you should have done more research on that snail before the purchase. I seem to recall giving you a list of 3 or 4 types to choose from. For now, I'd see if the snail does okay. He may be able to excavate your gravel so no need for sand. Adding sand on top of your gravel will probably not help as it will fall in between the stones making the substrate less able to have water flow and cause dead pockets in it.
Don't forget to put some other snail or eat in there for the assassin to eat. They are not solely algae eating snails. They are carnivores that eat some salad in between the steak and the next steak.

 

[EGGBERT]

Andy—remember: i got the assassin to check a bladder snail explosion, so this guy has a bounty of ‘steak’!!!!!

I did read up on them prior to purchase—none of the accounts referenced the sand factor, plus, i was primarily interested in their behaviour, but yeah, i should’ve been more thorough!!!

I did, however, rule out the other snail species for specific reasons; the assassin was ultimately the best choice based on certain criteria.

Another thing is—& i’m sure u know this too well: different folks have different opinions, so data, statistics, vary, & ultimately, one has to take a calculated risk!

What i meant by ‘conditioning’ is adding the stuff used to dechlorinate—friendly bacteria—etc.. Granted, distilled water is pure, so factors potentially harmful to water dwellers is a moot point—BUT—i take nothing for granted, hence my Q!

The journey of discovery continues

 

[Andy Sager]

Andy—remember: i got the assassin to check a bladder snail explosion, so this guy has a bounty of ‘steak’!!!!!

I answer a lot of questions here so please forgive me if I can't remember everybody's past questions. As you can see from the time I answered your post, it was the end of the day and I work a lot of hours so I only go by what I read vs what I remember.
I still believe the snail should be okay as long as the substrate isn't boulders and just gravel.

I did read up on them prior to purchase—none of the accounts referenced the sand factor, plus, i was primarily interested in their behaviour, but yeah, i should’ve been more thorough!!!

I did, however, rule out the other snail species for specific reasons; the assassin was ultimately the best choice based on certain criteria.

Another thing is—& i’m sure u know this too well: different folks have different opinions, so data, statistics, vary, & ultimately, one has to take a calculated risk!

As I was once told, "Opinions are like rear ends, everybody's got one. " LOL Considering that animal behavior can vary from person to person, I depend on more professional data. There are a few sites online that are very good for getting data regarding fish. Fishbase & Seriously fish are my general "go to" sites. I stay of of places like Facebook groups and the hundreds of groups that have formed on there ( and I'm a member of 4 of those groups. )

What i meant by ‘conditioning’ is adding the stuff used to dechlorinate—friendly bacteria—etc.. Granted, distilled water is pure, so factors potentially harmful to water dwellers is a moot point—BUT—i take nothing for granted, hence my Q!

That's what threw me because you don't need to " condition" distilled or RO water just for "evaporation reclamation. " No worries, ask away.

The journey of discovery continues

A lot of fish keeping was trial and error when I was getting started so long ago and there will always be some of that even today because so many of the fish available today are manmade creations so they come with new issues that the old wild fish never had to deal with. The best you can do is learn theories because the theories don't change, just the way you apply them has. There is literally nothing you are doing today that wasn't being done 60 years ago when I got started. Only the machines have changed.

 

[EGGBERT]

Andy, i wasn’t being critical when i reminded u of why i got the assassin snail, so i deeply, deeply apologize if what i said offended
I am certain that the volume of enlightenment u extend is encyclopedic, & i am grateful to be among those who have benefited from your wisdom

I will visit those 2 fish info sites u mentioned; if they work for u, i assume they’re well-worth visiting

The assassin snail is adapting to a sandless aquascape (see attached pix!).

This weekend i’m acquiring a couple of jugs of distilled water!!!

 

[Andy Sager]

Andy, i wasn’t being critical when i reminded u of why i got the assassin snail, so i deeply, deeply apologize if what i said offended
I am certain that the volume of enlightenment u extend is encyclopedic, & i am grateful to be among those who have benefited from your wisdom

No worries. I wasn't offended, just explaining why. In some of the other groups I WAS in, people would think they were the only people I was helping so I should remember everything about them. That may have worked when I was in a brick & mortar store but the internet is a whole other world.

I will visit those 2 fish info sites u mentioned; if they work for u, i assume they’re well-worth visiting

Keep in mind that those sites are giving you information about the wild fish in regards to water parameters, temperatures and such. The information about the species as a whole however usually transfers between wild caught and farm bred fish regarding tank size, tank mates, breeding, sex differences, etc. Keep that in mind when you get fish so that you apply the right info to the right version you are getting.

The assassin snail is adapting to a sandless aquascape (see attached pix!).

I had a feeling it would.

This weekend i’m acquiring a couple of jugs of distilled water!!!

 

[EGGBERT]

Hi Andy—hope your long weekend is proving to be enjoyable/renewing…

Today’s Qs:
- w/Summer drawing nigh & the expectation of soaring temps, i was wondering what devices r available to COOL aquarium water temp if one lacks AC?

- Nitrate levels continue to be my greatest challenge in both the 5gal & the 10gal. The lowest i’ve achieved is betw. 5-10ppm; the average is betw. 10-20ppm. Is frequent water changing THE only/best control approach?

- a few posts back i’d mentioned dramatic pH fluctuations & u referenced ‘plant respiration’ as a possible contributing factor; i wonder if it’s possible to elaborate on that a bit?

THANKS in advance for any input!!!

 

[Andy Sager]

Hi Andy—hope your long weekend is proving to be enjoyable/renewing…

Today’s Qs:
- w/Summer drawing nigh & the expectation of soaring temps, i was wondering what devices r available to COOL aquarium water temp if one lacks AC?

- Nitrate levels continue to be my greatest challenge in both the 5gal & the 10gal. The lowest i’ve achieved is betw. 5-10ppm; the average is betw. 10-20ppm. Is frequent water changing THE only/best control approach?

- a few posts back i’d mentioned dramatic pH fluctuations & u referenced ‘plant respiration’ as a possible contributing factor; i wonder if it’s possible to elaborate on that a bit?

THANKS in advance for any input!!!

They do make aquarium chillers but to be honest, they are too expensive to use on such small tanks. Another option is to have a fan blowing over the tanks. You also want to increase aeration when the temps go up because warmer water holds less oxygen.

Your nitrate issues are because you have too much ammonia production in such small tanks. You don't get nitrates if you don't have ammonia conversion. One way to stop that is to lower the pH to almost 5.0 so there is no nitrification happening. That just means you need to do more cleaning because with no nitrification, nothing breaks down so you have a tank full of poo. That also means that you need to have that can live in such low pH and most of those will not live in a 5 or 10 gallon tank. There are some matrixes you can buy that will absorb ammonia or you need to use certain plants that will utilize the nitrate and lower it's level in the tank naturally.

As for plant respiration, ere's a hmore detailed explanation:

• CO2 Release:
  During respiration, plants break down organic matter and release CO2 as a byproduct.
• Carbonic Acid Formation:
  CO2 combines with water to form carbonic acid (H2CO3).
• pH Decrease:
  Carbonic acid dissociates into hydrogen ions (H+) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3-), leading to a decrease in pH (becoming more acidic).
• Diurnal Fluctuations:
  In systems like aquariums, plants respire throughout the day and night. During the light-off period, photosynthesis stops, but respiration continues, leading to an accumulation of CO2 and a corresponding decrease in pH.
• Buffering Capacity:
  The buffering capacity of the water (alkalinity) plays a role in the magnitude of pH fluctuations. Lower buffering capacity can lead to larger pH drops, especially in soft-water environments.
• Impact on Aquatic Life:
  The pH fluctuations caused by plant respiration can impact other organisms in the ecosystem, such as fish.
  
  

 

[EGGBERT]

Hey Andy!!! Been quiet/withdrawn because sad, bad events have been transpiring (for weeks) w/non-aquatic species, ergo, ptsd’ing-out But here i am again to plumb your brilliance & wisdom, so here’s the deal—hot topic, again, NITRATES.

Before i explicate, & before u point to what what i ‘should’, ideally, be doing—please, please consider/remember ‘empirical limitations’—to wit: i CANNOT setup/accommodate a bigger tank ‘at this time’; consider that yet another goal—but for the moment, our focus is a 10 gallon.

The last time i posted i shared the bladder snail prob (YIKES: prolific lil f’ers). So i got 3 assassin snails & i remove egg masses when i see them.

Before i get to THE point, i have to state that the residents ‘appear’ happy/healthy; the water parameters r consistent: nitrite/ammonia, 0… pH holds at 7.2 (dropped from 7.6).

Freaking out over NITRATE, which is rarely below betw. 10-20; I do a water change every few days; last did one on Saturday (7th); on May 30th rinsed filter & filtration media in the removed (to be discarded) water. Am doing another one tonight—the nitrate looks to be 20+ppm

I do NOT overfeed. The ONLY edible material i add/remove daily is a Fluval Bug Bites Algae wafer to supplement the diet of the hillstream loaches (3—NOT large—and, the tank population conforms to the ‘1 inch of fish per gallon’ guideline) & 1 mystery snail.

As stated, everybody ‘appears’ ‘happy’, eating consistently—they all LOOK terrific—truly fun to observe!!!

From a variety of sources i’ve consulted, apparently some folks do ‘daily’ water changes, & i get the %age factor—ie, 50% change, 50% reduction, but an obvious concern is overdoing the water changes & disrupting the tank ecology, right?

So, stuck between a rock & a hard place

Should i be rinsing the filtration setup more often (last done May 30th) or persist w/more frequent water changes? (I know it’s anathema to do both simultaneously).

I LOVE my goofball, both beautiful & comical-looking/behaving hillstreams, but there’s a part of me (a PART) that’s on the verge of seeking an adopter & throwing in the towel

With all the products & technology out there, it’s hard to believe that there isn’t some remedy or paraphernalia that absorbs, neutralizes, or at least reduces the blasted nitrate

Please advise! THANK YOU

 

[Andy Sager]

Hey Andy!!! Been quiet/withdrawn because sad, bad events have been transpiring (for weeks) w/non-aquatic species, ergo, ptsd’ing-out But here i am again to plumb your brilliance & wisdom, so here’s the deal—hot topic, again, NITRATES.

Before i explicate, & before u point to what what i ‘should’, ideally, be doing—please, please consider/remember ‘empirical limitations’—to wit: i CANNOT setup/accommodate a bigger tank ‘at this time’; consider that yet another goal—but for the moment, our focus is a 10 gallon.

The last time i posted i shared the bladder snail prob (YIKES: prolific lil f’ers). So i got 3 assassin snails & i remove egg masses when i see them.

Before i get to THE point, i have to state that the residents ‘appear’ happy/healthy; the water parameters r consistent: nitrite/ammonia, 0… pH holds at 7.2 (dropped from 7.6).

Freaking out over NITRATE, which is rarely below betw. 10-20; I do a water change every few days; last did one on Saturday (7th); on May 30th rinsed filter & filtration media in the removed (to be discarded) water. Am doing another one tonight—the nitrate looks to be 20+ppm

I do NOT overfeed. The ONLY edible material i add/remove daily is a Fluval Bug Bites Algae wafer to supplement the diet of the hillstream loaches (3—NOT large—and, the tank population conforms to the ‘1 inch of fish per gallon’ guideline) & 1 mystery snail.

As stated, everybody ‘appears’ ‘happy’, eating consistently—they all LOOK terrific—truly fun to observe!!!

From a variety of sources i’ve consulted, apparently some folks do ‘daily’ water changes, & i get the %age factor—ie, 50% change, 50% reduction, but an obvious concern is overdoing the water changes & disrupting the tank ecology, right?

So, stuck between a rock & a hard place

Should i be rinsing the filtration setup more often (last done May 30th) or persist w/more frequent water changes? (I know it’s anathema to do both simultaneously).

I LOVE my goofball, both beautiful & comical-looking/behaving hillstreams, but there’s a part of me (a PART) that’s on the verge of seeking an adopter & throwing in the towel

With all the products & technology out there, it’s hard to believe that there isn’t some remedy or paraphernalia that absorbs, neutralizes, or at least reduces the blasted nitrate

Please advise! THANK YOU

Understanding that the tank is the tank in question with no other alternatives, here's the facts: Nitrates, unless they are coming from your tap water, are the end result of fish breathing, pooping and foods you are feeding. The only way to 100% control them is to A) do daily large volume water changes with water that contains no nitrates or have nothing in the tank that breathes, poops or eats. ( Kinda puts a dent in why we keep fish in the first place doesn't it? ) But here's the good news, there is something called a refugium in the hobby whereby water is diverted into this separate section or tank that is full of nitrate absorbing plants and that can help control the nitrate level to a greater degree. Another possibility is to allow the roots of nitrate absorbing plants, like Pathos, to be in the tank and it will also lower your nitrate level if you have enough of the plants. So there are some means of controlling nitrates that won't kill the budget or create too much of an issue. Regarding " With all the products & technology out there, it’s hard to believe that there isn’t some remedy or paraphernalia that absorbs, neutralizes, or at least reduces the blasted nitrate" there are a number of products out there that are "supposed" to absorb and remove nitrates. I put suppose in quotations because they don't always work. The sure fire way is water changes or nothing alive.
Regarding washing or rinsing off filter material, it only needs to be done when it's dirty or clogged so it doesn't have to be on a schedule ( unless you need one so that you don't forget to check it) and you are not replacing the filter material until you have let new material be in the filter with the old material for at least a few weeks to a month. BTW, cleaning the filter material has no real effect on the nitrate level unless you kill the nitrifying microbes in/on it. That said, should you do that, the ammonia spike will probably kill off whatever is in the tank so end resulting nitrates will still be low.

Snails, they are called pest snails for a reason.

Lastly, the old formula of 1" of fish per gallon of water is not really an effective way of stocking. For example, ten 1" neon tetras may fit in a 10 gallon tank but a 10" Oscar definitely will not fit. So you need to take other things into consideration when stocking tanks. Adult size of the fish you want to keep, how much they add to the bioload, whether your filtration can handle a bigger load and how often you want to be doing water changes all pay a part in how to stock a tank.

So there ya have it. There is no rock or hard place, just information you didn't know about.

 

[EGGBERT]

Thanks Andy! A terrific, helpful, even somewhat encouraging reply!!!

I will read up about the ‘refugium’ approach, which is totally new to me!!! I will also acquire more plants—the ones in the tank (a type of anubius & java fern) r flourishing, but i’m not opposed to adding a different species. The hillstreams love the plants—hangout on the leaves—chow down on the algae—so this can’t be a bad thing (pathos, huh? Will research…).

Some time after i composed my note to u i did the water change i forecasted. So bloody frustrating Tested parameters afterwards—everything perfect—except the doggone nitrate, which appears to be 20ppm, & i siphoned i’d estimate betw. 40-50%. I know that, like humans, critters’ tolerances/‘resistance’ to certain things r variable. Is it possible that my guys have that in their favor? At least there’s ‘consistency’, vs extreme variations, & i’m very vigilant!!!

So, apart from the stuff u’ve introduced to me, would u recommend i keep up the frequent water changes? If Yes, must they be high volume (40-50%)? What if i did a smaller %age every other day? Is that viable or pointless?

Re the nitrate regulating products of questionable efficacy, r there any u’d recommend at least reading up on?

In any case, Andy: THANK U, THANK U, THANK U—again—for your patience, guidance, wisdom

 

[Robbo80]

I have Frogbit in my tank, its a floating plant, which cam be a pain in the arse at water changes sometimes but I really do think they are doing a tremendous job at keeping my Nitrates in check. Never above 20ppm and I do 1 25% water change a week. I also have java fern, anubias, some Moss balls and Hygrophila polysperma.

 

[Andy Sager]

Thanks Andy! A terrific, helpful, even somewhat encouraging reply!!!

I will read up about the ‘refugium’ approach, which is totally new to me!!! I will also acquire more plants—the ones in the tank (a type of anubius & java fern) r flourishing, but i’m not opposed to adding a different species. The hillstreams love the plants—hangout on the leaves—chow down on the algae—so this can’t be a bad thing (pathos, huh? Will research…).

It's just a different approach. It's mainly used in saltwater tanks but the principle is sound for freshwater as well. There are even some fish wholesalers who save on water by having all their systems go through a huge plant section to remove the nitrates before going back into their fish tanks.

Some time after i composed my note to u i did the water change i forecasted. So bloody frustrating Tested parameters afterwards—everything perfect—except the doggone nitrate, which appears to be 20ppm, & i siphoned i’d estimate betw. 40-50%. I know that, like humans, critters’ tolerances/‘resistance’ to certain things r variable. Is it possible that my guys have that in their favor? At least there’s ‘consistency’, vs extreme variations, & i’m very vigilant!!!

You might want to have your nitrates checked at your local pet store to make sure your reagents are giving you accurate results. IME, the API nitrate reagents were the only ones that went bad faster than their expiration date or crystallized in the bottle so they were giving bad results.

So, apart from the stuff u’ve introduced to me, would u recommend i keep up the frequent water changes? If Yes, must they be high volume (40-50%)? What if i did a smaller %age every other day? Is that viable or pointless?

It's all about the percentages. How much do you want to work?

Re the nitrate regulating products of questionable efficacy, r there any u’d recommend at least reading up on?

Nope!!!

In any case, Andy: THANK U, THANK U, THANK U—again—for your patience, guidance, wisdom

You're welcome.

 

[EGGBERT]

Hey Andy Quick checkin/update following on my last inquiry…

Been reading up on the nitrate-consuming plant factor (eg, pothos), & the Refugium option; have saved several links to read or re-read.

Unfortunately, pothos, & a slew of other plants, r potentially deadly to companion animals w/‘vegetarian’ tendencies Danged disappointing, as those greens sound remarkably effective.
GOOD NEWS: there r a number of plants that are safe; i haven’t affirmed the comparable (to pothos) efficacy, but using the safe alternatives isn’t utterly futile.
Here’s a link that some folks might find interesting/helpful:

Not listed in the video above, but referenced in other sources i’ve referenced, is hoya vine & sweet potato vine. I’ve grown both—have several hoya vines; i also have orchids, but i’ll likely find a plant (from the ‘safe’ list) to dedicate to the process.

Re setting up a refugium… Thus far, i’ve only skimmed data—but it seems a bit complicated, which does NOT mean i’m ruling it out!!! I’m just concerned about the ‘lifeforms’ that sound like the ‘engine’ that drives the process.
Have u ever set one up? If yes, wondering about your experience w/that.

 

[EGGBERT]

PS: video IS viewable via the ‘watch on YouTube’ link

 

[Andy Sager]

Re setting up a refugium… Thus far, i’ve only skimmed data—but it seems a bit complicated, which does NOT mean i’m ruling it out!!! I’m just concerned about the ‘lifeforms’ that sound like the ‘engine’ that drives the process.
Have u ever set one up? If yes, wondering about your experience w/that.

I've set up a number of them for marine tanks but the concept is the same for freshwater. You divert some water, AFTER it has gone through the biological filter so it has nitrates in it, to a separate tank/ container/ object containing nitrate loving plants which is then emptied back into the main tank. Some people use a refugium to create anaerobic bacteria which uses the nitrates and converts it into nitrogen gas that leaves the water as the bubbles burst. I've personally not used them this way.

 

[EGGBERT]

Hey Andy Quick checkin/update following on my last inquiry…

Been reading up on the nitrate-consuming plant factor (eg, pothos), & the Refugium option; have saved several links to read or re-read.

Unfortunately, pothos, & a slew of other plants, r potentially deadly to companion animals w/‘vegetarian’ tendencies Danged disappointing, as those greens sound remarkably effective.
GOOD NEWS: there r a number of plants that are safe; i haven’t affirmed the comparable (to pothos) efficacy, but using the safe alternatives isn’t utterly futile.
Here’s a link that some folks might find interesting/helpful:

Not listed in the video above, but referenced in other sources i’ve referenced, is hoya vine & sweet potato vine. I’ve grown both—have several hoya vines; i also have orchids, but i’ll likely find a plant (from the ‘safe’ list) to dedicate to the process.

Re setting up a refugium… Thus far, i’ve only skimmed data—but it seems a bit complicated, which does NOT mean i’m ruling it out!!! I’m just concerned about the ‘lifeforms’ that sound like the ‘engine’ that drives the process.
Have u ever set one up? If yes, wondering about your experience w/that.

I don’t understand why the link to the YouTube video disappeared. Is there a particular method to sharing such links that i’m not aware of? Please advise.

Also, Andy, please share your opinion of my use of an alternative to pothos—in this case, a spider plant. TY