Smudgeboss
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I'll start with my story of woe. Tried a fishless cycle using Hagen's Cycle in Reverse Osmosis water. After 5 weeks there was no change in ammonia levels at all. I talked to an aquarium store guy who said 1) Living bacteria cannot survive in a bottle like Hagens (made sense). 2) Reverse Osmosis water is too pure, it has no bacteria in it at all like city water has. 3) A lot of the nitrifying bacteria come from the fish waste to begin with. After 5 weeks of no activity and based on what he said I drained my tank and filled it with city water (dechlor with tetra tank safe or whatever it is called). Let it sit for a day with everything running and added fish.
I have a 10 gallon Regent tank. I have 3 tetras in it (I think they are white tetras. I suspect they have been painted when we looked at them close at home so they are 2 pink and 1 blue. I am not thrilled about that but that is what I have at this point. Anyway . . .)
I think I understand the cycling process. Nitrifying bacteria will grow to change the ammonia into Nitrites, and bacteria will grow to change Nitrites into harmless Nitrates. This will take time. So . . .
What levels do I keep the ammonia at or under, and what levels to I keep the Nitrites at or under?
How often do I need to do my tests, is daily enough?
Can I do water changes with Reverse Osmosis water or does the new water need to be dechlorinated city water?
How much water do I change at a time?
Do I have to pre-heat the water for the water change?
I think that is all, but I might have missed something a full thesis on cycling with fish might even be of benefit.
Thanks a lot.
I have a 10 gallon Regent tank. I have 3 tetras in it (I think they are white tetras. I suspect they have been painted when we looked at them close at home so they are 2 pink and 1 blue. I am not thrilled about that but that is what I have at this point. Anyway . . .)
I think I understand the cycling process. Nitrifying bacteria will grow to change the ammonia into Nitrites, and bacteria will grow to change Nitrites into harmless Nitrates. This will take time. So . . .
What levels do I keep the ammonia at or under, and what levels to I keep the Nitrites at or under?
How often do I need to do my tests, is daily enough?
Can I do water changes with Reverse Osmosis water or does the new water need to be dechlorinated city water?
How much water do I change at a time?
Do I have to pre-heat the water for the water change?
I think that is all, but I might have missed something a full thesis on cycling with fish might even be of benefit.
Thanks a lot.