can any one tell me what the b.o.d.(biological oxygen demand)level should be.my wife says she can test for a level and tell how my benificial bacteria is doing.she keeps complaining that the tank is stinking up the house.i keep telling her its cuz the tank hasnt fully cycled
b.o.d. level
- Thread starter jimmie d wad
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Just keep up with water changes until it is cycled, it will take at least a month if starting from scratch. I would not worry about BOD just keep track of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. When the tank stops stinking that is the first clue it is near cycled.
wow
have not heard those terms outside of the lab before haha
keeping fish is different than how they treat water at a wastewater treatment plant. Coliforms are ignore in the fish world mostly, although it would be weird if there were some in there (haha)
Anyone, best way to check your bacteria is ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Once ammonia and nitrite are zero and you have a high level of nitrate, then your bacteria are doing their job
Do a water change then. Do not be shocked if it takes more than a month to set it up. It does take several months to establish a biofilm.
Best of luck
have not heard those terms outside of the lab before haha
keeping fish is different than how they treat water at a wastewater treatment plant. Coliforms are ignore in the fish world mostly, although it would be weird if there were some in there (haha)
Anyone, best way to check your bacteria is ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Once ammonia and nitrite are zero and you have a high level of nitrate, then your bacteria are doing their job
Do a water change then. Do not be shocked if it takes more than a month to set it up. It does take several months to establish a biofilm.
Best of luck
thats what i told her.tanks been up and running with fish for 4 months.its a 300 gallon tank.i just put sand in it ive got a 44 gal rubber made can with rubberised horsehair in it and just put 60 pot scrubbies in a 4" by 5' pvc tube with a 500 gph pump on it.hope its done cycling soon.