Can someone plz help me?

[Bleeding]

New tank, in second to third week of fishless cycle.

Still have ammonia, nitrite has begun to spike (.5 ppm, same with ammonia).

The ph in the tank is 7.8, I am using crushed coral to buffer the ph up for africans.

The ph in my tap water is 10.4. I have heard this is considered extremely high. My question is: Will putting this high of a ph into the 7.8 ph cause any adverse reactions to my bacteria? I have heard that it is possible to send the tank into a mini cycle by killing the bacteria by introducing ph levels which are too high into the environment.

The only things I have added to the tank are dechlor and some stress zyme to get the bacteria started. The filter is an eheim 2028 on a 55 gallon tank. Currently, the tank has sort of an offensive smell, like what you would notice in a pet store, or from an overstocked tank (i figured this was due to the cycling process???)

Thanks.

 

[Dr Joe]

yes, high pH water added to the tank (ie a W/C) can cause problems.

What are you feeding the tank/filter ?

Dr Joe

.

 

[Tongue33]

yes, high pH water added to the tank (ie a W/C) can cause problems.

What are you feeding the tank/filter ?

Dr Joe

.

Plus three weeks isn't really that long when fishless is the key word of your cycle.. Some "fishless" Cycles can take longer than fish cycles... Easily

 

[Bleeding]

yes, high pH water added to the tank (ie a W/C) can cause problems.

What are you feeding the tank/filter ?

Dr Joe

.

I have not added anything to the tank except: water, dechlor, and stress zyme to get bacteria started.

I am not really concerned about the length of the cycle, just as long as it is doing what it is supposed to be doing. I need to add water to the tank (it evaporates after a while), and am really concerned about the high ph. I filled a bucket and let it set overnight to see if some of the ph would go down. Ill post those results when i get them.

How high can the ph be from the tap into the tank ph before it causes problems?

 

[Wolf3101]

I would recomend using either bottled water or setting up your own RO/DI system for tank water. This is far more economical in the long run. It sounds as if your doing everything right...proper testing and research... In another couple of weeks your tank should be ready for the first few fish. I use the combination of crushed coral and RO/DI water in all of our tanks and have outstanding water conditions along with a stable PH of 7.8

 

[tunerX]

RO/DI is costly at first but will pay-off in the long run.

Switching to RO/DI should give you almost 7.0PH. After you let it sit a while it should drop to about 6.4-6.8 since there isn't anything in it for buffer. It is also very easy to buffer since you control exactly what you are putting into it.

Bottled water will be too costly in the long run.

 

[Wolf3101]

RO/DI is costly at first but will pay-off in the long run.

Switching to RO/DI should give you almost 7.0PH. After you let it sit a while it should drop to about 6.4-6.8 since there isn't anything in it for buffer. It is also very easy to buffer since you control exactly what you are putting into it.

Bottled water will be too costly in the long run.

Locally we can pick it up for 20 cents a gallon but your right...that was just a stop gap until we set up our own system. Crushed coral is the best buffering agent I've ever found for RO/DI water.

If you're only using it for a couple of tanks then you can pick up a 75 gallon per day unit on Ebay for under a hundred dollars. Our unit has a 6 stage pre-filter and triple RO as well as Triple DI cannisters for an output in excess of 350 gallons per day of true 0 TDS water but then we have a LOT of big tanks.

 

[Dr Joe]

I have not added anything to the tank except: water, dechlor, and stress zyme to get bacteria started.

I am not really concerned about the length of the cycle, just as long as it is doing what it is supposed to be doing. I need to add water to the tank (it evaporates after a while), and am really concerned about the high ph. I filled a bucket and let it set overnight to see if some of the ph would go down. Ill post those results when i get them.

How high can the ph be from the tap into the tank ph before it causes problems?

This is for the cycle...
Recipe

There is no general formula for fishless cycling.

Since different brands of Ammonia have different concentrations, there is no formula for "x amount of Ammonia per gallon," you just need to keep testing.

ACS grade ammonium hydroxide for example, is ~28% NH3 while most household cleaner grades vary from 4-15%.

Bottles that have been left open for long periods of time will be lower in concentration.

Currently there are two "good" recipes available/
* 1st method. 4-5 drops of NH3 / 10G / daily until NO2 peak, then reduction to 2-3 drops of NH3 / 10G / daily (this recipe uses ACS grade ammonium hydroxide ~28% NH3)

* 2nd method. This one is used by probably 99% of hobbyists. Addition of X amount of NH3 drops until Ammonia level of 5ppm is achieved. This X amount of drops has to be added daily until NO2 spike. Afterwards follow up with ½ X (from previous step) amount of NH3 drops daily until NO2 is 0ppm causing NO3 peak. ~50% water change should follow -> cycled tank. (this recipe uses regular Pure Ammonia 4-15%)

When the tank has been cycled, the bacterial colony grown by this method can handle a large bio load immediately.

The amount of Ammonia produced directly relates to the amount of bacteria that will be in the the filter's bio-material.

The amount of Ammonia added to the tank during the cycle is significantly higher than what would be contributed by a small number of hardy fish, therefore, a much larger, healthier bacterial colony exists at the end of the cycle using Ammonia than would if you used fish and have none of the fishes other byproducts to clean up.


If the pH is over 8 start being concerned, depending on the critters in there.

What's the kH & gH

Dr Joe

.

 

[Bleeding]

Locally we can pick it up for 20 cents a gallon but your right...that was just a stop gap until we set up our own system. Crushed coral is the best buffering agent I've ever found for RO/DI water.

If you're only using it for a couple of tanks then you can pick up a 75 gallon per day unit on Ebay for under a hundred dollars. Our unit has a 6 stage pre-filter and triple RO as well as Triple DI cannisters for an output in excess of 350 gallons per day of true 0 TDS water but then we have a LOT of big tanks.

Could you give me a link to an example of a system that would be good to purchase for one 55 gallon tank?

 

[ercnan]

Man ! with 10.4 out of the tap, I'd set up a Tang. tank and use a little peat in a filter to bring it down a touch.