So here's the deal. I have a 75 gal freshwater tanks that has been running now for 3+ years. I have had numerous species in the tank and currently houses 13 mbuna and a few BN plecos. Substrate is white and black cichlid sand. Filtration is 2 AC110's with 2 circulation pumps and no air at this time although I have a large air pump I could add but the evap is too much with air so I chose not to keep it in there. One filter has foam, carbon, and biomax. The other has foam, carbon and ammonia remover.
I have tested this tank with multiple test kits. I have removed the ammonia remover for several months and tested again and again using different configurations of the filter media. The tank gets 25-40% water changes every 1 to 2 weeks and a thourough cleaning every month with a 50% water change. I have left the media in for 2-3 months just to see if there would be a change and my params always, everytime come back as ammonia 0ppm, nitite 0ppm, and nitrate 0ppm with a ph of between 7.5-8.5.
I had some ppl tell me that my tank is not cycled but I dissagree. It has to be cycled. If it wasn't then how come I have never seen any nitite, nitrate, or ammonia other than the initial cycling process within the first few weeks? Can anyone explain this to me. The tank is not planted and the only time it gets anything that would remotely mess with parameters is Prime declor during water changes. I'm stumped since the tank is over populated and overfiltered (flips 13 times an hour) and yet my params are always perfect.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I love that its always good. I just don't understand how this is possible! Luck? Maybe. Good maintenance? Maybe. Bad test? Not unless I got bad test every time.
I have tested this tank with multiple test kits. I have removed the ammonia remover for several months and tested again and again using different configurations of the filter media. The tank gets 25-40% water changes every 1 to 2 weeks and a thourough cleaning every month with a 50% water change. I have left the media in for 2-3 months just to see if there would be a change and my params always, everytime come back as ammonia 0ppm, nitite 0ppm, and nitrate 0ppm with a ph of between 7.5-8.5.
I had some ppl tell me that my tank is not cycled but I dissagree. It has to be cycled. If it wasn't then how come I have never seen any nitite, nitrate, or ammonia other than the initial cycling process within the first few weeks? Can anyone explain this to me. The tank is not planted and the only time it gets anything that would remotely mess with parameters is Prime declor during water changes. I'm stumped since the tank is over populated and overfiltered (flips 13 times an hour) and yet my params are always perfect.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I love that its always good. I just don't understand how this is possible! Luck? Maybe. Good maintenance? Maybe. Bad test? Not unless I got bad test every time.
