Starting a 55g w seeded media from LFS, suggestions?
- Thread starter we4wieners
- Start date
Hello; This.
Hello; This.
Hello; Sounds like you are ding a light initial stocking which is good. A couple of thoughts. One is I would treat this same as a quarantine tank (QT). This because of two things. One is the fish are new and I think it is a good practice in general. Another because the bb seed sponge is also a potential source of disease/parasites. How long to QT depends on your patience and what you think is a proper QT period. Some do two weeks and others do as much as six months.
When you do decide to add new fish it may be best to add new stock a few at a time. Within a few days the current stock and the bb population will be in a degree of balance. When new stock is added the bio-load changes and it can take a day or two for the bb population to adjust. Adding a lot of new fish or a single large fish an get the ammonia/nitrite levels up for a while. The bb we desire are relatively slow reproducers (maybe as much as 15+ hours for one doubling) so so a big sudden increase in bio-load can take a few days fro the bb population to get back in balance.
Good luck and I like how you have gone about this. A good plan.
Thanks for your reply. My plan is to add a few more BA Tetras over next week. Next month I will add 3 Geo Red Head Taps at about 3" each. That'll pretty much be it. I'll decorate w Manzanita over time and add some CL's and some small cories. Keeping stocking simple. Just the Taps as main fish and school of tetras. Bottom will consist of CLs and cories. No hurry. Just trying to focus on keeping the balance. So far I've had zero readings. Any advice or suggestions is always welcomed, thanks.
Hello; This is where you may get multiple guesses so let me start. I say guesses because there are many more procedures going on with running the tank that we readers do not know the details about.
So the basic thing is some nitrates should be showing up when the two types of bb have established sufficient colonies. That you have measurable ammonia after three days is a clue to something, but what?
Two scenarios. One is the sponge you used to seed the tank is too low in initial bb numbers to balance just now. If this guess plays out then time is the best answer. It may take more time to get the bb numbers right. You should have a head start with the seeded sponge but if inadequate then it will essentially be a fish in cycle.
The other slightly less likely scenario is in two parts. Has to do with the accuracy of the tests. If you are using test strips many do not trust them. If you are using liquid test kits then the nitrate test can require very aggressive shaking to get proper results. My suggestion is to get some distilled water and use it to clean the test vials if using liquid test kit. This should help get more accurate results.
In addition test the tap water itself. It is my understanding tap water can contain chloramine which shows up as slight ammonia in a test. You can check with the water company to find out what chemical they use. If this proves to be the case the ammonia reading may be from the tap water.
At any rate the best suggestion I have now is to not add any more fish until you get a nitrate reading and give it some more time.
I plan on it now. I haven't fed them since the tanks inception. I did today. It's the liquid API and I've never been certain if their accuracy. I'll check tomorrow and see what happens.
as @ S skjl47 already used the appropriate word, "guess" and thats really what this is but I have had the same trouble and reading on tanks running established filters like the one you got from your lfs.
Try your api ammonia kit again and this time let it sit for a few hours. (Trust me what it was suggested I do this, I was shocked)
If it turns yellow reading 0ppm ammonia after a few hours then you know it the kit or vials.
If it stays green you know you have some ammonia.
I tried distilled water to soak my vials and got no luck. I just ordered new ones and am getting accurate readings now.
I was also told here, that soaking your vials in "de-ionized" water would do the trick but it was hard for me to find.
Youre absolutely right! I just tested again, vigorously shaking the bottles. I let them stand for a half hour. There was a difference. NItrates are around 5ppm's while ammonia is barely detectable to maybe .25ppm's. Apparently I read it pretty fast. I haven't used any test kits in years. Feel like I'm literally learning the basics all over. Fed the fish a little today for the first time as well. Ultimately, I do have nitrates.
LOL, Unfortunately we all have nitrates! At least I think we ALL do? Still trying to master that 0ppm nitrate reading.
