I disagree on the size requirements for SAEs...
What kind of size would you recommend?
API Nitra-Zorb with TetraTec Easycrystal 300
- Thread starter FishyFingers333
- Start date
What kind of size would you recommend?
40 ppm NO3 is hardly a bad thing. I don't see why anything other than wc's is needed but I guess it's your money 
opcorn:
opcorn:
GoldLenny
Senior Member? Do I get a 5% disc.?
Well, if you're looking for a Yes man, then I'm not your guy. Do you know ANY facts about that person's tank or situation? As I explained, Nitra-Zorb works but it also adversely affects the natural ecology of your tank. That person may or may not have live plants. That person may or may not have a similar bioload to you. That person may or may not be doing proper tank maintenance. Using a chemical filter additive to alleve us of proper tank maintenance is NOT a solution... just a short term fix. Setting up your tank properly and doing proper maintenance on the tank is what I advise people to do. If they want to go off on their own path, then they shouldn't ask for help from people that know the right way to do things.
GoldLenny
Senior Member? Do I get a 5% disc.?
I disagree on the size requirements for SAEs...
Who do you disagree with? There are two different tank sizes mentioned so far.. maybe three... or better yet, what do you recommend? SAE's are fast swimming fish from fast moving waters and my guideline of having a tank at least six times longer than the expected adult size of slower swimming fish to eight times longer for fast swimming fish would indicate a 48" tank for a 6" fish like an SAE should grow to. A 24" tank is only four times longer than the expected adult size of an SAE.
I disagreed with the books/LFS owner who all apparently say an SAE can be in a 24x12" tank. As I said I wouldn't do even a single in anything less than a 3 foot tank ie. a 30 gallon.
GoldLenny
Senior Member? Do I get a 5% disc.?
Ahhh.. OK. You posted your 3' length while I was typing my post.
Well, certainly a 36" would be much better... a 50% increase in length.. at least it would give them six times their length for swimming. I'll still stick to my 6X for slow swimmers and 8X for fast swimmers.
GoldLenny,
i apologise if i have caused any offence, i am not looking for a 'yes man' i was looking for an answer to the question.
i would always prefer a natural approach (after all you are creating a contained natural ecosystem) however i was trying to decide weather Nitra-Zorb would be something good to have on standby for extreme circumstances and weather or not i would be able to use it with my type of filter. i am not looking for an alternative to proper maintainance or anything of the sort.
As for the SAE's i agree with your opinion and will be moving them to a larger 48''+ tank.
i apologise if i have caused any offence, i am not looking for a 'yes man' i was looking for an answer to the question.
i would always prefer a natural approach (after all you are creating a contained natural ecosystem) however i was trying to decide weather Nitra-Zorb would be something good to have on standby for extreme circumstances and weather or not i would be able to use it with my type of filter. i am not looking for an alternative to proper maintainance or anything of the sort.
As for the SAE's i agree with your opinion and will be moving them to a larger 48''+ tank.
GoldLenny
Senior Member? Do I get a 5% disc.?
No need to apologize and I'm not offended. I was just pointing out that you seemed to get excited in your reply to an answer you were looking for, rather than a correct answer... which made you look like you were looking for a Yes man type answer and anyone can find one if they look long enough... that doesn't make it the correct answer.
When someone tells you something worked for them, you shoulld ask more information, instead of thinking it's the right solution.
This is the guide you should follow... 95% of the crap they sell in pet stores and fish stores is exactly that.. crap! All most people need is a simple dechlor product and water... and food of course. Don't but the stress-this or slime-that type crap. It's just dumping more chemicals into your close ecosystem tank. Every once in a while, someone will have a situation where one of those products will be needed or useful but they're not needed 95% of the time. Your situation is NOT extraordinary. We've all done it when starting off and didn't know about fishless cycling a new tank. What I'm telling you is how to get your nitrifying bacteria growing until your cycle has matured.. or as some might say "complete" but it never really ends.
You are still having cycling issues so YOU SHOULD NOT use filter additives or water additives, except for something like SeaChem Prime, as they will just prolong your cycling issues... or stop them completely. You NEED ammonia and nitrites right now to keep your cycle growing and you just have to use PWC's (but also using SeaChem Prime would at least detox the ammonia and a pinch of salt per 10G would detox the nitrites) to keep your ammonia and nitrite down to low levels while your nitrifying bacteria continue to grow until you are down to 0.0 for ammonia and nitrites. Once you get there, then regular and frequent PWC's will keep your nitrates in control as well as the other pollutant levels.
I'll repeat myself by saing that if you use a product like Zeolite or Nitra-Zorb (which is probably what it is since it recharges the same way), it will suck up your ammonia and starve your nitrifying bacteria colonies. Yes, your nitrates will stay lower but when the Zeolite reaches capacity, which it will, then the fish will be subjected to ammonia and nitrite spikes all over again. It's a vicious path that you don't want to go down.
