Fishless cycle + Biospira

[Roan Art]

Wow, that is pretty near to perfect for a planted tank, right out of the tap! Indeed, that water would be tough for a fish only tank, a real algae farm with any light at all I'd guess.

Really? Wow. I do get a greenish tinge to the water about 2 days after a change in this tank and the betta tank, which are the most heavily planted. I have 1 light strip that has a 20w Life Glo 2 in it (6700K, High Noon), so about .5 watts per gallon. Not enough, but better than the tube that came with the hood.

I don't see any algae in any of the other tanks at all. All have at least 1 plant. My son's is the oldest tank, had 3 or 4 plants in it at one time, but now only has 1. No algae. Then again, his room is pretty dark during the day and we only leave the light on at night while he's sleeping.

What are the levels in your tank after a week?

pH: 7.4
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
Phosphate 1.0
Ammonia: 0

Those were the levels Friday morning before I did my weekly 50% change. That was the first time I tested the phosphates in that tank. I just got the kit. Unfortunately I don't have the iron reading for that week, kit came in after I did the change.

My first thought is that a weekly water change of 50% or so will refresh your tank with all the stuff it needs to grow plants, no fertilizers needed unless the nitrate bottoms out too fast and leaves a lot of phosphate unused. Um, or maybe not, it might use up the iron and nitrate and need additons of that late in the week to allow the plants to suck up the phosphates. And you might need some other minor traces or potassium, hard to say as there are no tests for that really. Anyhow, in your case you are almost in a reverse-fertilization situation (like some European areas) where you change water to add fertillizers to the tank and grow plants to remove fertilizers.

I was using ferts for a bit, but the plants seemed to grow the same way with or without them. Oh, I *was* at 0 nitrates . . .Ah, I love aquarium software, I can go back and see what I did and what the test results were after I did it. . . the weeks I experimented and added ferts the nitrates dropped to 0 in the next test.

So, no ferts. To fertilize plants, change water. Works for me

As for water conditioning, just add the tank volume dose of Prime at each water change.

Roger!

Oh, and please don't think I know all that much, I read a lot but I don't have nearly the experience of some of the folks around here. I just try to be helpful. You always need to think about what you read, from me or anyone, sometimes I get misdirected and sometimes I am just wrong. OTOH, if RTR or Plantbrain says something, you can take that to the bank, they have years and years of experience with durn near every aspect of aquariums.

RTR = http://www.thepufferforum.org/ I bank hers/his comments *all* the time.

Plantbrain I haven't dug around at yet, but I will

Well, some day I hope I'm as helpful as you are.

Roan

 

[anonapersona]

you could really add light

you could go for a lot more light and the plants would grow better.

40 gallon tank would do great with about 80 watts, or 2 x36 watt compact bulb with great reflectors -- plug for AHSupply.com retrofit or a 65 watt strip replacement from PetSupplyLiquidators.com like the aluminum lighthouse series.

 

[gagaliya]

i read the whole thread and now am actually more confused. Currently i have the fish tank with gravel/silk plants, bio safe/spira/blend all ready to go, basically everything but the fish. I *think* the right way is this:

1) setup fish tank(biorb 8 gallon), add gravel, silk plants
2) add tap water to tank
3) turn fish tank/filter power on
4) add bio-safe to condition the water
5) wait 24 hours
6) add bio-spira
7) wait 24 hours
8) add fish (4 whitecloud, 6 zebra daino)


is this right? my goal is not to lose ANY fish on my first try at having a fish tank. thanks

 

[Roan Art]

i read the whole thread and now am actually more confused. Currently i have the fish tank with gravel/silk plants, bio safe/spira/blend all ready to go, basically everything but the fish. I *think* the right way is this:
. . .
. . .
is this right? my goal is not to lose ANY fish on my first try at having a fish tank. thanks

Well, ASSUMING your Bio-Spira is fine and healthy, this is what you do:

1) Buy a liquid (not strips, they are not accurate) test kit (tests for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH) and 1 package of 30 gallon Bio-Spira. Put Bio Spira in fridge IMMEDIATELY
2) setup fish tank(biorb 8 gallon), add gravel, silk plants
3) add tap water to tank
4) Turn everything on
5) Add dechlorinator to tank water (Bio Safe, I guess you have. Prime is better IMHO)
6) shake BIO SPIRA well and add 2½ TEASPOONS ***. Close tightly, put in an air-tight baggie and place Spira back in the fridge
7) add fish
8) Wait 24 hours, test water, if there are any ammonia or nittrites, add another teaspoon of Bio Spira. If it is fine, you should show some nitrates only.
9) Keep testing daily for at least a week. If only nitrates show, you are fine and can then commence with a 25-50% weekly waterchange schedule, starting with the day you dumped the fish in.
10) If you keep showing ammonia or nitrites then your Spira is probably no good. Start doing waterchanges and either find more Bio Spira or do a fishy cycle.

*** here's the breakdown: 1 30g package of Bio-Spira is 3 fl oz and it works out to about ¼ teaspoon per gallon. That's rough, so go a little over each time. For 8 gallons you need at least 2 teaspoons.

That should do it. If I've forgotten anything, I'm sure someone will correct me

Roan

 

[gagaliya]

hey thanks for the response! that made everything clearer. I just a followup question, you said:

4) Turn everything on
5) Add dechlorinator to tank water (Bio Safe, I guess you have. Prime is better IMHO)
6) shake BIO SPIRA well and add 2½ TEASPOONS ***. Close tightly, put in an air-tight baggie and place Spira back in the fridge
7) add fish
8) Wait 24 hours...

Does that mean, you do NOT wait at all between those steps? So basically add tap water, then add dechlorinator right away, then add bio spira right away, then add fish right away? is this right?

 

[Xielos]

Under regular circumstances, yes, add the fish imediatly after adding in the Bio Spira, or else the bacteria will die. And dechlorinator work instantly as well.

 

[Roan Art]

Exactly what Xielos said. Just be prepared to do waterchanges *just in case*. You never know.

Roan

 

[Clurin]

<snip>
6) shake BIO SPIRA well and add 2½ TEASPOONS ***. Close tightly, put in an air-tight baggie and place Spira back in the fridge
<snip>
*** here's the breakdown: 1 30g package of Bio-Spira is 3 fl oz and it works out to about ¼ teaspoon per gallon. That's rough, so go a little over each time. For 8 gallons you need at least 2 teaspoons.

Roan:

I am confused as to why you are recommending not adding all the bio-spira at once? The directions on the package state to use the whole thing. I have done this with all of my tanks, and aside from one bad batch, have never had to add any more.

Please clear that up for me.

 

[Roan Art]

Roan:

I am confused as to why you are recommending not adding all the bio-spira at once? The directions on the package state to use the whole thing. I have done this with all of my tanks, and aside from one bad batch, have never had to add any more.

Please clear that up for me.

Because the package is for a 30 gallon tank and he only has 8 gallons. Why waste it? Save it. The tank can only hold a bioload of 8 gallons, give or take for over/understocking.

If I have it on hand, and I usually do, I throw in a couple of teaspoonfuls after I do a waterchange or, especially, after I add a new fish or two. Helps with the increase in ammonia -- no matter how little -- and prevents spiking.

"Waterkeeper's Voodoo" is what I call it when I add Bio Spira like that: )

Roan

 

[RockabillyChick]

did everyone else miss the fact that this is an 8 gallon tank, and gagaliya is planning on putting 10 fish in it, that are all 2 inches long, and at least 6 of which are VERY hyper?