You have what sounds like the right ammonia Tedzbug. It smells terrible because there are no perfumes added. That is a good thing. Perfumes or detergents would make it unuseable. The plant idea is not a bad one because there are bound to be some traces of the bacteria that you want on the plants. They also make a tank look better IMO.
New 70 Gallon, anxious for fish!
- Thread starter Tedzbug
- Start date
I am pretty sure you can grow plants with LED's, it just depends on what spectrum they shine. I am not sure though, its just that I remember reading a post where someone was DIYing a hood with LEDs for a planted tank.
bought a quart of clear 10% ammonia at the local ACO Hardware....... Now to test after dinner and calculate how much i need to put in to get this thing up to 5ppm
ted
ted
So i added ammonia last night and it looks like i have it up to 5.5 ppm at this time...... but as for ph, i think its up.
The past couple times i tested ph it's at 7.6 on the card...... so i thought, hmm, maybe it's above that? So i tested with the high range ph and this looks like it comes out to 8.2 ph ??
What do i do to correct this? and what might have made it jump? the ammonia levels?
The past couple times i tested ph it's at 7.6 on the card...... so i thought, hmm, maybe it's above that? So i tested with the high range ph and this looks like it comes out to 8.2 ph ??
What do i do to correct this? and what might have made it jump? the ammonia levels?
If you've added any rocks, some of the minerals might have dissolved off the rock and caused your pH to spike. Or shells. Have you added anything new to your tank since you last tested your pH?
I've never heard of ammonia causing pH to rise.
I've never heard of ammonia causing pH to rise.
Yes ammonia is a weak base so it would change the pH of the water a bit. It should go down once the ammonia is used up by the bacteria.
What sort of fish are you planning on adding?
On my found rocks I go to an extreme I suppose, I boil them for a while to see if anything is going to disolve out of them and get them clean then put them in the oven and bake them at 500 for an hour. There isn't anything going to live through that and get into the tank.
If you haven't already, read up on sand as a substrate... most important the need to stir it from time to time to prevent bacteria build up and hydrogen sulfide gas pockets.
On my found rocks I go to an extreme I suppose, I boil them for a while to see if anything is going to disolve out of them and get them clean then put them in the oven and bake them at 500 for an hour. There isn't anything going to live through that and get into the tank.
If you haven't already, read up on sand as a substrate... most important the need to stir it from time to time to prevent bacteria build up and hydrogen sulfide gas pockets.
at this time the ammonia is sitting right about 5.5, now we wait......
yeah, i'm not sure about the yard rocks either, but i have some nice ones that are smooth water work type river rocks..... lots of them around here in michigan, we've got some nice fresh rock conditioning streams everywhere.
I have a fluval 404, i feel unsure of the connections from the hoses to the water shutoff valve...... they just don't seem really secure, makes me a little nervous.
yeah, i'm not sure about the yard rocks either, but i have some nice ones that are smooth water work type river rocks..... lots of them around here in michigan, we've got some nice fresh rock conditioning streams everywhere.
I have a fluval 404, i feel unsure of the connections from the hoses to the water shutoff valve...... they just don't seem really secure, makes me a little nervous.
