Where am I?
- Thread starter Beeker
- Start date
First stop with the water changes, and don't add any more ammonia.
Second, read your latest PM.
Third, please do as instructed.
Sorry about the reference to 'sweetie'. I forgot that you were of the female persuasion..................................sweetie.
Len
Second, read your latest PM.
Third, please do as instructed.
Sorry about the reference to 'sweetie'. I forgot that you were of the female persuasion..................................sweetie.
Len
Djlen,
Here I am... I have a 10 gal. tank with water, a running filter, an ornament, gunk on the bottom, a heater, and a light on a timer set to be on for 12 hrs. The only things it doesn't have is the substrate, plants, and fish. The substrate is on order and I heard that if I put plants in they screw up the cycle.
I also tested the tap water like you said.
If I leave it overnight.
Ph: 7.8
KH: 5
GH: 6
NH: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 0
If I test it straight from the tap and not after leaving it overnight everything but the Ph is a little higher.
Here I am... I have a 10 gal. tank with water, a running filter, an ornament, gunk on the bottom, a heater, and a light on a timer set to be on for 12 hrs. The only things it doesn't have is the substrate, plants, and fish. The substrate is on order and I heard that if I put plants in they screw up the cycle.
I also tested the tap water like you said.
If I leave it overnight.
Ph: 7.8
KH: 5
GH: 6
NH: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 0
If I test it straight from the tap and not after leaving it overnight everything but the Ph is a little higher.
Right now, I'm doing nothing... Just waiting for the Nitrites to hit 0. The substrate is on order (the store ran out of Flourite, and I plan on using straight flourite for substrate). I plan on checking out those screw in flourescents instead of the regular bulbs I am currently using. As soon as I get the substrate, I will buy the plants and set up the rest of the tank. Once the plants are steady, I will get my fish. My Member Page has my list of plants and fish I intend to use. I have checked for compatibility. Everything should be good. If not, I won't get the Betta, and get something else instead.
Okay - You can't do anything with the tank until you get your substrate.
As I mentioned previously, the 'cycle' is the process of growing a bio-colony.
Without something in the tank, the bacteria have no place to colonize.
The good news is that you don't need to do anything to 'cycle' your tank if you intend to plant it.
Here's the process I recommend:
Empty the tank. Once the Flourite comes, rinse it to remove excess dust(there will be a ton of this which will take some time to get rid of) in a bucket.
One 15lb. bag of Flourite will do the job in a 10.
Once you've rinsed the substrate you are left with an empty tank and a bucket of Flourite.
Into the bottom of the empty tank you will sprinkle a dusting of ground, plain peat moss(with no additives....just plain peat moss). By a dusting, I mean a handful or just a bit more, spread out over the bottom of the tank.
Now, over top of that dusting you will lay about 1/2" of Flourite(enough to cover the peat).
You said you have another tank. Squeeze out the filter sponges/pads into a bucket and siphon that gunk over the surface of the 1/2" of Flourite.
Now add the rest of the Flourite over that, banking it so that you have about 1" in front and 2 - 3" in the back.
Take an empty bowl and set it on the banked substrate and fill the tank slowly by filling the bowl and allowing the water to then overflow the bowl and fill the tank. This will cut way down on disturbing the substrate and reduce clouding. Flourite is a mess to deal with, but filling slowly, using a bowl will leave you with a relatively cloud-free tank which will clear over night.
Crank up your filter, plant as heavily as you can and you now have a tank that you can put 2 small fish into. The peat and gunk(mulm) that you've taken from your other tank's filter are loaded with bacteria and will jump start your bio-filter. The 2 fish will supply ammonia to keep it going.
In a couple of weeks you will be ready to add another fish or two. In a month a few more and so on.
You mention lighting. I use two 23 watt CF bulbs in my 10 gal. with good success. You can start with one and see how it goes from there.
Buy only bulbs that are 5000K or higher for your tank. Many of the bulbs out there are 2300 - 3400K(Kelvin rating) and those will make your tank look yellow. You will hate that color......trust me on this. The plants don't care, but the look to the human eye is ugly, IMO.
I hope this helps, and now you see why we couldn't do this in a PM!!
Len
As I mentioned previously, the 'cycle' is the process of growing a bio-colony.
Without something in the tank, the bacteria have no place to colonize.
The good news is that you don't need to do anything to 'cycle' your tank if you intend to plant it.
Here's the process I recommend:
Empty the tank. Once the Flourite comes, rinse it to remove excess dust(there will be a ton of this which will take some time to get rid of) in a bucket.
One 15lb. bag of Flourite will do the job in a 10.
Once you've rinsed the substrate you are left with an empty tank and a bucket of Flourite.
Into the bottom of the empty tank you will sprinkle a dusting of ground, plain peat moss(with no additives....just plain peat moss). By a dusting, I mean a handful or just a bit more, spread out over the bottom of the tank.
Now, over top of that dusting you will lay about 1/2" of Flourite(enough to cover the peat).
You said you have another tank. Squeeze out the filter sponges/pads into a bucket and siphon that gunk over the surface of the 1/2" of Flourite.
Now add the rest of the Flourite over that, banking it so that you have about 1" in front and 2 - 3" in the back.
Take an empty bowl and set it on the banked substrate and fill the tank slowly by filling the bowl and allowing the water to then overflow the bowl and fill the tank. This will cut way down on disturbing the substrate and reduce clouding. Flourite is a mess to deal with, but filling slowly, using a bowl will leave you with a relatively cloud-free tank which will clear over night.
Crank up your filter, plant as heavily as you can and you now have a tank that you can put 2 small fish into. The peat and gunk(mulm) that you've taken from your other tank's filter are loaded with bacteria and will jump start your bio-filter. The 2 fish will supply ammonia to keep it going.
In a couple of weeks you will be ready to add another fish or two. In a month a few more and so on.
You mention lighting. I use two 23 watt CF bulbs in my 10 gal. with good success. You can start with one and see how it goes from there.
Buy only bulbs that are 5000K or higher for your tank. Many of the bulbs out there are 2300 - 3400K(Kelvin rating) and those will make your tank look yellow. You will hate that color......trust me on this. The plants don't care, but the look to the human eye is ugly, IMO.
I hope this helps, and now you see why we couldn't do this in a PM!!
Len
