recycling a tank

[Wanda Too]

I had noticed for a few days that there seemed to be a lot of waste in the
gravel. Today I had a closer look at the UGF & noticed that the up-doodad
had come loose. I reattached it, used the gravel vac & topped up the water.
I think I'll use the gravel vac daily for a week to clear the waste. The
level of nitrates is virtually at zero, but I'm now worried that the cycle
has been disrupted & that there might be a lot of ammonia in the tank. I've
ordered a test kit, but it might take a week to arrive. Is it necessary to
restart the cycling process? What is the best way to do this with 6 fish in
the aquarium?

[Charles]

On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 08:34:41 GMT, "Wanda Too" >
wrote:

>I had noticed for a few days that there seemed to be a lot of waste in the
>gravel. Today I had a closer look at the UGF & noticed that the up-doodad
>had come loose. I reattached it, used the gravel vac & topped up the water.
>I think I'll use the gravel vac daily for a week to clear the waste. The
>level of nitrates is virtually at zero, but I'm now worried that the cycle
>has been disrupted & that there might be a lot of ammonia in the tank. I've
>ordered a test kit, but it might take a week to arrive. Is it necessary to
>restart the cycling process? What is the best way to do this with 6 fish in
>the aquarium?
>

Heavy water change along with the gravel vacuuming should do the
trick. Unless you are pushing the limits on tank capacity everything
should be okay anyway. Especially if you have plants or algae, they
soak up ammonia quickly.


--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

[Mary E. Hill]

"Wanda Too" > wrote in message
...
>I had noticed for a few days that there seemed to be a lot of waste in the
>gravel. Today I had a closer look at the UGF & noticed that the up-doodad
>had come loose. I reattached it, used the gravel vac & topped up the water.
>I think I'll use the gravel vac daily for a week to clear the waste. The
>level of nitrates is virtually at zero, but I'm now worried that the cycle
>has been disrupted & that there might be a lot of ammonia in the tank. I've
>ordered a test kit, but it might take a week to arrive. Is it necessary to
>restart the cycling process? What is the best way to do this with 6 fish in
>the aquarium?
>

I produce a newspaper about recycling wastes - when I saw your subject line,
I thought you were getting rid of you tank :) My work is taking over!

Mary

[Margolis]

"Wanda Too" > wrote in message
...
> I had noticed for a few days that there seemed to be a lot of waste in the
> gravel. Today I had a closer look at the UGF & noticed that the up-doodad
> had come loose. I reattached it, used the gravel vac & topped up the
water.
> I think I'll use the gravel vac daily for a week to clear the waste. The
> level of nitrates is virtually at zero, but I'm now worried that the cycle
> has been disrupted & that there might be a lot of ammonia in the tank.
I've
> ordered a test kit, but it might take a week to arrive. Is it necessary to
> restart the cycling process? What is the best way to do this with 6 fish
in
> the aquarium?
>
>


don't worry. The biological filter got a little choked, but it did not die
off completely. It will come right back with no problems as long as you
don't mess with it too much.

--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/20030215212142/http://www.agqx.org/faqs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq

[Wanda Too]

The nitrates are back up to 5mg/L. Unfortunately my Siamese looks pretty
sick & his tail is fairly shredded. I haven't yet found the cory.

"Wanda Too" > wrote in message
...
>I had noticed for a few days that there seemed to be a lot of waste in the
>gravel. Today I had a closer look at the UGF & noticed that the up-doodad
>had come loose. I reattached it, used the gravel vac & topped up the water.
>I think I'll use the gravel vac daily for a week to clear the waste. The
>level of nitrates is virtually at zero, but I'm now worried that the cycle
>has been disrupted & that there might be a lot of ammonia in the tank. I've
>ordered a test kit, but it might take a week to arrive. Is it necessary to
>restart the cycling process? What is the best way to do this with 6 fish in
>the aquarium?
>

[Margolis]

"Wanda Too" > wrote in message
...
> I haven't yet found the cory.
>



did you look under the ug filter plate?

--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/20030215212142/http://www.agqx.org/faqs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq

[Wanda Too]

I just found it. Dead. :( The Siamese Fighter really isn't looking good. I
put in some stuff that is supposed to relieve stress in fish, but it does't
seem to be helping. I don't know what else to do.
"Margolis" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> "Wanda Too" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I haven't yet found the cory.
>>
>
>
>
> did you look under the ug filter plate?
>
> --
>
> Margolis
> http://web.archive.org/web/20030215212142/http://www.agqx.org/faqs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
> http://www.unrealtower.org/faq
>
>
>
>

[Nikki Casali]

Surely, you mean nitrItes? I'd be glad if my nitrAtes were only 5 mg/l,
but they're 30 mg/l.

If your nitrites are 5 mg/l, then presumably your tank has already been
through a deadly ammonia spike.

Wanda Too wrote:
> The nitrates are back up to 5mg/L. Unfortunately my Siamese looks pretty
> sick & his tail is fairly shredded. I haven't yet found the cory.
>
> "Wanda Too" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I had noticed for a few days that there seemed to be a lot of waste in the
>>gravel. Today I had a closer look at the UGF & noticed that the up-doodad
>>had come loose. I reattached it, used the gravel vac & topped up the water.
>>I think I'll use the gravel vac daily for a week to clear the waste. The
>>level of nitrates is virtually at zero, but I'm now worried that the cycle
>>has been disrupted & that there might be a lot of ammonia in the tank. I've
>>ordered a test kit, but it might take a week to arrive. Is it necessary to
>>restart the cycling process? What is the best way to do this with 6 fish in
>>the aquarium?
>>
>
>
>

[Margolis]

"Wanda Too" > wrote in message
...
> I just found it. Dead. :( The Siamese Fighter really isn't looking good. I
> put in some stuff that is supposed to relieve stress in fish, but it
does't
> seem to be helping. I don't know what else to do.



about the only thing you can do is partial water changes on a daily basis,
but don't disturb the gravel bed, let it get established again. Eventually
things will even out again, it shouldn't take more than a few day most
likely

--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/20030215212142/http://www.agqx.org/faqs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq

[Wanda Too]

I doubt it as the kit only tests for nitrates as far as I know... but with
the nitrates dipping to zero over the past few days maybe it's still going
through the cycle & the level is about to skyrocket
"Nikki Casali" > wrote in message
...
> Surely, you mean nitrItes? I'd be glad if my nitrAtes were only 5 mg/l,
> but they're 30 mg/l.
>
> If your nitrites are 5 mg/l, then presumably your tank has already been
> through a deadly ammonia spike.
>
> Wanda Too wrote:
>> The nitrates are back up to 5mg/L. Unfortunately my Siamese looks pretty
>> sick & his tail is fairly shredded. I haven't yet found the cory.
>>
>> "Wanda Too" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>>I had noticed for a few days that there seemed to be a lot of waste in
>>>the gravel. Today I had a closer look at the UGF & noticed that the
>>>up-doodad had come loose. I reattached it, used the gravel vac & topped
>>>up the water. I think I'll use the gravel vac daily for a week to clear
>>>the waste. The level of nitrates is virtually at zero, but I'm now
>>>worried that the cycle has been disrupted & that there might be a lot of
>>>ammonia in the tank. I've ordered a test kit, but it might take a week to
>>>arrive. Is it necessary to restart the cycling process? What is the best
>>>way to do this with 6 fish in the aquarium?
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>

[Fuzzy]

Seems to be a missconception. The nitrify bacteria, are not free
swimming, they are all over your tank. UGF are poor homes for the
bacteria colonies. They thrive in a an envroment where there is a mix of
water and oxygen. This tends to be surface areas such as on the outputs
of ugf's or hobs, or tank glass. The deeper from the surface, the less
bacteria thrive. The substraights should be cleaned once a week. Food
that is not eaten should be removed from the tank immediatly. There is
always ammonia in the tank, every time the fish breath, ammonia is
created, from fecal matter, leftover food breaking down. This all adds
up to ammonina. However, a well established bacteria colony will beable
to turn all this ammonia into no2 first, then into no3. The no3, must be
removed via water changes, or through aquatic plants. I doubt you have
restarted a cycle, but you might experence a spike in ammo, untill your
bacteria cultur can catch up. Do a couple extra water changes, and you
should be fine.



--
Posted via CichlidFish.com
http://www.cichlidfish.com/portal/forums

[TYNK 7]

>Subject: Re: recycling a tank
>From: Fuzzy -DONTEMAIL
>Date: 12/8/2004 7:42 AM Central Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>Seems to be a missconception. The nitrify bacteria, are not free
>swimming, they are all over your tank. UGF are poor homes for the
>bacteria colonies. They thrive in a an envroment where there is a mix of
>water and oxygen. This tends to be surface areas such as on the outputs
>of ugf's or hobs, or tank glass. The deeper from the surface, the less
>bacteria thrive. The substraights should be cleaned once a week. Food
>that is not eaten should be removed from the tank immediatly. There is
>always ammonia in the tank, every time the fish breath, ammonia is
>created, from fecal matter, leftover food breaking down. This all adds
>up to ammonina. However, a well established bacteria colony will beable
>to turn all this ammonia into no2 first, then into no3. The no3, must be
>removed via water changes, or through aquatic plants. I doubt you have
>restarted a cycle, but you might experence a spike in ammo, untill your
>bacteria cultur can catch up. Do a couple extra water changes, and you
>should be fine.

::wipes a tear::
Tanks Fuzzy.
Somebody else who realizes that the nitrifying bacteria are sticky and not free
floating.