Beano wrote:
Hello,
Just have a few questions about tank cycling. About 4 weeks ago I
moved my baby oscar from a 20g to a 64g (~240L) tank. He loves it. I
put as much water from the 20g tank into the 64g tank, since it had
cycled (well it had 4 betta females in it and a male occasionally for
over a month).
At about the same time as the tank upgrade, I upgraded my filter from a
air driven sponge to an internal power filter (2400L/h). To reduce the
strain on my oscar, I also added the old filter sponge to the water, so
it sat just below the new power filter.
Since it has been 4 weeks, will it be safe to assume that the power
filter has taken up enough bacteria from the old filter? Can I take
out the old sponge, or should I just leave it? It's hidden so it's not
that ugly.
I ask these questions from your experience, since I dont' know much
about cycling and I still don't have a water test kit. Does anyone
know where I can get a cheap but accurate water test kit in Australia?
I looked on ebay, but I can't seem to get one with all the parameters
(like GH and KH - not sure what these even mean, and do they matter for
oscars?)
Sorry about the long post.
Thanks!
You should be fine taking out the sponge, although I'd get ammonia and
nitrite test kits first just to be sure. Look at the rest of the filter
media. It should be brownish with bacterial growth like the sponge you
moved.
I can't help you with Aussie shopping, but IMO what you need is ammonia,
pH, nitrite, and nitrate. Don't sweat the rest unless you are doing
something to your tapwater. Obviously, ammonia and nitrite should
always be zero. Oscars are messy fish and hearty eaters, so Oscar tanks
can build up nitrates. Use the nitrate kit to be sure you're changing
enough water. Nitrates are not particularly toxic, but you don't want
them constantly climbing. Use the pH kit occasionally (I check mine
once a month or so) to be sure the pH is staying stable. If it starts
falling, that's a sign that your gravel is not clean enough and that you
need to start cleaning the tank better and changing more water.
--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
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