Cycling woes

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On 2006-04-26, Mister Gardener wrote:
On Wed, 26 Apr 2006 18:17:09 -0000, "Frederick B. Henry Jr."
wrote:

In any case, I set my tank up fishless on roughly 10 March, and added
some fish two weeks later (3 neon tetras died fairly quickly, while all
the others are going strong). And finally today, YAY!, I see 0.25 ppm
of Nitrite, and ammonia about 1.5 ppm. So I will watch the ammonia and
perhaps *not* change the water, then check chemistry tommorrow to see
how high the readings are surging. In sum, my tank is *still not* fully
cycled after more than 6 weeks--but it is starting!!

Congratulations! It's sort of like becoming a father, eh?

Yes, it is indeed exciting, especially after all the waiting, and
watching, and testing, and hoping the fish don't suffer overly or die.

I still have brown spots growing on the glass and some of the plastic
plants' leaves and small spots on gravel, which a prior poster said
would go away eventually. I hope so as they are somewhat unsightly (my
2.5 year-old daughter said they looked like "poop", heh).

Cheers,

Fred

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--
"Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after."
--Alphonse Allais

On Wed, 26 Apr 2006 22:49:46 GMT, "MEAlston"
wrote:


-- Mister Gardener
-- Pull the WEED to email me

Now if you could help me with the pulling business.....I've been in a
cultural cave too long I suppose!! :\

(answered via email - MG)

Altum wrote,
There's nothing magic about foam. Bacteria will grow on any tank
surface exposed to ammonia/nitrite and oxygen. Give it time...

If I understand it right, the filter came with a mesh bag - not a
bio-bag, or foam insert. Without enough bio-media, I can see a filter
that may not be able to keep up with the fish load - if that's the
case, a little foam would indeed be "magic" ;-) ............... Frank

Frank wrote:
Altum wrote,
There's nothing magic about foam. Bacteria will grow on any tank
surface exposed to ammonia/nitrite and oxygen. Give it time...

If I understand it right, the filter came with a mesh bag - not a
bio-bag, or foam insert. Without enough bio-media, I can see a filter
that may not be able to keep up with the fish load - if that's the
case, a little foam would indeed be "magic" ;-) ............... Frank

Hmm... I thought the original post said Whisper Bio-bag.

Don't most brand-name filters that on the market provide enough surface
area for nitrification in a moderately stocked tank? I'd be awfully
surprised if someone couldn't cycle a freshwater tank with a properly
sized standard filter.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to email me.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

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On 2006-04-27, Altum wrote:
Frank wrote:
Altum wrote,
There's nothing magic about foam. Bacteria will grow on any tank
surface exposed to ammonia/nitrite and oxygen. Give it time...

If I understand it right, the filter came with a mesh bag - not a
bio-bag, or foam insert. Without enough bio-media, I can see a filter
that may not be able to keep up with the fish load - if that's the
case, a little foam would indeed be "magic" ;-) ............... Frank

Hmm... I thought the original post said Whisper Bio-bag.


The model that came with my Tetra All-Glass Starter Aquarium kit does
have a "Bio-bag", consisting of an "Aerobic Frame", a mesh filter bag
that slips over it, and "Whisper filter carbon" inside the bag. The
instructions say that the aerobic frame is "deeply etched so as to
provide a receptive surface for aerobic bacteria." I suppose when you
need to chnage the bag you keep that colonized frame.

You guys doubtless know this routine/functionality. Just clarifying my
model.

Cheers,

Fred

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--
"Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after."
--Alphonse Allais

Thanks everyone, for all the help. I think I have my situation figured out
now. I am going to buy a foam insert definitely but I'm not overly worried
about it any more. Quick update on my tank, I came home from work yesterday
(where this forum has been seriously impacting my productivity by the
way...) and found one of my goldfish floating. I suppose in the long run
it's a good thing, now there is just the fantail and one plain goldfish left
so that might be an easier load for the new environment to handle. I
changed about 25% water again last night and my ammonnia level is down
again. I'll test again on Friday or Saturday and I'm hoping it will start
going down on its own and if so I'll cross my fingers for a nitrite reading.

Cheers

David
"Frederick B. Henry Jr." wrote in message
...
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On 2006-04-27, Altum wrote:
Frank wrote:
Altum wrote,
There's nothing magic about foam. Bacteria will grow on any tank
surface exposed to ammonia/nitrite and oxygen. Give it time...

If I understand it right, the filter came with a mesh bag - not a
bio-bag, or foam insert. Without enough bio-media, I can see a filter
that may not be able to keep up with the fish load - if that's the
case, a little foam would indeed be "magic" ;-) ............... Frank

Hmm... I thought the original post said Whisper Bio-bag.


The model that came with my Tetra All-Glass Starter Aquarium kit does
have a "Bio-bag", consisting of an "Aerobic Frame", a mesh filter bag
that slips over it, and "Whisper filter carbon" inside the bag. The
instructions say that the aerobic frame is "deeply etched so as to
provide a receptive surface for aerobic bacteria." I suppose when you
need to chnage the bag you keep that colonized frame.

You guys doubtless know this routine/functionality. Just clarifying my
model.

Cheers,

Fred

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--
"Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after."
--Alphonse Allais

On Thu, 27 Apr 2006 13:17:06 -0000, "Frederick B. Henry Jr."
The model that came with my Tetra All-Glass Starter Aquarium kit does
have a "Bio-bag", consisting of an "Aerobic Frame", a mesh filter bag
that slips over it, and "Whisper filter carbon" inside the bag. The
instructions say that the aerobic frame is "deeply etched so as to
provide a receptive surface for aerobic bacteria." I suppose when you
need to chnage the bag you keep that colonized frame.

You guys doubtless know this routine/functionality. Just clarifying my
model.

Yup. Sounds right. Replacement 3 or 12 packs of biobags come with an
extra frame and clip. Save all clips. Never know when you might lose
one.

-- Mister Gardener
-- Pull the WEED to email me

On Thu, 27 Apr 2006 14:19:32 GMT, "David McDermott"
wrote:

Thanks everyone, for all the help. I think I have my situation figured out
now. I am going to buy a foam insert definitely but I'm not overly worried
about it any more. Quick update on my tank, I came home from work yesterday
(where this forum has been seriously impacting my productivity by the
way...) and found one of my goldfish floating. I suppose in the long run
it's a good thing, now there is just the fantail and one plain goldfish left
so that might be an easier load for the new environment to handle. I
changed about 25% water again last night and my ammonnia level is down
again. I'll test again on Friday or Saturday and I'm hoping it will start
going down on its own and if so I'll cross my fingers for a nitrite reading.

Wouldn't hurt to check your nitrites now, unless you are almost out of
drops or dipsticks. Nitrites rising while ammonia falls, it's a
beautiful dance.

-- Mister Gardener
-- Pull the WEED to email me