40 Gallon Tank Day 28 fishless cycle.

Could I add more filter medium to a small bag, and just sink it in the tank? would this add or does it have to be inside the filter? No room.

How long has your tank been running? Curious about timing on rinsing out media (after cycling of course).

I wouldn’t mess up the filter media, as that is what holds most of the bb. However, if you have some filter media from a matured tank, then you can add it to the tank for a quicker cycle starting

 

So I did a 75% WC…couldn’t help it! It’s reading .25ppm nitrite. I think I have some nitrite bacteria… it’s just weak. I’ll see how long it takes to get to zero this time. Thanks for both your help. Have a great rest of you day!

 

So I did a 75% WC…couldn’t help it! It’s reading .25ppm nitrite. I think I have some nitrite bacteria… it’s just weak. I’ll see how long it takes to get to zero this time. Thanks for both your help. Have a great rest of you day!

If it reads 0.25ppm, sounds like it was closer to 1ppm before the water change. I mean it definitely has to be moving. 2ppm ammonia should convert to 5.4ppm nitrite anyways, so definitely you do have nitrite oxidation occurring. Hope things will progress ever faster!

Purigen by the way, should not affect the cycle. It says it helps control ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, but turns out in the description, it says this is 'by removing nitrogenous organic waste that would otherwise release these harmful compounds' and later on even more clearly, 'Purigen® will remove organics before they can be converted by bacteria into ammonia, nitrite or nitrate, resulting in lowered nitrate concentrations over time, but it will not directly remove these chemicals from the water'. So it does not actually absorb/remove ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate directly. Very shrewd wording on their part, I am impressed.

 

I havent rinsed out my filter media. I started running the filter on July 25th.

 

I havent rinsed out my filter media. I started running the filter on July 25th.

Meaning?

 

Meaning?

? I turned on the filter on that day... Was there another interpretation?

 

? I turned on the filter on that day... Was there another interpretation?

nah I'm just confused as to what you were referring to. I can't figure out what you mean. Could you maybe reword it, cuz I read the whole thread and still confused as to what you mean

 

nah I'm just confused as to what you were referring to. I can't figure out what you mean. Could you maybe reword it, cuz I read the whole thread and still confused as to what you mean

I am not sure why it may be confusing, but I guess I could try to help reiterate what Revan said.

Revan's filter was turned on since July 25th, and since then Revan have not rinsed out any of the filter media in said filter.

Is that the right interpretation, Revan?

 

I am not sure why it may be confusing, but I guess I could try to help reiterate what Revan said.

Revan's filter was turned on since July 25th, and since then Revan have not rinsed out any of the filter media in said filter.

Is that the right interpretation, Revan?

I think that's what it meant, but I was confused cause it was kinda random/out of the blue and there was no direct context

 

I think that's what it meant, but I was confused cause it was kinda random/out of the blue and there was no direct context

It was in response to op's talking about op's filter and whether to rinse out media or not. The context of it may not be familiar to someone who had not been following this thread, but yeah it made sense to us who have been I guess.

 

It was in response to op's talking about op's filter and whether to rinse out media or not. The context of it may not be familiar to someone who had not been following this thread, but yeah it made sense to us who have been I guess.

Yeah that makes more sense thanks lol

 

Hello! Today is a good day. my tests are:
0ppm ammonia
7ph
0 nitrite
5ppm nitrate

so I’m estimating it is cycled enough to process ammonia fast enough to add a few fish. The nitrites can process some (.25ppm in 24 hrs), so I’m thinking I will dose 1ppm ammonia today and see how long it takes for the nitrites to go to zero again. I won’t add fish until it’s safe for sure.

Azedenkae, thanks for the Purigen info! Lol they definitely can’t describe what their product does. What is it? Tiny magic eraser balls! I had a bucket of treated water with some tiny plant clippings in it. Before I added the sac to my filter, I rinsed it in the bucket and all the plant matter disappeared immediately! Good thing it hasn’t really hurt the cycle.

Revan, I won’t rinse my filter media out until the flow slows way down! Thanks for letting me know what you have done with your’s!

 

Yeah, try dosing 1ppm and see how that differs. After all, with a slower/smaller stocking, 1ppm really should be fine.

 

Hello! Today is a good day. my tests are:
0ppm ammonia
7ph
0 nitrite
5ppm nitrate

so I’m estimating it is cycled enough to process ammonia fast enough to add a few fish. The nitrites can process some (.25ppm in 24 hrs), so I’m thinking I will dose 1ppm ammonia today and see how long it takes for the nitrites to go to zero again. I won’t add fish until it’s safe for sure.

Azedenkae, thanks for the Purigen info! Lol they definitely can’t describe what their product does. What is it? Tiny magic eraser balls! I had a bucket of treated water with some tiny plant clippings in it. Before I added the sac to my filter, I rinsed it in the bucket and all the plant matter disappeared immediately! Good thing it hasn’t really hurt the cycle.

Revan, I won’t rinse my filter media out until the flow slows way down! Thanks for letting me know what you have done with your’s!

I’d try with the 2 ppm dosage, thats’s usually the amount you’d want to go down in 24 hours for ammonia, and then another 24 hours for nitrite.

 

Hi! I guess I’m hesitant to add 2ppm because I don’t think I have enough nitrite oxidizing bacteria to process that amount in 48 hrs. If I only add a few fish ( like 6 cardinal tetras), their bio load would be similar to 1ppm… it would give the tank more time to grow more to be able to process 2pmm.

 

Hi! I guess I’m hesitant to add 2ppm because I don’t think I have enough nitrite oxidizing bacteria to process that amount in 48 hrs. If I only add a few fish ( like 6 cardinal tetras), their bio load would be similar to 1ppm… it would give the tank more time to grow more to be able to process 2pmm.

If there are no fish, it wouldn’t be a problem. 2 ppm is generally the amount thought of as the level a cycled tank can process in that time frame. Plus, even if the tetras bioload is 1 ppm, it would be helpful in case of ammonia spikes.

 

As it turns out all the lfs’s are pretty much out of stock. I’m from the Kootenay’s in B.C. And we are pretty remote. I definitely have lots of time before I get any fish on my stocking list. I dosed to 2ppm after my trip to the store. You’re right. Needs to handle a spike! Just added two more plants Lol! At least it’s something.

 

Hey guy’s, so i think my cycle has finished. the ammonia disappeared in 24 hours and the nitrites disappeared completely in 48. I left everything for one extra day before doing a water change today…A little unnerved because I noticed Detritus worms swimming in my water column this morning! They are very small 1/8inch and wiggling upwards. I did a 90% water change but first vacuumed the heck out of my gravel. Cleaned all my plants (they did have some small algae) and glass. I was trying to leave everything alone while cycling. I just did my water changes with an electric pump, bc I wanted my nitrifying bacteria to grow. I suspect they came from plants I brought in from lfs. will this mess up my cycle? Have you experienced these worms while cycling?

 

I never knew starting a fish tank was so much work!

 

I never knew starting a fish tank was so much work!

It is ALL consuming!

 

Next time, stuff your tank with java fern, put some organic matter in, create heavy water current, wait for a month, and you're done . Then again, you have gained understanding of a key proces, which is also worth something.

On a more serious note; to create a healthy tank, detritus worms serve that cause more than cleaning plants and substrates does. The act of cleaning removes bacteria and periphyton. Detritus worms have small advantages and the population can be kept in check once you add some fish in your tank.

A clean looking tank spells high maintenance. A bit dirty, or better phrased, more natural looking tank spells relaxation.

 

Next time, stuff your tank with java fern, put some organic matter in, create heavy water current, wait for a month, and you're done . Then again, you have gained understanding of a key proces, which is also worth something.

On a more serious note; to create a healthy tank, detritus worms serve that cause more than cleaning plants and substrates does. The act of cleaning removes bacteria and periphyton. Detritus worms have small advantages and the population can be kept in check once you add some fish in your tank.

A clean looking tank spells high maintenance. A bit dirty, or better phrased, more natural looking tank spells relaxation.

Hello! I have a heavily planted tank (yes Java fern’s too),with a good aqua soil substrate. Mopani and live rock. Co2, good filtration (fluval 5 hob). I wasn’t concerned until I read I got the worms from a tank with poor maintenance. I’ve just finished cycling. Only had the tank running for 5 weeks. been doing water changes every second to third day the whole time. My ph dropped to 6 this morning so I suspect they came out of the substrate for oxygen…I know they aren’t a bad thing, but I don’t want to end up with hundreds or thousands. Should I add an air stone to increase oxygenation? Which fish should I get to eat them? I wanted tetra’s, but this might be a game changer.

 

Most omnivorous fish will do. I don't see how tetra's are a game changer. In a 10 gallon tank that is heavily planted from bottom to top with aqua soil, a small school of ember tetras would look stunning and keep detritus worms in check. Not sure how big your tank is.

 

Most omnivorous fish will do. I don't see how tetra's are a game changer. In a 10 gallon tank that is heavily planted from bottom to top with aqua soil, a small school of ember tetras would look stunning and keep detritus worms in check. Not sure how big your tank is.

It’s a 45g. My lfs currently has a bunch of Ember tetras! I was considering them as my first additions! Thankyou

 

Most omnivorous fish will do. I don't see how tetra's are a game changer. In a 10 gallon tank that is heavily planted from bottom to top with aqua soil, a small school of ember tetras would look stunning and keep detritus worms in check. Not sure how big your tank is.

I bought 20 Ember Tetra’s today! Drip acclimated for a few hours and let them loose! They are beauties. They seem quite comfortable and a few have picked their spots! One quite aggressively! They schooled a couple times after four hours and are back in their favourite spots. I’m so impressed by their behaviour, I might go and get five more… thanks again for the suggestion. ill post a pic once they are better acclimated and lights are on!