|
10/19/2006, 12:01 PM | #1 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bartlett, IL
Posts: 761
|
qt- cycle/ wc
im currently cycling my qt. i ran out of tests and money is tight so...
the qt has been running for 4 weeks. i did find a nitrite test which was off the charts high, nitrate was 0. i have been adding flake/ myiss shrimp every few days. in and on the pvc (for hiding) is getting diatoms im assuming. i have done 1 25% water change. should i do another water change/ syphon out the food/diatoms on the bottom? wait and buy some tests soon? since i dont know what my ammonia is doing anyone have exp. with the cycle of a new tank? |
10/19/2006, 12:10 PM | #2 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 121
|
You should be getting towards the end of the cycle but it can vary and without a test you do not know for sure. If everything else is ok with your tank, ammonia, the most critical value should be zero by now. Personally I would double check with a test, especially since you have decaying food in there.
|
10/19/2006, 04:31 PM | #3 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 1,683
|
take a water sample to your LFS thay will test for you!
__________________
Cls Current Tank Info: 180 inwall, 75 sump, 20lfrag, 3x lumen max elite w/250w radium 20k, recirc modded asm g-3, aqua controller apex,2x rw-20, 350lbs LR |
10/19/2006, 04:35 PM | #4 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Fairfield,CA
Posts: 99
|
do you really need to cycle a qt because i have a qt tank that is set up about 3 days old and its bare bottom so do i need to be carefull/watch my water parameter because i heared that you need to change you water atleast over other day or everyday so nothing builds up correct me if im wrong
|
10/20/2006, 01:56 PM | #5 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bartlett, IL
Posts: 761
|
i would say, yes any tank needs a cycled filter. If the filter in not cycled waterchanges everyday would be a must so the perams dont rise.
i dont want to do water changes everyday, im too busy for that. would just rather have a cycled filter. i thought about having the LFS test my water too. think ill do one more wather change and have it tested the next day. |
10/20/2006, 02:13 PM | #6 |
RC Mod
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mountain View, CA, USA
Posts: 88,616
|
I would never leave food decaying on the bottom of the tank for very long. That's overkill on ammonia. If there's enough food decaying, the tank might never measure zero for ammonia because the decay is more than the filter could ever handle.
You really don't need to test nitrite at all in a salwater aquarium, so save your money for ammonia test kits. This article discusses nitrite: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php Nitrate is irrelevant in quarantine tanks, so I'd ignore that measurement. I think getting a test from an LFS is a fine idea.
__________________
Jonathan Bertoni |
10/20/2006, 02:15 PM | #7 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Piedmont, NC
Posts: 224
|
If you where closer I have some test you could have. The Ammonia alert badges work great for a QT and they are cheap. I would not add any more food. Just some at the beginning should be fine to start the cycle. I keep a piece of filter media in my sump at all times in case I need a QT. That way I do not have to worry about cycling. One thing to remember is hypo and meds will kill your bacteria so QTing without some kind of test kit is not a good idea.
|
10/20/2006, 02:28 PM | #8 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Piedmont, NC
Posts: 224
|
Quote:
|
|
10/20/2006, 02:32 PM | #9 |
RC Mod
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mountain View, CA, USA
Posts: 88,616
|
I'll defer to the author's comments in the chemistry forum, in which he states that he does not consider testing for nitrite to be useful. I think this article also discusses that:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php Perhaps I'm misunderstanding the conditions for which he thinks this rule applies, but I've also never seen any data on any actual toxic levels of nitrite.
__________________
Jonathan Bertoni |
10/20/2006, 02:53 PM | #10 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Piedmont, NC
Posts: 224
|
I do not check NO2 in my main either. I only monitor CA in my tank. I do test NO3 about 5-6 times a year just to be sure. We are talking about a QT tank that is not established and does not have a effective way or removing the NO2. This is a quote that was in bold from the second link you posted. "I do not recommend that aquarists bother to measure nitrite in established aquaria." ESTABLISHED is the key term here.
|
10/20/2006, 02:59 PM | #11 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bartlett, IL
Posts: 761
|
"If there's enough food decaying, the tank might never measure zero for ammonia because the decay is more than the filter could ever handle."
if this is the case, wouldnt water changes bring it to zero? its not like i have a bed of food on the bottom of the tank. |
10/20/2006, 03:01 PM | #12 | |
RC Mod
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mountain View, CA, USA
Posts: 88,616
|
Here's the whole quote:
Quote:
Water changes wouldn't bring the ammonia to zero if there were enough decay continuing in the tank. Not knowing what your setup is like, it's hard to judge, but I'd clean up any food remaining on the bottom of the tank, wait a day or so, and get an ammonia test.
__________________
Jonathan Bertoni |
|
10/20/2006, 03:07 PM | #13 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Piedmont, NC
Posts: 224
|
Let me put it this way. You are sick and in the hospital. Do you want clean air pumped into you room or do you want air that is "less toxic " PS. that is from your quote also. I stand by what I said as well. It is just common sense. Remember all your quotes are referring to "established" tanks. Not a newly set up QT.
WC will eventually lower the NH3 in the QT to "0" but removing the debris from the bottom is much more efficient. |
10/20/2006, 03:16 PM | #14 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bartlett, IL
Posts: 761
|
since i have not been testing... soon as i do test and get ammonia to 0 for a week it should be fine correct? the tank has been running for over 4 wks. thinking around the 6wk mark i should be ready for the fish.
|
10/20/2006, 07:42 PM | #15 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Piedmont, NC
Posts: 224
|
bertoni: If he has been throwing food in every couple days and states that his NO2 test is off the charts. How do you know it is not at a level to stress the fish?
Last edited by Brenden; 10/20/2006 at 08:03 PM. |
10/21/2006, 12:51 AM | #16 |
Bomb Technician (EOD)
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Duluth, Minnesota
Posts: 11,842
|
Ok he is not treating anything he is just starting up a QT tank. It looks like it is still going through cycling. It has diatoms and has been running for weeks. His question is it safe as he has no ammonia test kit. More than likely there is no ammonia. His NO2 is high but the NO3 is still zero. More than likely this is a common suppression where NO3 bacteria are suppressed due to elevated N02 and need more time.
__________________
If you See Me Running You Better Catch-Up Seawater Chemistry, Geology, ID Marine Life, Collecting Science Books, Explosives Technology, Audiophile An explosion can be defined as a loud noise, accompanied by the sudden going away of things, from a place where they use to be. |
10/22/2006, 01:23 AM | #17 |
RC Mod
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mountain View, CA, USA
Posts: 88,616
|
There's a thread in the chemistry forum on this topic. I would say the tank is ready to use when the ammonia hits zero. I'd clean up any food bits and possibly do some water changes. An ammonia test result would be handy. I don't think nitrite is worth measuring.
__________________
Jonathan Bertoni |
10/22/2006, 10:06 PM | #18 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bartlett, IL
Posts: 761
|
the next lfs trip ill bring a sample and get my ammonia tested. should be the only test needed?
|
10/23/2006, 12:05 PM | #19 |
RC Mod
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mountain View, CA, USA
Posts: 88,616
|
That's what I think.
__________________
Jonathan Bertoni |
10/25/2006, 07:23 AM | #20 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bartlett, IL
Posts: 761
|
so i brought a water sample and had the ammonia tested. Test came out 0.. soooo i guess i could add the fish from the main to the qt, huh?
|
10/25/2006, 12:47 PM | #21 |
RC Mod
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mountain View, CA, USA
Posts: 88,616
|
Sounds fine to me.
__________________
Jonathan Bertoni |
10/25/2006, 03:42 PM | #22 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Fairfield,CA
Posts: 99
|
if i leave my bb qt tank running for a month would that cycle because i cant put my media filter on my main tank because its infected with brook...........im planning to buy another fish probobly in january or december..........so do u guys think that it would cycle with just a filter, water and an airpump running........i kno its a stupid question
|
10/25/2006, 03:52 PM | #23 |
RC Mod
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mountain View, CA, USA
Posts: 88,616
|
I would just add a tiny pinch of fish food every few days to feed the bacteria.
__________________
Jonathan Bertoni |
10/26/2006, 08:39 AM | #24 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bartlett, IL
Posts: 761
|
i had a sponge filter running for 5wks and added fish food a few days and it seems the tank has cycled. ammonia is at 0.
|
Thread Tools | |
|
|