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Thread: Help with water issue

  1. #1
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    Help with water issue

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    I'm currently running my NEW tank on fish less cycling.
    Using one third old filter media and two third new media. Added some old filter wool to help speed up the process.
    Added API BB also already.

    On the first day: PH 7, ammonia 0, nitrite 0
    On the second day: PH 5, ammonia 0.25, nitrite 0
    On the third and fourth day: PH 5, ammonia 0, nitrite 0.
    I also have another tank with live stock for 2 years already, after testing the water, I found that the PH is 5, ammonia is 0 and nitrite is 0.

    Is my NEW tank cycling?

    Thanks a lot...

  2. #2
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    Re: Help with water issue

    Hello!
    What soil are you using? I had simialr difficulties cycling my tank the other time too.
    Read somewhere that at low pH, the bacteria go into a dormant state.

  3. #3
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    Re: Help with water issue

    Quote Originally Posted by Ken_ng View Post
    Hello!
    What soil are you using? I had simialr difficulties cycling my tank the other time too.
    Read somewhere that at low pH, the bacteria go into a dormant state.
    I'm using sudo sands, two third new sand, one third old sands...
    Does this means I have to bring up my PH lvl?
    Though of doing 30% water change but I'm scare my BB will die.

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    Re: Help with water issue

    Too low a pH the filter bacteria takes even longer to flourish.

    Have you tried to drop a piece of fish food to aid in the cycling phase? A single tablet food left to rot naturally in the tank should be sufficient "food" for the bacteria to grow in numbers. I believe your new tank is cycling, since you noticed an increase in ammonia. Now to see if there is any nitrite being produced. Once that occurs, the next step would be to check for nitrates.
    Fish.. Simply Irresistable
    Back to Killies... slowly.

  5. #5
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    Re: Help with water issue

    Maybe I should throw in some fishes to see if the water parameter ok or not and to help speed up the process.

  6. #6
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    Re: Help with water issue

    Not to worry about the readings.. Just get ammonia in the tank and let your bb and nature takes its course.. It takes at least a month to get a decent cycling done and years to get it matured so.. Relax and enjoy the hobby.. Dont be too work out with the readings..

  7. #7
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    Re: Help with water issue

    Anyway, it helps if u maintain the tank at room temperature and get ur ph to neutral.. Is faster to cycle tank and neutral ph and higher temps.. make sure theres much oxygen in tank as warm water hold less oxygen..

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    Re: Help with water issue

    What's the best way to push the PH up?
    I'm thinking of changing 30% water, is it okie?

    Thanks for helping guys...

  9. #9
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    Re: Help with water issue

    weird, sado sand should not reduce the ph to 5. Anything in your thank that might reduce the pH? are you using soil? pH reducing filter media?
    -Robert
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    My Blog: http://aquatic-art.blogspot.com/

  10. #10
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    Re: Help with water issue

    Quote Originally Posted by Shadow View Post
    weird, sado sand should not reduce the ph to 5. Anything in your thank that might reduce the pH? are you using soil? pH reducing filter media?
    Nope, don't have any PH reducing agent in the tank.
    From my first post, I'm actually using one third of the old filter media and sands.
    And my PH level from my OLD tank is also 5...
    But fishes, including some clown loaches, all healthy and hungry...

    Wonder could it be the old filter wool I put in my new tank...

  11. #11
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    Re: Help with water issue

    or might be because your tap water / your source water has low PH ?

    As far as i know our tap water is between 6.5 - 7.

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    Re: Help with water issue

    Quote Originally Posted by milk_vanilla View Post
    or might be because your tap water / your source water has low PH ?

    As far as i know our tap water is between 6.5 - 7.
    Yup, tested already. The tap water is PH 7.
    Should I do a 50% water change to push up the tank water to PH 7?
    But I'm concern will it kill my BB or I need to re-cycle the tank all over again?

  13. #13
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    Re: Help with water issue

    Dón't worry too much,

    They are growing faster compare that would be wasted over the water change

    and 'not to forget to use decholrinate product during WC.

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    Re: Help with water issue

    Quote Originally Posted by milk_vanilla View Post
    Dón't worry too much,

    They are growing faster compare that would be wasted over the water change

    and 'not to forget to use decholrinate product during WC.
    Ok, thanks a lot. I will try change the water tonight and see how things go...

    Cheers.

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    Re: Help with water issue

    Quote Originally Posted by stormhawk View Post
    Too low a pH the filter bacteria takes even longer to flourish.

    Have you tried to drop a piece of fish food to aid in the cycling phase? A single tablet food left to rot naturally in the tank should be sufficient "food" for the bacteria to grow in numbers. I believe your new tank is cycling, since you noticed an increase in ammonia. Now to see if there is any nitrite being produced. Once that occurs, the next step would be to check for nitrates.
    Wow! i didnt know that PH actually affect bacteria growth.
    I learn something new today....

  16. #16
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    Re: Help with water issue

    Here nice info on BB, cut and paste from http://www.bioconlabs.com/nitribactfacts.html

    The optimum pH range for Nitrosomonas is between 7.8-8.0.
    The optimum pH range for Nitrobacter is between 7.3-7.5

    Nitrobacter will grow more slowly at the high pH levels typical of marine aquaria and preferred by African Rift Lake Cichlids. Initial high nitrite concentrations may exist. At pH levels below 7.0, Nitrosomonas will grow more slowly and increases in ammonia may become evident. Nitrosomonas growth is inhibited at a pH of 6.5. All nitrification is inhibited if the pH drops to 6.0 or less. Care must be taken to monitor ammonia if the pH begins to drop close to 6.5. At this pH almost all of the ammonia present in the water will be in the mildly toxic, ionized NH3+ state.
    -Robert
    Aquascaping is a marriage between Art and Farming
    My Blog: http://aquatic-art.blogspot.com/

  17. #17
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    Re: Help with water issue

    Hello!
    Let me just share my 2 cents. From what I have read and learnt, low pH levels would cause ammonia to be the less toxic ionic state; ammonium. The bacteria is unable to consume ammonium leaving it with nothing and would die off.
    I had the same problem when I initially cycled my tank. PH was at 5 and with co2 injection, it went down to 4.5 even. For an entire week, ammonia would read at constant 0.25-0.5ppm but nitrite would be at 0ppm.
    I tore the entire tank down. Replaced the soil with ADA new Amazonia and within three days, ammonia went sky rocketing and nitrite started to rise. PH was about 6-6.5 throughout.
    Don't forget to let the tap water age overnight before testing it so as to get a better reading of the water parameters.
    Water changes at least 50% would reset the tank and hopefully get any nasty stuff that's causing the pH to drop out.
    Keep us posted please.

  18. #18
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    Re: Help with water issue

    Your low pH could be from the high amount of organic waste built up in the bio-media and filter wool that you transferred over, all the rotting organic material still stuck amongst the bio-media might be enough to pull pH down... though 5.0 is really low just based on rotting organic material.

    Maybe you could also check your pH test kit, might have expired so the readings are abit off.
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  19. #19
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    Re: Help with water issue

    Hi guys, just did a 50% water change just now. Added anti chlorine before filling back the water.
    I also notice the water was temp was quite warm, around 33 degree C.
    After filling back up the water, water temp now is at 30 degree C.
    Let it run for about 1hour and did a test again.
    PH is now at 6.5, ammonia is 0 and nitrite is 0.

    Notice some part of my OLD sands in the tank is growing moles already...
    Tomorrow will test the water again.
    Any other advice?
    Cheers.

  20. #20
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    Re: Help with water issue

    Hello!
    Just becareful with the temperature of the water. I read before that as temperature of water rises, the toxicity of ammonia increases exponentially. Also, warmer water holds lesser oxygen.
    The warmer water also causes slower BB growth if I am not wrong.
    Give the tank some time, you should see ammonia peaking in maybe 2-3days time then followed by a slower increase in nitrite.
    Just sharing my experience hope it helps.

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