Advertisements
Aquatic Avenue Banner Tropica Shop Banner Fishy Business Banner
Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Knowing for sure if the nitrogen cycle is complete?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    111
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    Knowing for sure if the nitrogen cycle is complete?

    Advertisements
    Fresh n Marine aQuarium Banner

    Advertise here

    Advertise here
    Hi people,

    when do you know for sure if the nitrogen cycle of your new tank is complete?
    In between the spikes, is it common to register low NH3/NH4 or nitrites with tests?
    Does plants n' old filter media help to speed up the cycle?

    ========


    I'm faced with a puzzling situation where my new tank seems to complete its nitrogen cycle within 4 days (with the help of external filter transferred from an old tank)

    1. I set up a new 2-feet planted tank 4 days ago, intending to keep an arowana in there.

    2. I left the new tap water to age for 12 hours before adding lots of feeder fishes n' wastes from my LH tank.

    3. After 30 hours (from start), I tested for NH3/NH4, it registered moderately dangerous levels.
    1/5 of the feeder fishes died.

    4. After 48 hours (from start), I attached my used Ehiem 2213 filter from an old tank (the bacterial colony in there should still be working)


    5. after 72 hours, i tested for NH3/NH4, it registered minimal levels (strange? so fast?)

    6. I tested for nitrite (NO2), registered moderate levels.

    7. I added in my new plants. filled up most of my tank. started injected C02, the plants are photosynthesizing under my 2x36W lights.

    8. after 96 hours in total (4 days), i tested for both.
    Now NH3/NH4 very low. Same for NO2, very low also.


    Is my nitrogen cycle completed already? so fast?

    is it because my Ehiem filter already has an established BB colony?

    Can i add my arowana into the planted tank already?

    thanks

    Lance

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    4,088
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Using an old filter from a old tank will help speed up the nitrogen cycle...but it still takes time for the bacteria colony to build up in the substrate...it would be wise to wait for a few more weeks...(What kind of test kit are you using? Those combo types are not recommended..they are highly inaccurate.)

    Keeping aro in a 2ft? That is unwise unless you plan to upgrade later...why not get a bigger tank from the start? Get at least a 4ft long and 2ft wide tank for the comfort of your aro.
    Plant Physiology by Taiz and Zeiger

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    111
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    My arowana is still small so I'll wait till it grows bigger before i upgrade to a 5-feet tank.

    I'm using serra NO2 test kit n' a serra NH3 test kit.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
    Posts
    8,958
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Images
    104
    Country
    Singapore
    Lance,

    Too bad we did not meet at the workshop.

    I want to state before I start that I do not wish to be a wet blanket, but few ppl seem to realise the effects of a large predatorial fish that eats raw food on a tank, planted or not. Unfortunately, while Joey has done a good job talking about planted tanks, he did not address the issues that comes with a planted aro tank.

    First of all, that arowana is going to grow big really fast. I bought my RTG at 6 inches 2 months ago and it is now already at 10 or 11 inches long. I hardly think a 2 feet planted tank is big enough for him, even at 6 inches.

    Secondly, even at 6 inches, fed with market prawns, it pushed my NO3 in my 6 feet planted tank (~540 gallons of water) up beyond the 40ppm limit of my test kit. This is even though I don't allow any missed food to stay in the tank longer then 2 minutes. In a 2 feet tank (~20 gallons), it'll be worse. You'll have to watch it and keep changing water which is not a good thing for a planted tank.

    Now is not the time to add in the arowana, with so much waste coming from the aro, you will need all the biological filtration you can get and that includes your plants. While the bacteria in your filter seems ready, your plants are not. You have to give them at least a month to settle in, grow in roots, and be able to start photosynthesising effectively. During or after this period, you need to start dosing fertiliser to optimise photosynthesis so the plants can handle all the NH3/4 and NO3 coming from the aro. And even then, I don't think it's going to be enough.

    Other things to consider: your choice of plants... you need to choose a few fast growing plants that will quickly absorb all the NH3/4 and NO3. You also need to provide all the conditions to optimise the ability of these plants to absorb them.

    I'm not saying you WILL have algae, but the likelyhood is very, very, high. My tank just got hit by green water early last week and only three 30% water changes brought the NO3 down below the 40ppm limit of my tank.

    I do not know your experience with planted tanks and do not wish to be patronising, but I really do not want anyone to make a serious mistake like this. No offence meant. I'm really for planted arowana tanks and I do not wish ppl to get discouraged when the tank succumbs to massive NO3 problems.
    Vincent - AQ is for everyone, but not for 'u' and 'mi'.
    Why use punctuation? See what a difference it makes:
    A woman, without her man, is nothing.
    A woman: without her, man is nothing.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Bukit Panjang
    Posts
    1,433
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Lance,

    In all likely hood, the combination of yoru old filter and the plants helped to speed up the cycling process. So its not surprising. When I added my 50 cardinals to my tank which had like 5 fish before, I never went through the conventional cycling... i.e. most of the ammonia was getting whacked by the plants before the bacteria got to them. Never measured any NH3/NO2/NO3.

    As for an arowana tank, I don't have experience, but what vinz says makes really good sense. I think you need to think through your setup and decide if its ok.
    Allen

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    111
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Hi Vinz,

    thanks for your insight. yes, how i wished i could have attended the workshop. I had to conduct a fujifilm workshop myself that night so i couldn't turn up.

    (btw, whoever is learning how to use a fujifilm digital camera, feel free to sign up for a free workshop at http://www.fujifilm.com.sg/web/training.html. I'm conducting the workshop)


    About my decision to use a two-feet tank... I'm well aware of the size problems.

    You see... my 3-feet tank housing my baby arowana leaked a week ago. almost all the water drained out and flooded my room. I had to throw my wet mattress away n' sleep on the floor now
    The arowana survived the leak but it is now kept inside a cycled 1-feet tank!!!
    because it will take time for me to cycle another tank. so the 2-feet tank comes in. and might as well throw in the plants :>

    So housing my arowana in a 2-feet tank is a temporary solution. I intend to upgrade to a 5-feet tank within 2 months. But first, i have to get myself a bed. :P

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
    Posts
    8,958
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Images
    104
    Country
    Singapore
    Well, if the 2 feet tank is meant to be a emergency home, then I suppose you could put him in now. It'll be better then the 1 feet bare tank. If you have high light and fert in that tank, watch out for algae... []

    Anyway, I sounded kinda harsh in my last post. Sorry about that. If you have questions about a planted arowana tank, do feel free to ask.
    Vincent - AQ is for everyone, but not for 'u' and 'mi'.
    Why use punctuation? See what a difference it makes:
    A woman, without her man, is nothing.
    A woman: without her, man is nothing.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    111
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Don't worry. i didn't even notice the harshness you mentioned :>

    anyway, i was quite surprised that my nitrogen cycle completes so soon? i sort of expected the cultivated bacteria from my old canister filter to weaken first before supporting the whole tank.

    btw, any lobangs for getting cheaping 5-feet tanks? on a 2-tier will be great.

    Also, will it be a lot more expensive to get a 6-feet instead?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Bukit Panjang
    Posts
    1,433
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    lance you have pm
    Allen

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •