[HELP] Weird tank parameters after ~2weeks into fishless cycling

[avex30]

You don't have to without Driftwood can leave it inside but do remove those plastic and stones. You might want to consider those commercial liquid BB to help you now since you have dose bi-carbonate again. It should quicken the cycling effect alittle maybe there is still some powder left behind which might explain why there is still ammonia present. So just be patience and see and wait on also with that much of ammonia i suggest you to have some floating plants like frogbit or hornworts to suck up the end product nitrate if not later you end up with another issue high nitrate (which can also be reduce thru wc)

[kotaaro]

ahh i forgot to add that i have also added this Super Battle Bacteria 8000, 2mL (as per box) when i added bicarb the other time.

Thanks i would look into those floating plants you mentioned.

I do hope they are cheap!

[avex30]

ahh i forgot to add that i have also added this Super Battle Bacteria 8000, 2mL (as per box) when i added bicarb the other time.

Thanks i would look into those floating plants you mentioned.

I do hope they are cheap!

They are frogbit abit hard to find in Lfs you might want to drop by green chapter and ask uncle whether he can spare you some hahaha or you can camp market some bros sell some give away.

[VSGenesis]

Well, you've done more or less what is needed. Now leave the tank alone and let it be.

Check your parameters at the end of the month.

Good luck!

[kotaaro]

ok noted!

[kotaaro]

just to add, since i was bored juz now, i actually went ahead n did a water test.

Ammonia - 0.5

Nitrite - >5 or 5 (dark purple)

Nitrate - 40ppm.

Are my parameters ok..?

Qn: How long does Nitrite spike lasts..?

And do i have to take note of algae growth with this high level of nitrate?

Thanks.

[kotaaro]

hi all, another thing to add.

i noticed that there's alot of these White "bed-buds/ants-like" thingy on my substrates, tank walls n some floating around.

They are very small in size, almost like bubbles or dust if u did not looked closely...

May i know what are these..? Most importantly, are they harmful to my tank and my future fishes as my tank is still cycling now...

Thanks!

[avex30]

just to add, since i was bored juz now, i actually went ahead n did a water test.

Ammonia - 0.5

Nitrite - >5 or 5 (dark purple)

Nitrate - 40ppm.

Are my parameters ok..?

Qn: How long does Nitrite spike lasts..?

And do i have to take note of algae growth with this high level of nitrate?

Thanks.

Probably your BB generation is still building up it will take sometimes can't really say how long the spike will stay only way to tell is once you see a drop that mean your nitrite converting BB is starting to culture.

Than it will probably be another 2 weeks or less.

After which you will see a spike in nitrate 2 way to go about resolve nitrate as mention before floating plants and hornworts or do a large water change.

hi all, another thing to add.

i noticed that there's alot of these White "bed-buds/ants-like" thingy on my substrates, tank walls n some floating around.

They are very small in size, almost like bubbles or dust if u did not looked closely...

May i know what are these..? Most importantly, are they harmful to my tank and my future fishes as my tank is still cycling now...

Thanks!

Harmless either seed shrimp or copepods cyclops most probably

[kotaaro]

thnx. Problem is can i do a water change during tank cycling? i wud prefer not to touch it though..

And can i top up any water loss during cycling? The water level seems to be a little lesser due to evaporation.

[wongce]

thnx. Problem is can i do a water change during tank cycling? i wud prefer not to touch it though..

And can i top up any water loss during cycling? The water level seems to be a little lesser due to evaporation.

Yes, you can do WC during cycling...to lower the initial no2/no3 spike.

Yes, top ups are no an issue here.

Note: top up/wc with aged water/ anti chlorine treated water... for keeping shrimps, distilled water is prefered to maintain the low GH/TDS

your tanks seems going to be ready soon, test once a week should be sufficient... to keep your finger cross for another 2 weeks.... btw, you can add some plants into the tank during cycling stage... to help to absorb all the excess nutrients...

Do you have any biomedia in your filter/substrate? biomedia will help to provide a space for BB to grow...

[kotaaro]

yes i have biomedia in my OHF, those coarse ceramic rings, and some bio balls.

ok i will be going out to get some plants for my tank now though, any suggestions which to get? as in those easier to be found in our LFS. thnx!

i prefer floating ones!

[wongce]

For shrimp tanks,i would suggest hornwarts, moss like fissiden,java moss... Floating would be frogbits...

Shrimps loves to graze around moss...

I seldom see lfs selling frogbits,if you want i can give you a handful to start up.PM me to arrange...

[kotaaro]

Hi bro, mine is a puffer tank btw

Thnx i will arrange wif u.

Btw do frogbits multiply n grow fast?

[kotaaro]

erm wongce bro, sorry but i cant PM you here..i don't have enough posts counts yet

[wongce]

LOL, btw are you going to keep the tank as a planted tank with puffer or just plastic plants with puffer?

all plants requires lighting and fertilizer to stay alive... if you do not have sufficient lights (min 6-8 hours of lights daily), they will die...

Keeping planted tank can be quite challenging, i am contactable via whatsapp/sms 9one84988six

[kotaaro]

im tinking of keeping plastic plants in the tank and some live floating ones if it really helps with the nitrate level.

my tank only has 1, 2ft florescent bulb. Is that sufficient..?

my tank is also about 2metres away from my balcony window, should have enough sunlight/light i guess?

[kotaaro]

hi all!

have some really good news to share! (at least for me), i just tested my water parameters:

Ammonia: 0.5

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate 80

I think im really in the right direction!

But the ammonia still puzzles me though..till now i haven tested 0ppm for my ammonia, is there anything that im not doing correctly? Why don't my ammonia dropped to zero...?

Just to add, i added ammonium bicarb as my ammonia source for fishless cycle.

And i would only be able to buy my puffers during this weekend so are there any pointers that i have to take note of so that i can maintain the water parameters until then?

Thanks!!

[RonWill]

I seldom see lfs selling frogbits...

Depending on where you go, one might find Pistia stratiotes (water lettuce), Salvinia natans & Limnobium laevigatum (Amazon frogbit). These are very understated plants but fulfill their role as biological filters most efficiently. My most oft used and favorite plants.

...you might want to drop by green chapter and ask uncle whether he can spare you some

Kotaaro, introduce yourself to the uncle and say that AQ sent you for starter floaters. Don't go down on Wednesdays though... you'd be totally ignored! (Avex, sssshhhh... )

Why don't my ammonia dropped to zero...?

How so, when you keep adding ammonium bicarb??? It's almost like... adding ice to your kopi and asking how come the kopi not hot??

[kotaaro]

Lol! Thing is i stopped adding ammonia bicarb a long time ago.

And it always occur to me that ammonia has to go zero first before nitrite.

Guess i'll just do water change then

[kotaaro]

by the way, how do i find my way to Green Chapter from Clementi mrt?

I know it's like a 10mins walk?