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Duffbear Duffbear
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  • Posted on: 2/3/2008 21:51
Officially Cycled #1
Past 4 days have had the following results

Ammonia 0ppm
NitrAte 60/80ppm
Nitrite 0ppm

Now what?

% water change?

How many fish can i add?

Any other advice?

Thanks for all your help guys couldnt have done it without you

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Duffbear Duffbear
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  • Posted on: 2/3/2008 21:55
Re: Officially Cycled #2
Also the water has taken a slightly yellow tinge, will this go away with the water change?
cathie cathie
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  • Posted on: 2/3/2008 21:59
Re: Officially Cycled #3
Congratulations!!

Yellow tinge might be from bogwood if you've got any? Some carbon in filter for a couple of weeks will remove it if you're bothered.

You want to get nitrAte below 20, so in these circumstances where no fish in tank, you can do 75% water change, tha should do it.

Edit: sorry forgot to say if you aren't getting some fish in within a couple of days, keep adding ammonia to feed bacteria.

What fish are you getting? You need to balance not adding too many at once, with adding enough together that they feel secure in their shoal.
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TheDragonLord TheDragonLord
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  • Posted on: 2/3/2008 22:01
Re: Officially Cycled #4
what is your tap water nitrate level?

if it is low then a 50% water change will be fine, then 6 hardy fish can be added the next day

the yellow tinge will be reduced by the water change, any carbon in the filter will help remove it as well

if it's going to take a couple of days or more to get fish in it then i suggest you keep adding ammonia to keep the bacteria going
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Jenkz Jenkz
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  • Posted on: 2/3/2008 22:06
Re: Officially Cycled #5
Congrats, the long wait is over :)
-Tim
Duffbear Duffbear
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  • Posted on: 2/3/2008 22:08
Re: Officially Cycled #6
Ill be adding them tommorrow lunchtime? So ill do a 75% water change tommorow with the dechlorinator added in, see the white pads i have in the filter obv i dont want to remove that as its filled with my good bacteria but its quite brown now could i add another one on top of it?

And i would mind adding neons first, so would a shoal of 6-8 be ok?

And can i top up my substrate with a bag i got the other day? (after being rinsed thoroughly)
Duffbear Duffbear
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  • Posted on: 2/3/2008 22:09
Re: Officially Cycled #7
Stupid question but how do you find your tap water nitrate? is it a simple as doing the nitrate test on a tube of tab water?
Jenkz Jenkz
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  • Posted on: 2/3/2008 22:13
Re: Officially Cycled #8
You want to replace the yukky brown poly-pads, once every week or every two weeks. They won't be doing what they are meant to (mechanical filtration, collecting bits of muck etc. you don't want). I have noticed they tend to reach a point where they just tend to leech crap back out again. They also bung-up pretty bad and effect flow-rate.

The main body of bacteria is in your blue sponges under the polypad.
-Tim
Jenkz Jenkz
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Re: Officially Cycled #9
Yep... Run tap into test tube, test with test kit :)
-Tim
Duffbear Duffbear
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  • Posted on: 2/3/2008 22:26
Re: Officially Cycled #10
Ok mate there is 0 nitrAte in my tap water, so i can change this white pad? will i squeeze it out in to the tank or no bother? you think this could explain the yellow tinge?