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Advice Needed Re Nitrites


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#21 bigjohnnofish

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Posted 16 June 2017 - 12:43 AM

It sucks but you are on the home straight and ph looked fine for bacteria. Can you run a drainage pipe to bath tub or outside? I had ammonia over 5ppm so by the time it gets to nitrates, big water changes are needed.
 

 

at about 4ppm of ammonia your beneficial bacteria will actually start dying off - so if your cycling a new/existing tank best keep your ammonia below 4ppm... i like to cycle new tank at around 2ppm while using goldfish as the ammonia source... your bacteria wont multiply any faster with higher ammonia reading.. as long as you always have an excess of ammonia to what your bacteria is consuming... you will get bacteria growth at maximum levels...

can anyone shed some light on what effect ph has on cycling a new tank... i have always left the ph as it is from the tap for cycling new tanks...  



#22 Delapool

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Posted 18 June 2017 - 09:01 PM

I agree on the excess ammonia and the bacteria trying to catch up. It's an interesting topic. Now days I don't bother learning the species names as I suspect I have a bacterial population of many types that works in my tank. Which is why I think there is a difference between a just, cycled tank and "stable" tank running for several months after.

 

On the US forums it's not uncommon to have a ph crash on a cycling tank and crushed coral or baking soda to add carbonates will be suggested . Also a water change to add back anything else. This seems to help a stalled cycle. So below ph 6.5 the bacteria slow down and get really slow below ph 6.0.

 

However, people have cycled tanks with low ph so I've always wondered if maybe one type of bacteria prefers ph > 7 while another below. Basically if there is a gap, some sort of bacteria will fill it and a stalled cycle is really the bacteria trying to change over.

 

 

http://www.angelsplu...pongeActive.htm

 

There are likely hundreds of species of nitrifying bacteria in a tank that has been "established" for over a year.

 

 

1 ppm ammonia --> 2.7 ppm nitrite --> 3.6 ppm nitrate.

For every gram of ammonia oxidised into nitrate 4.8 grams of oxygen is used, 7.14 grams of calcium carbonate is used (thus why pH crash can occur in tanks with to little buffering capacity).

My own experience is that I have crashed the filters before and had a mini-cycle. Ammonia & nitrites off the scale, huge nitrate readings - eventually sorted.

 

The bacteria I think are fairly tough once going properly as well. Would have the paper somewhere but the bacteria in a lab test were re-started with ammonia after several months. This matched a tank with a relative that started up fine after being dormant for months.

 

In Perth water I also wash every part of the filter under the hose. I've tested this by putting tap water in the canister filter over-night and then re-starting. Ammonia checks were all fine. I'd never suggest this on a forum as I've worked up this point over time specifically for my tap water & also have two other filters running but this to me says the bacteria are fairly hardy (although would be interesting to try that with Kalgoorlie tap water). Some thoughts anyways.


Edited by Delapool, 18 June 2017 - 09:53 PM.


#23 stewie17

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Posted 19 June 2017 - 02:10 PM

No the fish seem fine, my large blue peacock is being a bully to the other three benge peacocks but leaves the 8 smaller electric yellows alone, thinking thats just cause the tank being temporary is a bit small. The nitrites have dropped to 0ppm, nitrates are down to 20ppm after another 40% water change, and installing new Eheim filter, running along with old filter and treating water with a heavy dose of Aqua one Bio starter.

Have to give a big thankyou to Paul at Morley Aquariums for advice and tips , especially with the new Eheim, very smooth and quiet. I was abit worried about canister filters but couldnt be happier at the moment, just hope the fish are.



#24 stewie17

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Posted 19 June 2017 - 05:19 PM

The ammonia levels was something i hadnt thought off. I am a fan off real plants, and i know most people dont have real plants in an african cichlid tanks but i have 4 reasonable bunchs of amazon sword doing quite well in the tank, was just thinking maybe these plants are stripping the ammonia from the system and hence slowing the bacteria growth so obviously slowing the tank cycle . When ever i have tested the ammonia levels they are always low or 0ppm.

Dont know any thoughts?



#25 bigjohnnofish

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Posted 20 June 2017 - 01:35 AM

amount of ammonia plants uptake is very little..... sounds more like your bacteria numbers have multiplied to a point they are capable of consuming all your ammonia produced in the tank... and nitrite.... producing nitrate which you have been reducing with water changes....

the solution to pollution is dilution  :)



#26 stewie17

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Posted 20 June 2017 - 10:48 AM

Retested all the conditions nitrites -0ppm, nitrates - 10ppm, ammonia - 0.25ppm, PH -8.2 and temp - 24.5 deg



#27 stewie17

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Posted 20 June 2017 - 05:21 PM

Forgot to ask , picked up some shell grit today, however with PH sitting at 8.2 should i hold off introducing it to the aquarium to buffer the water for awhile. I do appreciate the advice i have been recieving guys.






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