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Thread: Cycling

  1. #11
    Wrigglers
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    Ok LD, I am here to help! What is the latest update on this issue? Are the fish doing ok?

    I think your 72 gal tank is suffering from NTS (New Tank Syndrome). Although you introduced some biological media from the older 55 gal tank, it was probably nowhere near enough. The Nitrate you detected was likely from the old tank water from the 55. Certainly don't bother bringing in old tank water as it does nothing except making the diagnosis of the new tank water that much harder.

    The clear/white 'slime' you describe is indeed a type of bacteria, and its also typical of new tanks beginning their cycling process. The bacteria itself is generally not harmful, but you are correct in that it will use oxygen in the water at an alarming rate as it processes the microscopic amounts of food in the tank water and multiplies itself. Thankfully, this problem will sort itself out relatively quickly (1 or 2 weeks) as the bacterial bloom exhausts it's food supply and dies out.

    All tanks take their own time to cycle. Some people have luck getting their new tank completely cycled in 4 to 8 weeks, but personally I believe it takes longer, somewhere in the range of 8 to 16 weeks. So throw in a dead raw prawn and wait for the tank to mature. That reminds me, what filter(s) are you actually running on your 72?

    Please keep us updated on how things progress, and keep up the small but regular water changes using a quality de-chlorinator such as Seachem's Prime as suggested above. You don't have to age the water when using Prime, just make sure its left to mix for several minutes and that the new water is similar in temperature to the tank water.

    I am sure that if you stick to the basics and don't rush that in about 10 weeks or so you'll have a beautiful tank with healthy discus and all this will be a distant memory.

    Cheers!

    Greggy

  2. #12
    Blue Diamond Discus swampy1972's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greggy
    keep up the small but regular water changes using a quality de-chlorinator such as Seachem's Prime as suggested above
    Just a note for economy's sake.

    Consider using Seachem Safe instead of Prime, especially when you're going through shed loads of water. It's the same thing only in a powdered, heavily concentrated form = much more water treated for less chemical.

    Look it up in the Seachem site but the number of litres treated per gram is astounding.

    I think PSA is doing 1kg for about $50 at the moment.

  3. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by BigDaddyAdo
    Dont take this the wrong way but how can someone that has apparently over 10 years experience be having some on the issues you are having?

    You had measurable ammonia and nitrates but you say that none of the test results worried you?

    If i were you i would go out and get some Prime and start doing lots of water changes ASAP as is sounds that you have moved them to an uncycled tank. Correct? You state that it has been set up for some time. Has it had a bioload over this time?

    Filter cartridges? What filter are you using?

    What else is in the tank? Lighting?

    Some more details of your set up may help.

    What are the parameters of the water that you use to do water changes? Where does it come from?
    I didnt reread my post, but I probably worded somthing wrong. amonia most definatly worries me. an amonia reading of 3 make me panic. I was definatly worried about the oxygen and amonia. after the water change with amonia and nitites back in tune I wasnt worried at all except about the low oxygen levels.

    I typed all of that really fast last nigh as I was trying to get to bed! yes I know I am a definate noob in some of your eyes. I have just recently found cichlids interesting. I used to keep mostly tetra type fish, piranhas, and small tetras. I have raised over 100 piranha and grown about 50 of them to 7 inches plus. so yes I am a major noob to discus. thanks for all the support guys!

    my tank is going strong now, all parameter sp are in tune. water is a tish cloudly but its been clearing quickly since yesterday. discus are starting to hide their stress bars, and are acting like their nomal selves now.

  4. #14
    I also today went to petsmart, looking for more ph tester and a dechlorinator, I grabed seachem prime because it seemed cheapest and seemed to have the most detail as to how to use it and what it really does/contains.
    i am now very pleased with purchase seeing as you guys use it.

  5. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by steph
    Hi LD

    Neither stresss zyme or or stress coat is a dechlorinator, depending on where you live if there is chloramine in the tap water then not even 36 hours is sufficient for it to dissipate from your water.

    the info on stress zyem is here http://aquariumpharm.com/products/Te...TechSheetID=29 and stress coat http://aquariumpharm.com/Products/Pr...x?ProductID=43

    I suggest a product like Seachem Prime or API tap water conditioner to treat the chlorine and chloramine.

    WRT the slime, can you give more details eg is it brown (diatoms) is it all over the water surface - thats possible and would certainly affect oxygen levels, that could be some sort of protein or oil residue, etc

    I would still keep up the water changes, yes they will reduce the nitrates but thats not a problem really, nitrates are an indicator that the biological filter is working, as long as you have something producing enough ammonia to keep your filter going equivalent to tht estocking levels required

    hth

    steph
    makers of stress coat do claim it is a dechlorinator.. eliminating chlorine and chloramine. i read the labels on all the conditioners pet smart offers.

    i went with prime because it seemed to have alot of user info, was a good price and actually had some indication of the active ingredients.
    stress coat/zyme give almost no user info and says nothing about what it contains. imho api is kinda cheap, they seem to be out for profit more so than quality. In know in order to run a buisness there needs to be a little of both, but they are a bit unbalanced for my liking. I say this because stress coat and stress zyme SUCK, (especially stress zyme). their user friendly test strips are of very low quality compared to jungle brand. the litmus pads dont absorb water properly, and end up dripping down the strip, mixing colo(u)rs (I know most of you probably hate seeing color spelt wrong in your country I know I do).

    api is absoulute junk imo except for their glass vial/chem dropper tests work desently. just my experience.

  6. #16
    San Merah Discus TW's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Love Discus
    The tank was doing well and all, nitrites and nitrate forming within 3 days. So I introdused my 5 discus, and added the cycled water from the 10 gallon the discus were thriving in.
    Quote Originally Posted by Love Discus
    I didnt reread my post, but I probably worded somthing wrong. amonia most definatly worries me. an amonia reading of 3 make me panic.
    Yeah, maybe it was just the way you worded it, but maybe what BDA means is the quote I took from your initial post. It reads as if the fish were aded when you had a descernable reading of nitrite present. Though maybe you meant it had already passed though the nitrite stage (which now = zero) and only nitrate was testing positive.

    But it appears that have everything sorted now, so that is great news. Seachem Prime is excellent stuff, but I've heard from many people about the much better value achieved by using Seachem Safe. I’m thinking of trying it myself soon, although it seems a bit of a pain about dissolving it.

    Swampy, does it dissolve easily. I’d be adding it to my 1,000 litre storage tank & I am wondering about the build up of Seachem Safe residue over time?
    Previously known as "Tankwatcher"

  7. #17
    Blue Diamond Discus swampy1972's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TW
    I've heard from many people about the much better value achieved by using Seachem Safe. I’m thinking of trying it myself soon, although it seems a bit of a pain about dissolving it.

    Swampy, does it dissolve easily. I’d be adding it to my 1,000 litre storage tank & I am wondering about the build up of Seachem Safe residue over time?
    Hi Tw,

    TBH I haven't used it YET, but there's 1kg waiting for me when I get back to Aust soon. I planned to use it the same as you by premixing in a 250lt aging barrel with a powerhead and airstone in there so it has all the time it needs to dissolve while the water ages. Although I have read posts by people saying they pre-dissolve it in jug of tepid water prior to adding it to their barrel/tank to hasten the dissolving time.

    I'm not sure that you'll end up with significant if any residue in the barrel. If you're thinking you'll end up with a scale like crust around the water line simliar to saltwater or calcium build up, I'd think that would only happen in heavy solutions/concentrations. Remember the whole point of this is to add a very small amount of chemical to a large volume of water. If you're still concerned it would be an interesting question to pose to Seachem Aust'.

    My train of thought being that for the sake of a couple of minutes extra during a water change, you'll save a bucket load of chemical/$$ over time and if you add it to an aging barrel without pre-dissloving it, then it's cost you no extra time anyway.

    I guess you need to go with whatever you're comfortable with, but looking at the Seachem site they themselves advertise it as the same product as Prime, only more concentrated.

  8. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by TW
    Quote Originally Posted by Love Discus
    The tank was doing well and all, nitrites and nitrate forming within 3 days. So I introdused my 5 discus, and added the cycled water from the 10 gallon the discus were thriving in.
    Quote Originally Posted by Love Discus
    I didnt reread my post, but I probably worded somthing wrong. amonia most definatly worries me. an amonia reading of 3 make me panic.
    Yeah, maybe it was just the way you worded it, but maybe what BDA means is the quote I took from your initial post. It reads as if the fish were aded when you had a descernable reading of nitrite present. Though maybe you meant it had already passed though the nitrite stage (which now = zero) and only nitrate was testing positive.

    But it appears that have everything sorted now, so that is great news. Seachem Prime is excellent stuff, but I've heard from many people about the much better value achieved by using Seachem Safe. I’m thinking of trying it myself soon, although it seems a bit of a pain about dissolving it.

    Swampy, does it dissolve easily. I’d be adding it to my 1,000 litre storage tank & I am wondering about the build up of Seachem Safe residue over time?
    no there was nitrite present. I know its not the best idea but I wanted them out of that crampt 10 gallon asap.

  9. #19
    Blue Diamond Discus
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    Been using safe for the last month. No worries disolving it Robyn it disolves straight away. Looks like it will save me heaps of money

  10. #20
    San Merah Discus TW's Avatar
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    I can understand you wanting them out of a cramped 10 gallon asap, but IMO I wouldn't have added fish to a tank where I was testing positive to nitrite. Just my opinion

    But all's well that ends well and I'm glad everything is on track now.

    Thanks lpisente & Swampy for the Safe info. Lpiasente, so you just dump it in the storage container, or predissolve it in say a litre of water & then add it in?
    Previously known as "Tankwatcher"

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