is my cycle done?confirmation.advice?

[prodrumernate]

Originally Posted by fairy74

Yours are low and mine high...swap half and then we are done?

haha sure.sound like a good idea..im ure my plants wont mind ;) start picking 1 at a time and ill be there to pick them up...lol..only if it was that easy.i know with ur plants in there it should drop soon.even with my plants that suck it up.it took a little time.and then finally dropped.it looks like ur cycle is done.u just have high nitrate.and it may not even be correct with the reading.like u had posted about the 1 person who went to a LPS that could be ur situation.

i had my plants in there from the start.so im sure thats y my nitrate never got as high or else id be like yours if i didnt add them.and now that i have confirmation that my plants take in a lot.it makes sense why i dont have much and u do.maybe a stock of red ludwigia would be a good idea :)

[MSG]

As for the Azoo/Red Sea Filter, totally depends on the tank and if the size of the filter bothers you.

I never used it before, because I thought it was too DINKY & I thought it had a water leak somewhere.

Eventhough it's small, it's a HOB type filter, so you may have to modify the cover to get it to fit properly.

I need to check the water results since I disconnected the heater and pumped up the oxygen in the water before I left.

[prodrumernate]

i doubt an HOB will work on my 2 gallon.its rounded.theres room at the top for a heater.though i have a fully submersible heater.my betta is happy as can be in her little 2 gallon.im going to make a filter for my 20 gallon..trying to decide what kind i want to make.im not too worried about it cleaning up debris.but its just providing media for the BB.i know ill go with a moving bed filter like the 1 i made in my pix before..but not sure if i need or want to add another type of filter as well.20 gallon hex tank.and will only stock with a female betta.have no other plans really for anything else. :)

[Hallyx]

Good. You got assurance from Byron. There is not a more experienced and knowledgeable (And well-spoken) keeper on these forums.

Pull out the dropper part of you #2 nitrate test bottle carefuly with pliers. Drop in a pea-sized bead or small pebble. This turns it into a rattle-can and make it easier to mix thoroughly.

[MSG]

HX, what a great idea. At first I was thinking, where am I going to get a bunch of non reactive steel pellets? Then I looked again and noticed you said pebbles/gravel.

I have plenty of gravel I don't like.

River rock be decent enough?

Oh what about a piece of shattered tempered glass? Would that work better?

I shattered one of my non aquarium safe lids. Got glass mixed in with a about 15lbs of ecocomplete/river rock.

[prodrumernate]

i did my water test again this morning.this time i shook the nitrate bottle like crazy as done in the past.got a reading of 5ppm...ammonia and nitrite still at 0.i just needed to do as ive done before and what other kept saying..

and that is a good idea.i need to find something to drop in my bottle.if i keep shaking like i am.my right arm is going to be the hulk and my left arm is a nerdy geek arm.kinda awkward.

what kinda material would be good to use in it?so not to contaminate the bottle and test.i have no beads.i think i do have a few small pebble from some aquarium rocks ive gotten.

[MSG]

I'm going to use the little bits of tempered glass. I worry about the gravel.

[Hallyx]

G R A V E L

(Why does everybody try to make it so hard?)

Btw, you'll also get a more accurate reading....usually lower, in my experience.

Then again, it's only nitrate....so who cares

[prodrumernate]

i noticed when i shook my bottles i got more accurate readings.i mean shook them like crazy and not like i did the past days before.just a quick shake.i surly dont want my nitrate being too high.