[GFarra]

Hi Everyone

I'm doing a fishless cycle in a 5 gallon tank. Filter is the AZOO palm and it comes with black coarse sponge and a white sponge which isnt very coarse feeling. I stuffed the filter with 2 black peices and 1 white.

The intent is to move the media to 2 5 gallon tanks both using the AZOO filter.

For ammonia I put pellets into a nylon bag. Its been going for 5 days. This morning I checked water parameters:

Ammonia was close to 1ppm
Nitrite was 2ppm
Nitrate was between 20 to 40 ppm

I did a 25% water change and let it keep running. I guess I was expecting a higher ammonia reading in only 4 days.

Thoughts?

Thank you,

George

 

[GFarra]

oh also...i forgot to ask. Does the beneficial bacteria colonize in the coarse black sponge or the white softer feeling sponge? I want to ensure I have sufficient media when I'm done to apply to 2 tanks

Thanks

George

 

[mobius981]

Hi George,

I would think the bacteria colonize on both sponge surfaces, as well as tank walls, plants, substrate, etc. So if you put some substrate in, you will also have extra BB media to move to another tank...what are the pellets that you mention that you are using to seed? Do you have a heater and what temp is it? Bacteria love the dark...you can put a towel over the tank...

Sounds like it is going VERY well...the fact that you have such high nitrites would be the reason the ammonia level is lower than what you might expect...ammonia is being eaten by the nitrosomonas bacteria already. Keep us posted...you have both bacterias, but they are babies, so let them grow and get stable...I would say at least a week during which your ammonia and nitrite levels are at zero.

 

[GFarra]

Mobius,

Thank you. i used NLS small fish pellets. They are approx 50% protein and are .5mm in size so they break down pretty quickly.

I will do another water parameter test tonight. i may as well toss in some silk plants and stuff

Thanks

George