Greg_M
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Registered: 2nd Sep 03
Location: Grantham, Lincolnshire
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Ive just got my tank, its a Biube.
Im cycling the tank at the mo, no tested water yet as it only been a couple of days, but im have ing real problems maintaing the tank temp.
What do you lot use. Ive got the heater that came with it, and it set on its highest settings (which is claimed to be 86F) but the temp is around 22 when dark and 27-28 with the light on for 4-5hours. what can i do to maintain this better or is this ok?
[Edited on 20-03-2007 by Greg_M]
[Edited on 21-03-2007 by Greg_M]
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Cosmo
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
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hmmm...Id lower the heater a few degrees so its as level as possible. Temp changes arent the best for fish but a slightly lower more constant temp would be OK.
Is it near a heater or windown or anything else that coudleffect it? As it does seem a big change just for tank lighting which shouldnt give off too much heat.
BTW- What you using to cycle the tank?
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Greg_M
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Registered: 2nd Sep 03
Location: Grantham, Lincolnshire
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Using ceramic media and stress zyme, have put a couple of live plants in when i set up. thats all i have in it
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Cosmo
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you need an ammonia source unless you want it to take ages to cycle.
Easiest two ways are to throw in some cheap fish for now (goldfish or similar), or to throw in a few frozen prawns for 1 or 2 days. This will give you an ammonia source, and start the growth of filtering bacteria on the media.
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Greg_M
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Registered: 2nd Sep 03
Location: Grantham, Lincolnshire
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oh ive used a filter accelerant too, forget its name. will that be amonia?
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Cosmo
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quote:
Originally posted by Greg_M
oh ive used a filter accelerant too, forget its name. will that be amonia?
it doesnt really do anything. The filtering bacteria isnt 'free-floating' in water, so it cant be bottled!!
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Ally
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www.fishforums.net
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Cosmo
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quote:
Originally posted by Ally
www.fishforums.net
www.corsasport.co.uk
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Greg_M
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Location: Grantham, Lincolnshire
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quote:
Originally posted by Cosmo
quote:
Originally posted by Greg_M
oh ive used a filter accelerant too, forget its name. will that be amonia?
it doesnt really do anything. The filtering bacteria isnt 'free-floating' in water, so it cant be bottled!!
what fish would you urget to bung in there then?
how much ceramic media should i use?
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Cosmo
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Use as much as your filter will hold, the more thats in there the better your filter will be.
If your just going to throw some in then go for whatever is cheap. Or just throw a few prawns in like I mentioned as saves you having to buy the fish!
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Dan
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Registered: 22nd Apr 02
Location: Gorleston on Sea, Norfolk
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is ceramic media ok in tropical tanks? in marine its a bad cause of a build up of nitrates?
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Greg_M
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quote:
Originally posted by Dan
is ceramic media ok in tropical tanks? in marine its a bad cause of a build up of nitrates?
persume so, it came with the tank
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Dan
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it also came with my marine nano tank, which i was told to throw away straight away
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Greg_M
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quote:
Originally posted by Cosmo
Use as much as your filter will hold, the more thats in there the better your filter will be
how do i know what my filter will hold?
im really new to this
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Cosmo
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ceramic is fine in tropical tanks.
And all tanks should get a buld up of nitrates, thats what the ammonia is eventually turned into. Regular water changes lower this.
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Greg_M
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quote:
Originally posted by Dan
it also came with my marine nano tank, which i was told to throw away straight away
oh
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Dan
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tbh i know jack about tropical really, i know that marine, tiny amounts of nitrates can be deadly, so its best to keep the causes of build up, such as ceramic/bio balls etc etc out of the tank
[Edited on 20-03-2007 by Dan]
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Cosmo
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ammonia makes nitrates, there will ALWAYS nitrates in any tank.
Ammonia is given off by the breakdown of fish waste, this is then turned into nitrItes by the filter material, which is then turned into nitrAtes. This is then removed via water changes.
From what Ive been reading its fine for marine tanks too. It may not be compatible for certain types of live rock, etc but certainly is for fish!
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Greg_M
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Location: Grantham, Lincolnshire
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need to get my water tested then
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Russ
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wack in some zebra danios, there tolerant of all water really, too hot or too cold wont bother them, and cost fuck all, or the frozen prawns like cosmo mentioned (you'll need a pair of your moms tights)
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Greg_M
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Registered: 2nd Sep 03
Location: Grantham, Lincolnshire
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Ive tested the water and its:
NO3 - 10ish (fine)
NO2 - less than 1 (0) (fine)
GH - >16 (far to high)
KH - 20 (too high)
PH - 8.4ish (ok, could do with lowering slightly)
What can i do to reduce the areas i need to?
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Dean_W
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Registered: 13th Dec 05
Location: Downham Market, Norfolk
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How long has it been cycling for?
[Edited on 21-03-2007 by Dean_W]
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Cosmo
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Those figures would seem that it has cycled (low nitrItes and high nitrAtes), but really depends on a few things...
How long has it been cycling? What is the ammonia level?
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Greg_M
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Been cycling for 4days, ammonia levels arnt on the testing strips ive got
i used tetratest 5in1
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Cosmo
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get yourself an ammonia test...probably one of the main ones you'll ever need as its high ammonia that is most deadly.
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