# Cycled



## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

Hey everyone, i'm trying to figure out if my 55 gallon is cycled yet or not, but the only problem is, I havent done testing on it yet. I didnt do the daily testing for ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite because i've been busy doing lots of little things. But now with the tank planted and some plants showing some growth (others are looking healthy) I'm curious how to check the tank for suitability for some fish. I know I should test and look for nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia and come out with low nitrates, no nitrites, and no ammonia correct? The tank has been up for the better part of two weeks... I'd take pictures but I have GSA, and I'd like to plop 2 ottos or maybe even 3 into the tank to let them start working their magic.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Cycling is not usually a problem in a well set up, heavily planted tank. Read here for more info on this. How do you plant to dose your tank? Or are you planning 'el natural'?


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

So I tested the water today and the results are as follows:
PH- 7.4
High PH - 7.4
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrate - 0ppm
Nitrite- 0ppm

So I put 3 ottos in to clean up my GSA and then I will start to add more

The tank is currently set up as an El Natural. Top Soil underlayer under SMS. I'm not opposed to CO2 but at this point in time, I'm not ready for it. I have a 10 Gal i want to set up the same way as this current tank but i have shrimp that are small, a few ottos and my puffer in there for now, and I cant redo it yet. I'm thinking of setting up a DIY CO2 setup just to see how it looks. My 55 has a pretty nice amount of light. 4 x 32watt T8. I know not the best but...


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## freydo (Jan 7, 2006)

that's quite a bit of light, so you will have to consider co2, whether that be DIY, pressurized, or seachem excel. this will also require a good fert regimen.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

Let me ask, for a fert regimen what would you recommend? I'm trying to keep this "el natural" pretty low tech. Although I am thinking CO2 is a must to prevent leggy growth...


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

If you want to keep it as low tech as possible I would turn off one of the bulbs so that you will have under 2 wpgs. This way you can skip the C02 injection and use Seachem Excel instead for a carbon source. This will also mean a lesser amount of ferts can be used. You will just have to experiment with the amounts by the way your plants look and if algae developes or not.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

Well as of now, i'm fighting off GW and GSA. I'm not opposed to CO2, hell my b-day is this monday, and i could possibly get that setup. BUT, for now say this week or be it this month. Can I use a DIY CO2 setup? I'll have to put a powerhead in to help disperse the bubbles. Which is fine i have that handy. But do CO2 and ferts go hand in hand? Or??? 

Note the GW isnt too too bad, but the GSA is ugly on the front glass. I mean if it were on the back glass i'd love it. I have otos and snails doing their thing in there. Only 3 otos but i'm thinking of moving that # up to 5.. 

BUT here is where I get confused. Algae is caused by an excess in nutrience right? So how come I want more nutrience (ferts) instead of less? My thinking was to remove alage i'd put bio media in the filter until it clears up and then i could remove it.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

You could run two bottles of DIY C02 on your tank and alternate changing them each week to keep a steady flow of C02 in the tank. 

Algae is not always caused by excess nutrients, most likely a lack of. Keeping a balance in your tank of all things: Lights, ferts, C02 etc will help keep the algae at bay. Another important thing is be consistent with all the above. 

From your previous post it shows that you have 0 nitrates. You want at least 10ppm of N03 to 1ppm of P04. Having GSA is also a sign of low Phosphates.

Bio-media is not going to clear up algae.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

Sweet so my testing helped out. Good to hear. Now where do I begin on learning about Ferts and more on CO2.

My birthday was yesterday (3/12) and my mom gave me an IOU 1 CO2 Regulator. So I can do that, she is also giving me money for the co2 tank. Sweet deal, Score 1 for me! So we can pretty much say forget the DIY thing as it'd be to hard to do for a 55 gallon in my eyes (i may do a DIY on my 10 at some point)

The thing is, I set this tank up as an NPT to keep it low maintence, BUT i'm willing to work with it to compensate for good looks. So where do I begin? Sense I have a 55 gallon tank, I hear that dosing excel would be expensive (but isnt excel carbon, aka the same thing co2 does?) Yikes i'm just a little confused.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

The amount of light you have determines how much maintenance you need to do. You have enough that it will not be a low maintenance tank. CO2 is one of the fertilizers plants need if they are to grow fast. Nitrates, phosphates, potassium, and trace elements are the other fertilizers needed. If you drop one of the 4 lights you can do el natural, relying upon excess fish food, and fish poop for fertilizer, but keeping all of that light makes el natural an el algae tank.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Here is a site to get you started out with ferts... http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_fertilizer_intro.htm

Excel is a carbon source (unknown ingredients) but is not the same as injected C02.

Like Hobby and I suggested, if you want to go the El-natural route then all you have to do is turn off one bulb.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

I look at my plants in my 55 gal, and i think maybe because of the excess in S. Minima blocking the light i'm seeing growth expecially on the cabomba that is looking like it's stretching. I mean It's grown a good 4" in the past few days but between nodes on the stem the distance isnt tight and nice like i'd want it to be (close but not all the way) For now i'll be looking into CO2 and Ferts... I think i found a JBJ with solonoid for a good price.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

Ok, so i read that article, and What i get out of it is my tank will need help lol. So, if i start with Nitrate (if still testing low) and also potassium. But with macro nutrience how do most people do this? I know i can get the "stick" things you put in your under layer, but how long do those last? And also how do i know what i need to dose and what i dont? While i'm not opposed to CO2 and some ferts i dont want to be going crazy.


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