# Cycling a 250L aquarium.



## Ledo (May 20, 2008)

Hello

Here´s my aqua!
Cycling with Nitrivec (day #3)

*SETUP*
100cm x 50cm x 50cm
External Filter Canister Resun AE-806
CO2 system with solenoid valve - 8hs/day
Heater 300W

*LIGHTING* - 8hs/day
Aqua-Glo 90W
Daylight 6400k 120W
Marine-Glo 30W actinic (just decorative)

*SUBSTRATE*
Tropica Substrate
Quartz Gravel 1-2mm

*PARAMETERS - DAY #5*
Temp: 28.0 celsius
pH= 6,6
KH = 4
GH = Very Soft
Ammonia = 3ppm (Nitrivec...)
Nitrites = 0

*Fauna*
Nothing

*Plants*
Pic #3. Some doubts and probably some mistakes.




























Suggestions are welcome...

Best regards
Ledo

PS: My english is poor.......


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Hi Ledo, first off, welcome to apc. What is the water volume of your tank? With 210W of useable lighting, I hope you're at least around 70 gallons.

A couple of points. If you start out with a heavily planted tank, you don't need to worry about cycling. The plants will quickly take up any ammonia which may form. Your tank is not heavily planted. If you can, try to put in quite a few more fast growing stem plants. Look at the plantfinder here on apc for info on some fast growers.

I don't see any mention of fertilization. With high lighting, you will most definitely need to do that. Two common ways are via EI (estimative index) or PPS (perpetual preservation system). Info on both can be found in the fert forum here.


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## Ledo (May 20, 2008)

Hi Bert



Bert H said:


> What is the water volume of your tank?


Around 65 gallons.



Bert H said:


> Your tank is not heavily planted.


That pic is the first day of plants. I hope that it will grow up. 



Bert H said:


> I don't see any mention of fertilization.


Mmmm. Do you think that I should start fertilization right now? Interesting...

Thanks for help 

Ledo


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Plants need nutrients to grow, even from the start, though you might not dose full strength at the very start. Here's some reading which might help you in general knowledge:
http://www.rexgrigg.com/
http://www.aquatic-plants.org/articles/basics/pages/index.html
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...ums/14684-new-tank-setup-guide-parts-1-a.html


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

You also need to keep the concentration of CO2 in the water near 30 ppm to help avoid algae and provide the carbon the plants need to grow. The best way to be sure you are doing this is to use a drop checker as described in http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...aquarium-projects/32100-diy-drop-checker.html


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## Ledo (May 20, 2008)

Hello

Some more pics...
hoppcalif... My Sera's Drop checker is showing good level of CO2.

Here in Brazil we don't use to start fertilization immediately.
We consider that our water has sufficient nutriets *to start*.
Well, the plants are growing fastly...


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## Ledo (May 20, 2008)

Here´s the evolution....

*PARAMETERS - DAY #17*
Temp: 28.0 celsius
pH= 6,8
KH = 4
GH = Very Soft
Ammonia = zero
Nitrites = zero




























:smokin:


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## Ledo (May 20, 2008)

*Aquarium Status*

The evolution:


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