# Question on cycling new tank using Aqua Soil



## carb850 (Mar 7, 2007)

I set up my first planted tank about 3 weeks ago and I still have very high ammonia levels so I'm wanting to see if I can do anything about it.

*Equipment Used*
10G
Budget hood with 2 - 6500K 20W CF bulbs
Hagan DIY style CO2
Aqua Clear HOB filter with foam only
6L Amazonian Aqua Soil

I first setup the tank with no life at all, just substate and water. The water was very yellow and the ammonia levels were way off the chart. I added some dirty water from my LFS to give the cycling a jump start. I did a few 50% water changes during the week but the ammonia had not reduced any that I can tell. At that time, I was told to drain the tank until I added plants so that is what I did. A little water was still left in the substate as I didn't remove it from the tank.

A week later I got my first plants and refilled with water.

*Plant list*
HC
Stargrass
Didiplis Diandra
Hygro Rosanervig
Asian Ambulia

Progress over the past 2-3 weeks.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/carb850/Pets/10GTank004.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/carb850/Pets/10GTank011.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/carb850/Pets/10GTank012.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/carb850/Pets/10GTank013.jpg

I been doing 50% water changes every 2-3 days and adding Seachem Flourish after each water change. I been leaving the lights on around 10hours a day.

I'm very excited with the growth but I thought it should have cycled by now. My ammonia level is around 2.5ppm - 5ppm (cannot tell a difference in color on the printed chart) and my PH is staying around 6.0 (I measured my tap at 7.8PH). Nitrite level has been showing 0.1ppm for the past 2 weeks.

Am I doing anything wrong? Should I keep up the water changes? This morning I noticed green algae starting to grow.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

I would do daily water changes until they (ammonia and nittite) go away and I would also not dose anything in the tank until it is cycled. With the AS you really don't need to dose anything, the Micros in the Flourish won't hurt anything, but I would stop it until you have safe levels for fish.
I have heard it taking 4 plus weeks, but everybody, including myself who got it down in a week or two was doing daily water changes that I know of.


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## carb850 (Mar 7, 2007)

I found a link and I'm not certain it applies. It talks about the relationship between Ammonia and pH.
http://www.aquaworldaquarium.com/Articles/TonyGriffitts/Ammonia.htm

If I read this correctly, my 'true free ammonia' level is not toxic because of my pH being so low. Does that sound right?


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

Yes that is true to an extent, however if you take a fish from a stable PH / ammonia environment and put him in this tank, that might be too much for it. If you have a tank with similar PH and move fish over then that would work out OK, or it should and it will certainly get your tank to finish the cycle quicker.


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## carb850 (Mar 7, 2007)

This water chemistry is staring to make my head spin. Someone mentioned I should check my kH because they live local to me and claim theirs is very low out of the tap. If that is the case, buy raising my kH using baking soda, that would raise my pH too, right? My pH is too low so that would be a good thing but that would bring my ammonia back to toxic levels. Am I correct with those assumptions?

If the ammonia will certainly go down on it's own, I can wait. I just started to think that I was doing something to keep it high.


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

DO NOT add any fertilizer. Drain as much of the old water as possible from the tank. Refill with fresh tap water. Wait one day and repeat. Keep the light on for 5 hours per day. Remove/replace with 5 gal of tap water every other day. At the end of one week, add one or two small fish (under 1" in length).


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

I just did as much percentage water change I could everyday for about a week then add a seeded filter and it's full cycle time!


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## David Hui (Dec 10, 2004)

ADA recommends to use carbon in the filter and large water changes for the first two weeks. I think initially Aquasoil could release a significant amount of chemicals. Keep the light at around 5 hours definitely help with the GDA.


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