Bacteria are resistent beeings.
I never had an amonnia tester. But I'm 5 weeks in and haven't seen any NO2 since week 2.
I used a old filter that had not been used for 7 months. But It was not cleaned and had been packed in a plastic wrapper, so there was probably still a bit of moisture and dirt in it. Bacteria must have survivied.
Everybody told me they could not have survivied, but after about 10 days I had a bit of NO2 in the water for a few days. The last 3 weeks the water readings have been consistent:
No2: 0 mg/l
NO3: 15-25mg/l
From my readings there are 2 possibilities. I'm either still at stage 1, or I'm at the end of stage 3. Other than my old media and the fact that I've been getting some gravel (little once a week) from the LFS, I can't see where the bacteria has come from so quickly. It must have survivied in the media.
I started it all with 4 swordtails the first 4 weeks, I have brought 2 of them back, since they bread too much. Sceletons of halfeaten fry flying left and right.
Now I have (had for one week)
2 swordtails (male and female)
2 Angelfish (one agressive male, the other probably a submissive male)
9 Cardinal Tetra
And the clean team:
1 Chienese algea eater
3 Khuli loaches
The Angels will be moved over to my 60G in about a months time, before they get big enough to become a treat to the Tetra's. Will move the Swords too.
I'm gonna make this 17.5 gallon tank a pure Tetra tank, plus the clean team.
BTW: my clean team config should be in every tank
I couldn't possibly be in stage 1 of cycling now after 5 weeks. I had some No2 from day 9-13. Has been 0 since then. But I NEVER had a no2 spike like I read I'm supposed to have. Whats going on?
I never had an amonnia tester. But I'm 5 weeks in and haven't seen any NO2 since week 2.
I used a old filter that had not been used for 7 months. But It was not cleaned and had been packed in a plastic wrapper, so there was probably still a bit of moisture and dirt in it. Bacteria must have survivied.
Everybody told me they could not have survivied, but after about 10 days I had a bit of NO2 in the water for a few days. The last 3 weeks the water readings have been consistent:
No2: 0 mg/l
NO3: 15-25mg/l
From my readings there are 2 possibilities. I'm either still at stage 1, or I'm at the end of stage 3. Other than my old media and the fact that I've been getting some gravel (little once a week) from the LFS, I can't see where the bacteria has come from so quickly. It must have survivied in the media.
I started it all with 4 swordtails the first 4 weeks, I have brought 2 of them back, since they bread too much. Sceletons of halfeaten fry flying left and right.
Now I have (had for one week)
2 swordtails (male and female)
2 Angelfish (one agressive male, the other probably a submissive male)
9 Cardinal Tetra
And the clean team:
1 Chienese algea eater
3 Khuli loaches
The Angels will be moved over to my 60G in about a months time, before they get big enough to become a treat to the Tetra's. Will move the Swords too.
I'm gonna make this 17.5 gallon tank a pure Tetra tank, plus the clean team.
BTW: my clean team config should be in every tank
I couldn't possibly be in stage 1 of cycling now after 5 weeks. I had some No2 from day 9-13. Has been 0 since then. But I NEVER had a no2 spike like I read I'm supposed to have. Whats going on?
