My First Quarantine Tank

[goldenmean]

Thanks again Doni for the encouragement.
Temperature is holding steady now at 84 degrees.

I am getting good practice in patience.

[goldenmean]

As a watched pot doesn't boil I did not do any tests yesterday.

This eve's test results. - DAY 11
Temp 85

NH3 = 0 - free ammonia
NH4 = .6 - total ammonia. Has dropped a lot!
NO2 = 25
NO3 = didnt test

I hear that when the trites drop they will drop suddenly.
I am ready when it is!

[leebca]

Both ammonia and nitrites can 'suddenly' disappear. It is how the bacteria work/live/multiply. Good luck!

[goldenmean]

Nitrites have stayed high the last 5 days or so - in the 25 range - and they started to slowly drop - down to 15.

The other night I was making some new seafood slurry (shrimp, clam, and squid in a blender and frozen into tiny RO/Di ice cubes) and I took a large piece of squid and placed in the the tank. In the morning the water was very cloudy and smelly so I removed the big piece of squid. Free ammonia was at .2 and total ammonia was at 3.0 while nitrites were back over 25.
12 hours later NH3 was back to 0, NH4 was down to 1 but my stubborn NO2 remained over 25.

My ammonia consuming bacteria is doing a great job but the nitrite consuming bacteria are remaining slackers!
I did add some much smaller fresh squid pieces to feed the bacteria.
Today is day 18 of the cycle.

[goldenmean]

tonight's test
NH3 = 0 - free ammonia
NH4 = .2 - total ammonia
NO2 = 25

Drop trites! Drop! already!

[BarbMazz]

Patience, Grasshopper, patience!

I think it looks like it's going great, Jeff. You're a good example for me. This thread will be so helpful to look at when I'm setting up my own!

[goldenmean]

This quote is from panmanmatt in a post on the Feb.'08 photo contest thread that we kinda highjacked. briefly.

If you are stuck at the nitrite level do a water change and stop adding ammonia. The bacteria that convert nitrites to nitrates reproduce slower than the others. You are producing ammonia too fast and those bacteria are reproducing quicker, a small water change will help give them a chance to catch up.
__________________
The mind is like a parachute, it only works when opened.

Thanks for the advice Matt.
I have not been adding ammonia except for the small amount I inadvertently added when I added the big piece of calamari 5 days ago. I will do a water change right now. I have a small piece of food in there now but not enough to be producing measurable ammonia.

Day 23
NH3 and NH4 = 0
NO2 = 25+

3 days ago I added about 2oz of substrate from my display tank to the QT.
This substrate is in a small plastic souffle cup. I was thinking this would add some more bacteria to the QT and give the bacteria another media to grow in. Is this a poor idea??

Off to do a WC.

[panmanmatt]

Adding the bacteria will definitely help.

[goldenmean]

Thanks again Matt.
I did a 20% WC. Trites are still high. Its difficult to differentiate the test readings from 12-25.

[kathywithbirds]

Hey Jeff. My LFS sells this bottled bacteria mix. I've heard it's a lot of hooey maybe but I will swear -- and I've used it to cycle and also totaly cycled without it -- it does speed up the process. I suspect it's kinda like adding some LS to the tank, gets some matured bacteria in there. Might be cycling in a weird manner (some end-product bacteria in there before it grows itself) but I think it really does the job it was intended for.

[Woodstock]

Just be patient and let the bacteria grow naturally. I would remove the cup of substrate. You want the bacteria to colonize the PVC, etc. in the QT. Also, the sand may have microfauna that will later be killed by any treatment and reduce the quality of the water. The nitrItes will drop eventually, I promise!

[leebca]

Woodstock has it right. If you offer an alternative group of bacteria to handle the waste, the bacteria you want to handle it will be redundant and the competition will keep them at bay. Ma Nature favors the one with the greatest likelihood of survival. Just give time for those in your aquarium to 'grow.'

[goldenmean]

Thanks Doni and Lee.
I will remove the cup of substrate
and try to steady my patience!

[goldenmean]

My trites are finally falling!!!!
Monday I thought my test results were a little lower.
Again I will say it is so hard to tell the color difference between 12 and 25.
Last night I was thinking trites were around 15. It wasnt as deep in color and it did not turn colors as fast when I added the regent.
Then tonight it is easier to see that NO3 is around 2.5-5.
Its day 29.

[BarbMazz]

Excellent! Getting closer, Jeff!