Nick16
Member
hi, ive been testing my water every other day in my new 4x2x2 and the results have been shocking.
I started off getting these.... (remained constant for just over a week)
1.5mg/l = ammonia
1.5mg/l = Nitrite
100mg/l = Nitrate
but the PH was around 7.5
Now ive tested my water and there is a tiny tiny hint of ammonia but nothing like what im getting on the readings. Im doing roughly 60-70% W/C's every other day, and the tank contains no livestock (i dont dare put anything in of course!)
im running 2 ex1200 filters, one standard media, the other standard media + zeolite and a small amount of purigen =(100g). one of the filters is already matured so this situation i was trying to avoid happening.
I have about 100kg of eco complete substrate in the tank, 50% is new stuff. But i have put some filter mulm underneath it.
Under that i have some osmocote NPK stuff. (little yellowy balls)
ive checked for dying plants, and there isnt any, checked for any random things in there like a dying critter that might have come in on the plants.
All equipment/hardscape was cleaned before use.
now, i tested the water yesterday and the levels had fallen slightly.
0.3 mg/l = ammonia
0.35 mg/l = Nitrite
40 mg/l = Nitrate
again ammonia levels in tap water remained about the same.
i know im basically going through a cycle, but im doing huge w/c's and not much is happening, and i have a mature filter as well....
im not putting any extra liquid ammonia into the water as the filter can feed off whats there at the moment.
Ferts are about 3ml of TPN+ daily, due to
a) my low plant mass
b) the can absorb some of the 'chemicals' i have!
Lastly, ive wacked some bunched plants in to the tank about a week ago, which are growing fast!, but have had little impact again.
Am i going to have to wait?
Is this just New tank syndrome (leaching from the substrate and silicone)
what else can i do?
cheers
I started off getting these.... (remained constant for just over a week)
1.5mg/l = ammonia
1.5mg/l = Nitrite
100mg/l = Nitrate
but the PH was around 7.5
Now ive tested my water and there is a tiny tiny hint of ammonia but nothing like what im getting on the readings. Im doing roughly 60-70% W/C's every other day, and the tank contains no livestock (i dont dare put anything in of course!)
im running 2 ex1200 filters, one standard media, the other standard media + zeolite and a small amount of purigen =(100g). one of the filters is already matured so this situation i was trying to avoid happening.
I have about 100kg of eco complete substrate in the tank, 50% is new stuff. But i have put some filter mulm underneath it.
Under that i have some osmocote NPK stuff. (little yellowy balls)
ive checked for dying plants, and there isnt any, checked for any random things in there like a dying critter that might have come in on the plants.
All equipment/hardscape was cleaned before use.
now, i tested the water yesterday and the levels had fallen slightly.
0.3 mg/l = ammonia
0.35 mg/l = Nitrite
40 mg/l = Nitrate
again ammonia levels in tap water remained about the same.
i know im basically going through a cycle, but im doing huge w/c's and not much is happening, and i have a mature filter as well....
im not putting any extra liquid ammonia into the water as the filter can feed off whats there at the moment.
Ferts are about 3ml of TPN+ daily, due to
a) my low plant mass
b) the can absorb some of the 'chemicals' i have!
Lastly, ive wacked some bunched plants in to the tank about a week ago, which are growing fast!, but have had little impact again.
Am i going to have to wait?
Is this just New tank syndrome (leaching from the substrate and silicone)
what else can i do?
cheers