Dark Start Water Changes

[LL_Rowan]

I'm one week into a dark start of a new set up. I did a water test last night and the results are: NH3 - 5, NO2 - 2, NO3 -40.
Will higher Ammonia levels speed up the beneficial bacteria? Or is it better for them to develop in a lower NH3 environment?

When should I do my first water change?

Thanks,
L

 

[Little]

I found a lot of conflicting information.
What I can say is on my previous tank, I only did one water change after months of dark start. Fully drained down the tank and planted, then refilled.
I still did a small water change every few days following the dark start as planting disturbed / broke some of the aqua soil pellets.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Will higher Ammonia levels speed up the beneficial bacteria?

No, have a look at <"Correspondence with Dr Ryan Newton - School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee">.

Or is it better for them to develop in a lower NH3 environment?

Definitely <"yes">.

When should I do my first water change?

Ideally now.

I found a lot of conflicting information.

Which is really why, at UKAPS, we've talked to scientists working in this field <"Cycling, CO2 and PH question">.

It was this research on nitrification that led us to contact <"Dr Hovanec">, and the <"Newton"> and <"Neufeld"> labs.

cheers Darrel

 

[LL_Rowan]

Thank you for your response, I'll do a big water change, and try and keep ammonia low.

 

[Scaperinc]

I did 2 dark starts and both times didn't do any water changes. Left it alone for 3 weeks and then tested.

 

[FrozenShivers]

I've only done one dark start so far, but I think I only done 1 water change within a 6 week dark start.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I did 2 dark starts and both times didn't do any water changes. Left it alone for 3 weeks and then tested.

I've only done one dark start so far, but I think I only done 1 water change within a 6 week dark start.

Assuming that you aren't adding ammonia (via <"ammonium chloride (NH4Cl)"> or similar) any TAN will come from the substrate, with an ammonia rich substrate you will need to change a greater volume of water, more frequently.

The easiest option is just change some water, wait a couple of weeks, plant the tank, wait another ~6 weeks (for the plants to grow in) and then add your livestock <"Planted aquarium: fishless cycle before planting or cycle with plants?">.

The volume of water you need to change will depend on the <"TAN (NH3/NH4+)"> content of that water. You need to reduce TAN <"to levels similar"> to the supply when the tank is stocked and running. You could measure the TAN content of the water, <"but ammonia testing"> is less straight forward then the sellers of test kits would have you believe, which is why <"time and plants are your friends">.

The microbial assemblage of nitrifying organisms <"looks to be fine tuned to the TAN level of the tank">.

There is a discussion of this in our threads with the <"Neufeld"> and <"Newton"> labs, which link into current research using DNA to characterize the actual microbial composition of aquarium filters.

cheers Darrel

 

[FrozenShivers]

Hi all,


Assuming that you aren't adding ammonia (via <"ammonium chloride (NH4Cl)"> or similar) any TAN will come from the substrate, with an ammonia rich substrate you will need to change a greater volume of water, more frequently.

The easiest option is just change some water, wait a couple of weeks, plant the tank, wait another ~6 weeks (for the plants to grow in) and then add your livestock <"Planted aquarium: fishless cycle before planting or cycle with plants?">.

The volume of water you need to change will depend on the <"TAN (NH3/NH4+)"> content of that water. You need to reduce TAN <"to levels similar"> to the supply when the tank is stocked and running. You could measure the TAN content of the water, <"but ammonia testing"> is less straight forward then the sellers of test kits would have you believe, which is why <"time and plants are your friends">.

The microbial assemblage of nitrifying organisms <"looks to be fine tuned to the TAN level of the tank">.

There is a discussion of this in our threads with the <"Neufeld"> and <"Newton"> labs, which link into current research using DNA to characterize the actual microbial composition of aquarium filters.

cheers Darrel

Hi Darrel, here is what I done previously:

Tropica Soil & hardscape in tank>flood>leave tank in darkness with filter running for around 6 weeks with a water change around 3 weeks in>full water change and then plant. Since I will be doing another dark start in the not too distant future, are you saying it would be beneficial for me to do more water changes throughout the dark start? Thanks for your input.