Which substrate

[FrozenShivers]

I've been gone a while, are people back to using test kits? 😂🤪

I use them on new setups and then…..don’t touch them 🙂

 

[Bradders]

I use them on new setups and then…..don’t touch them 🙂

Same here. Using mine to get a 'feel' of where I am on my new tank. My fish only (well, fish with two plants!) never gets tested.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Stuck on the nitrite part at the moment after 22 days.

It is more likely to be an issue with the test kits, rather than a genuine reading.

I hope so, because if not, I am trying to cycle a new aquarium on air!

You don't have an ammonium (NH4) source, and during microbial nitrification your fixed nitrogen ion goes from <"NH3/4 > N02- > N03-">, or possibly directly from NH3/4 > N03- via <"COMAMMOX Nitrospira">.

I definitely have a lot of plants in there!

So that is the reason why it is likely to be a problem with test kit. We know that plants take up all forms of <"fixed nitrogen"> and we have a situation where:

• we aren't adding any ammonia and
• we have plants that will deplete the NO2- reservoir.

Now we are just back to probability, and what is the more likely option? That is the advantage of <"plant and wait">, the only test kit you need is the plant mass and then <"grown in = fish safe">.

are people back to using test kits?

Decisions based on test kits and also "cycling" with ammonia seems to have a made a bit of a come-back. I'm not that surprised, during the last 15 years it has really been two steps forward and one step backwards.

cheers Darrel

 

[Bradders]

You don't have an ammonium (NH4) source, and during microbial nitrification your fixed nitrogen ion goes from <"NH3/4 > N02- > N03-"> or possibly directly from NH3/4 > N03- via <"COMAMMOX Nitrospira">.

Won't my Tropica Aqua Soil released Ammonia during the first couple of weeks?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Won't my Tropica Aqua Soil released Ammonia

If it does? It is your ammonia source - <"Aquarium Soil - a perfect, complete bottom layer for aquariums - Tropica Aquarium Plants">. It isn't a product I've ever used.

If it is an ammonia source? I would want to deplete those ammonia levels as rapidly as possible.

cheers Darrel