3 Beneficial Bacteria Disasters! [Tips that can Save Your Tank!]
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 เม.ย. 2019
- In my last video, "Beneficial Bacteria - Where is it Really?" (see it here: • Beneficial Bacteria...... ) I talked about where beneficial bacteria really exists in fish tanks.
Now let's take a look at three common mistakes involving beneficial bacteria that can lead to disaster, tank crash and fish death, and tips that can save your tank!
Have these happened to you? Do you have one that you would like to add to the list? Please share any thoughts you have on this subject in the comments below. Be a part of "The Convo Gang" because on this channel, "We all learn from each other!"
If you're like me and like to always be learning about how to take better care of our fish, how about hitting that sub button and bell? Thanks!
**Here are some links to products that I've used and recommend**
(You get a great deal by using these links and help to support the channel because Amazon gives me a small percentage without it impacting your cost one cent, thanks!)
Filters:
SunSun 302-B (265 gph): amzn.to/2Y6Ylhy
SunSun 704-B (525 gph with UV): amzn.to/2YFbHjV
SunSun HW 3000 (793 with UV): amzn.to/3hCm54W
Filter pads for all SunSun filters: amzn.to/30Ieg7E
Cut your own filter pads: amzn.to/2zD6SiP
Pinky filter floss: amzn.to/30QLNMS
SunSun Pre-Filter (goes over intake): amzn.to/3fv6aU1
Flexible hose cleaning brush: amzn.to/2N5x8p7
SunSun Pre-Filter (In-Line Canister): amzn.to/2UQ79WX
SunSun Canister O-Ring replacement: amzn.to/2BhU7uf
SunSun UV 9W replacement bulb: amzn.to/2N0eoHB
Suggested Bio Media that I use in my canisters:
Biohome Ultimate: amzn.to/3e8Cs70
MarinePure: amzn.to/37z9UB7
CNZ sponge filled bio-balls: amzn.to/3e7aitd
Pumice stone: amzn.to/2Y6vk5t
Crushed coral/aragonite: amzn.to/2N6DYKM
Chemical Filtration I've Used with Good Results:
Seachem Purigen: amzn.to/3hCygyG
Seachem Matrix Carbon: amzn.to/2Y6sOft
Mesh bags: amzn.to/2AJb4hj
Other items:
Suggested substrate (aragonite): amzn.to/2N6DYKM
My favorite LED lights: amzn.to/2N0YrRd
Inexpensive Powerheads: amzn.to/2N5dTMu
Better quality Powerhead (Hydor): amzn.to/37y8pTT
Heaters I use:
Eheim: amzn.to/3e2PByp
Cobalt Neo Therm: amzn.to/2N5eFZU
API (Black Plastic Shielded): amzn.to/3e8HujY
Recommended Meds to have on hand:
Fritz Maracyn 2: amzn.to/2UJRqJ1
API Furan 2: amzn.to/2N10iWb
API General Cure: amzn.to/3ejsFLe
Kordon Ick Attack: amzn.to/37A2iOF
Seachem Metroplex: amzn.to/2N5g9TY
Seachem Garlic Guard: amzn.to/2N3W549
Seachem Focus: amzn.to/2Ax8yef
Water Treatment Products I Use & Recommend:
Seachem Prime: amzn.to/37xa1gD
Seachem Safe: amzn.to/3d7Tscn
Seachem Lake Salt: amzn.to/30PeQ3A
Seachem Pristine: amzn.to/3ejvEDq
Seachem Clarity: amzn.to/2CdDCA4
Aquarium Quick Start Products I Recommend:
Seachem Stability: amzn.to/3e2SgYS
Fritz Turbo Start: amzn.to/3d7UXr1
Dr. Tim's One and Only: amzn.to/2CdEFju
**For more fish keeping videos with tricks, tips and hacks, check out these playlists**
For "My Best Fish Keeping Tips" click here:
th-cam.com/users/playlist?list...
For tips and tricks with Fluval FX canister filters go here:
th-cam.com/users/playlist?list...
For tips and tricks with SunSun canister filters go here:
th-cam.com/users/playlist?list...
For videos on water changes and controlling nitrates, click here:
th-cam.com/users/playlist?list...
For videos on general canister filter maintenance, click here:
th-cam.com/users/playlist?list...
My Top 10 most popular videos of all time:
th-cam.com/users/playlist?list...
Did you know that there's a friendly and very helpful group of fish keepers on Facebook? It's called "Ben O'Cichlid" Stop by and ask to join. Be sure to answer all the join-in questions so that the admin approve and let you in (it's how we keep the trolls and bots out!). Also, for behind the scenes pictures and videos follow me on Instagram at: "ben.o.cichlid"
Stop by on most Saturdays at 10am (Pacific) for the Cichlids & Coffee live stream. Great people, great topics and I get to answer your questions LIVE! Why not watch the stream while drinking out of a Ben O'Cichlid coffee mug or wearing a channel hoodie or tee. Visit my store here: teespring.com/stores/ben-ocha... and be sure to use the code "LIVESTREAM" for a 10% discount at check-out.
Shout-out to Christopher Martin for the Cichlids & Coffee logo and to Sam Penny for the TH-cam channel banner art. And a big thank you to Phil Griffiths for the dropping fish video and channel icon!
**Never forget - you reading this right now - YOU ROCK!**
![My 5 Tips for Reducing Nitrates [THESE WORK!] - Stop Worrying About Nitrates!](/img/n.gif)
...I literally just over cleaned my tank. ... lessons learnt... luckily only lost 1 fish!
Yeah, i did a 50% water change on a 55 gallon so i now have one fish who is sick and we are going to test our water because it is only one fish when we have like 5
Another awesome video, it's good that you've cleared that up because on a lot of groups I always see people asking that question about swapping their tank water into a new tank. People have that misconception that there's beneficial bacteria in there.
Thank you! I definitely had the 3rd one happen to me... I honestly thought the bacteria lived EVERYWHERE, including the water. Now I know why the ammonia spiked. Thank you man, great information!
Great tips for the hobbyist Ben, thanks for sharing!
Thank you, I’ve learned a lot from you. Keep up the good job.
I’m #1! Excellent points this tutorial on 3 Beneficial Bacteria Disasters. At one time or another I committed of of these errors. Thank you for sharing. I enjoyed watching!
Thank you ben for another wonderful informative video.
MEGA THUMBS UP...Great Info for all aquarists.
In NEW tanks there IS beneficial bacteria in the water column only because it has not yet had a chance to settle into the substrate/decor or rocks etc this sometimes can be seen as a bacterial bloom (which is actually just an increase in beneficial bacteria duplicating to consume the rising ammonia) and can be seen as cloudy water
Thanks! Always learn something from your videos!
Really good information and very nicely delivered. Thank you
Fantastic video. Wonderful to-the-point explanations without a lot of unnecessary chitchat. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Back in the 60's we never had the "Nitrogen" talk.
We were told to leave our tanks run empty for two or three weeks before adding fish.
That all sounds pretty dumb, but no internet, few books, you depended on an aquarium shop owner who wasn't exactly forthcoming.
Nonetheless you get through it and figure it out yourself.
Good video, reception on that mountain top must be good!!
Great comment. Got my first tank in the 70s. I was 7. No one in my family new anything. Like you say... Live and learn. I'm 57 now and have 4 tanks but thanks to you tube and forums and better equipment life is a lot easier. Still learning things though just as you are I imagine. But the 1970s. I so apologise to my fish back then if you're looking down from fish heaven. SORRY SORRY SORRY. 😭. Take care my friend 🐠🐠🐠🇬🇧
My first tank was in the '60s, had the same issues. I didn't know anything about the nitrogen cycle. Getting back into the hobby now, and am learning a lot
In the 80s we used under gravel plate filters with the plastic tubes the came up out of them attached air stones and never ever had any issue with cycling or crashing
I got my first 10 gallon in 1990 It had an under-gravel filter plate set up and a heater, an air pump, and a shifty looking incandescent bulb. Got it all set up and running a month before I put any fish in it and I'll tell ya, I loved those fishes, but the tank kept crashing. I had problems from tiny bubbles so thick you couldn't see anything, while the fish were in there and as well i had cloudy water all of the time too.
Fast forward to now and I use an under-gravel filter and just a 4" up tube with an air stone. with a layer of kitty litter that in unscented, dye free, and non-clumping with some red iron clay scattered in it then topped it off 3" deep of aquarium gravel. I don't have those problems no more in my 55, 29, 10, and 3.5 the water is always crystal clear using anoxic filtration. See Kevin Novak Ph.D. YT channel for his tutorials on this cheap and effective method.
I just use an Over the tank filter to clean up the messes but the water quality is always pristine.
Lots of good information and thank you.
Thanks for sharing this video with us.
Upvoted & subscribed because I like your style as well as your advise. You take the time to respond to more commenters than most of the others seem to. That's appreciated. Thx.
Great Info! Thanks Ben!
A clear and concise explanation about beneficial bacteria for new fish keepers.
mate i was trying to listen to your video as im about a bio bloom on my first tank, but all i can think about is how comfortable that chair looks behind you to relax in. I want one!
Very well explained. Thank you
Love the information!
Another great video on a subject that not everyone understands. Thanks as always
Awesome content! 👍
Great information! Thank you
Great info Ben! Cool video.
Great information! Great video 🙌🏼
HI BEN; GREAT TIPS AS USUAL
Great video once agin Ben.
I remember way back when I was a beginner, I would make the classic mistakes of over cleaning and wound up crashing a tank and not understanding why...great video Ben 👍
(I know this reply is over 4 years old but) I just had the same thing happen to me. Everything was cycled, decided to do a DEEP clean and scrub everything before putting it back in the tanks, and now I'm juggling fish-in cycles on all of them because my system tanked. Newbie mistake, and I will NEVER do that again.
@@rbenfield3 If you lost your cycle, be very careful of ammonia spikes. To prevent loss of any fish use Prime or Safe. Just keep dosing your tank every other day until your bacteria regrows it's colonies. That should prevent any fish loss. Ben does a Livestream every Saturday at 12 noon EST. Feel free to stop by to talk to us :)
@@GSP-76 thank you for the heads up! I've been doing Prime and Stabilize every day (which might be too much but I'm not taking chances), and it's finally almost there! If you have any advice on if I need to dial it back or not, though, I am all ears! I would also be doing water changes, but my water company just started using chloramines, so now I have more ammonia in my tap than my tanks, so I'm just....so happy lol
Lisa is great person .always order lot of food from her .one time i asksd as a joke if she can throw in the spoon and she replied in seconds that im getting a free spoon
A common mistake done by fish keepers new to the hobby including myself. Thanks for sharing Ben 💪🏼
Thanks for watching!
Very helpful. Makes a lot of sense
You are so right, you can definitely over-clean. In my case, I have about a 3-month old 40g breeder. I was running 1 HOB and 2 sponge filters. Did a fishless cycle, planted, added fish, cycle was great. Got some livebearers from local big-box store, so I setup a 10g quarantine tank to hold them & used one of the sponge filters from the 40g, replacing with a fresh one. Had a 3 day bacterial bloom in the 40g from removal of 1 sponge filter, but cycle stayed intact and it all recovered. 10g held its cycle well, but despite treatment, I lost the livebearers--they wouldn't eat & that made it hard to get to the internal parasites that I'm pretty sure were the issue. Cleaned / sterilized quarantine setup with pool bleach & lots of dechlorinator afterward. Then a livebearer from 40g was pregnant & close to delivery. Went to setup the 10g again, using the other sponge filter from the 40g original cycle. Around same time, I got the dreaded diatom bloom that is common to new tanks. That's when I made the big mistake of cleaning all my decor, vac'ing substrate, cleaning glass all in one shot. I started getting an ammonia spike, then a nitrite spike. Now I'm into a mini-cycle in that 40g. Even with the undisturbed HOB, too much beneficial bac came out of the tank in a short time--I totally caused this. Should've left well enough alone & left mommy fish in the big tank & let nature take its course. She'll have more fry down the road.
Thank you this answered a lot of my questions
I overwhelmed my tank, thanks for the the tips this helps out a lot 👍🙏🏻 I’ll subscribe to your channel.
Thank you.
Water refresh & filter rinse every week always keeps them HAPPY
They love the reflection from the glass .
The gravel holds loads of it but dead food is a NO NO
thank you. helps a lot
Thank you for your help today. I have been dealing with nitrogen problems. Your video really helped.
Very nice video, even tho I don,t keep cichlids I still watch your videos because they pertain to all fishkeeping...all of those 3 were right on point..I think one thing that has helped me in fishkeeping is patience, whether it's in quarintine, plants, sickness, raising fry Patience...Ben love your videos great info, and have learned much from them, thank you again....keith
I paid a big price for a lack of patience and shortened a quaranteen period ... it cost me half my stock. Patience can't be over stressed in this hobby. Thank you for watching and for the kind words of encouragement.
Extremely helpful
Hi from Kiev, Ukraine! Thank you so much for your videos! Enjoy it every time!
How have you been?
Cool video as always
Great video thank you
Hey Ben, just wanted to contribute a quick story relating to the topic of beneficial bacteria, I have a 75 gallon growout tank with two Motoro stingrays, and silver dollars. I will be buying a 300 gallon custom for the wall once they outgrow the tank. Recently about a month ago I added a small arowana and spotted gar, and within a week my ammonia spiked and I was in panic station with the stingrays. I have 2 fluval 306 canisters, but my beneficial bacteria couldn’t cope with new additions. Within another month, there was another slow build up of ammonia, and I come to see one of my stingrays is found dead, and i needed to act on this issue. The fish aren’t that big, but it turned out deadly for one of my stingrays who couldn’t cope. I added a large sponge filter and a beneficial bacteria booster to the tank, the ammonia is at 0 since I did a 60-70% water change, but just wanted to share that story with everyone that your ammonia can spike at any point, however everything is under control now.
Nice 👌 video Ben
Have a 75g tank that ran great for 9 months. Had an unnoticed death(got stuck behind heater) and had an ammonia explosion. Literally ammonia tested so high is was off darker than the color chart. My wife did absolutely everything to save our tank, water changes, ammo guard and anything we could think of. Unfortunately we lost all of our friends. Drained the tank, washed everything changed out filter media and started over, used Dr. Tim's one and done. Battled high ammonia for a few days and now my cycle is finally where it needs to be currently sporting a female betta (sole survivor of the ammonia blow out), 2 peacock eels and 3 sterbas Cory's. Can hardly wait to get some blue acaras and some geophagis altifrans back in
Sorry to hear but it sounds like you’re back on track.
I always start my new tanks with water change water from another tank - and treat it as a new tank, not a fully cycled tank. It saves a few weeks off the fully cycled state. There is always both bacteria in the water column - just not very many. How else would it travel all over the tank, filter, substrate, etc. Now I prefer to use a cycled sponge, or some gravel, but sometimes I'm just not in a rush.
Interesting point.... How else would the BB get over everything if not via the water.
Good video Ben. IMHO, larger aquariums are not more "forgivig" as far as disturbing the BB balance. Larger aquariums usually means more fish, and in particular larger fish and more waste. Fish waste increases nearly exponentially with increase in fish size. So in my observation: larger tank= more/larger fish = more ammonia and waste production. The amount of biomedia is important in larger tanks (e.g. sumps), and a cleaning routine that disturbs no more than 20% of the major BB locations. In my case I have a k1 media bed that is never disturbed and 5 large poret foam sponge walls in my sump. I rotate rinsing the sponges- one sponge per month (takes 5 or 10 minutes
HalfMan HalfCichlid Never take anything as absolute truth. Think dynamically and by that I mean it’s all flexible across a spectrum. Of course, if you have a hundred fish in my hundred gallon with one FX-6 you will be one-missed-water-change away from potential disaster. But 20 fish in a 100 will provide some wiggle room or fudge factor.
With a moving bed K1, poret sponges and aquaponics your system will hold up better with a high number of fish than the same size aquarium with just two FX-6s, right?
We’ve got to think fluidly (pun intended).
I second that. I always keep a extra spungfilter running in a good running tank, to be apple to quickly start a new tank. And I also squese another spunge out into the new tank, for the muk and bacteria to move around and settle on the surfice and decore inside the tank.
Awesome!
Very good video...I actually played around with this when setting up my 10 gals....I set one up with an established sponge filter and reused gravel...water never got cloudy...another was a new sponge and previously established gravel..water was cloudy but cleared up over night...now the one I used an old sponge with new gravel took 2 days to clear up..I've always been told to use the media from the filter but I'm thinking the gravel worked the best bc there was more surface area for more bacteria
Hi ben yeah your right about the decor and bacteria but sucking water from an established tank does speed up the process in the new set up i normally wait about a week then introduce fish and every 2nd day check ph normally have to keep dropping it for a week or so after 👍
I agree, patience is The key. I usually do a dark start. I put in all the hardscape, start the filtration and let it go for a week. Then I put in some fish food and benificial bacteria and let it go for another 3-4 weeks, adding a little fish food now and then to the bacterias to have some food until the water parameters is good. After that I do a 90% waterchange and plant the tank. Then I let it go for another month, so The plants get really rooted, adding nutrients mean while. Then I introducera the cleaning crew to the tank. And last but not least I put in the fish I want little by little.
Good video
@Ben I enjoy your videos brother thank you for all you do. Question 🙋🏾♂️ how many fish would you recommend in a 125g? African Cichlids.
With ample filtration and weekly water changes, 30 wouldn’t be out of the question.
Oh and sorry i normally swap out the filter from old tank to new one that helps bigtime as well good vids ben !
Yes, that would provide an instant cycle ... but what happens to the the tank you took the filter off of?
Yes, that would give you an instant cycle, but what about the tank that you take the filter off of?
Also, a lot of people think that if you get an aquarium you let it run for a couple of weeks add bacteria your tank is cycled but that's false. the process cant start without fish or ammonia drops. the bacteria need to feed or they die off. same with a pond.
Great info.
So if there is no beneficial bacteria in the water. Why do then some say:
"That you should avoid or not clean your filter at the same occasion as you do a water change."
If no bacteria in the water then there should be no problem to clean the filter when you also do a water change. Or is there other reasons?
Thank you! This helped SOOOOO MUUUCCHHHH! SUBSCRIBED FOR MORE! 🥰
I was definitely guilty of over cleaning my tank when I first started out.
Gravel vacuum once a week, 50% water change twice a week (on a 10 gallon tank with 6 guppies).
Always seemed to have problems.
Got fed up and left it alone and it stabilized.
Question: some other TH-camrs I follow leave non-running sponge filters (or just the sponges) in their tanks as a way to seed them for emergencies, new tanks, etc. Will usable BB actually grow on them without airflow?
I have a couple Aquatop CAF-10 sponge filters sitting in the back chamber of my Fluval Flex 15. I replaced the weight stones that came in them with Matrix and SubstratPro.
Hello Brad, Yes. BB will grow everywhere. On decor, tank walls, plants, etc. I float sponges in my sump that can be instantly put into use to give me an instantly cycled emergency tank, like a hospital tank.
Hi Ben, I plan on buying a Current USA satellite light for my 55 gal. My tank is old and the cover is real outdated. What kind of cover can u recommend so the water doesnt evaporate too quickly, but still get the benefits of the expensive light?
I reused my decorations from my old tank with one new decoration in my tank and transferred the argonite from my 20 gallon into my 60 gallon when I upgraded a month ago. Everyone is doing just fine in my 60.
Perfect!
@@BenOchart it works.
Gracias
+Ben Ochart, another very thoughtful video from the Tao of Ben O. But master, grasshopper* asks with regard to the graph (which I refer to as an O chart) a question. If I read this graph correctly it telling me that while testing the nitrogen compounds in the water of a newly cycling tank, should observe.
1) look for ammonia to peak as nitrite starts to rise. Peak at about 10 ppm or so
2) look for ammonia to drop to zero or near zero as nitrite peaks. Peak at around 22 to 27 ppm
3) as nitrite peaks , nitrate begins to rise.
4) as nitrate rises to about 40 ppm, ammonia and nitrate should be near zero. And that is when you should do your water change.
5) The number of days and the peak concentrations may vary.
Does this sound about right? (By the way I have a hard time distinguishing between 40 ppm and 80 ppm on API nitrate liquid test kit. Any ideas?) (* th-cam.com/video/gbNCBVzPYak/w-d-xo.html)
Thanks for info.. i have a question.. i have an established/cycled 55G w/ 2 HOBs that i am upgrading to 90. i plan to move most of the decor and substrate with a new fluval canister.. my thought was to run the new canister in the established tank to acquire the beneficial bact. how long will it take for this to happen? thanks in advance
Hi Ben, whats ur take on buying beneficial bacteria additives? I even seen where u can buy bags of water with beneficial bacteria. Sounds like the spike prblm ur talking about waiting to happen, but its a reputable fish seller. What about something like Quick Start?
How do you keep your substrate and tanks so clean. Is it with general hard work I know mine is. Thanks
Congo gang!
Hi Ben! I love the way u xplain everything in detail and in laymen terms. Thnx. I noticed u have what looks likr a purple artificial plant in w a real plant in 1 of ur tanks. Is this the case? The tank is gorgeous. Also what live plants would u recommend for a sand substrate w fancy goldfish? I.e. Orandas, tosakins, etc.
Hello Sam. I'm glad that you enjoy the channel. I guess I consider myself a "layman", so those are the terms I use 😉 I'm not really a plant expert and don't know what the water parameters are for fancy goldfish. Soft water, hard water, low pH, high pH, all those factors would have to be considered. Cory at the Aquarium Co-op would be my first pick for that kind of advice. Good luck.
@@BenOchart It doesnt matter. You' ve converted me to Cichlids!😜
watching this made me think about setting up my two new nano tanks, Im put some lava rock in a media bag and put in the hang on the back filter of my 20 long and let the beneficial bacteria build up and the filter floss as well and put in my new nanos to speed up the cycle. also I do use the water from water changes for extra bacteria and the tanines from drift wood and almond leaves.
Not a bad idea. Some do that with sponge filters since they are so easy to move around. The water does not have much beneficial bacteria but I will use some of it when moving fish from one tank to another just so things don’t feel too different (pH, KH, GH).
Hi Ben..can you give me a link or purchase info to the black substrate you have in the tank behind you? Thanks
I have tons of fast growing plants in my uncicled tank. I never ever see amonia spikes. Will it cycle in time any way ?
I have 90 litre tank and fluval u2 filter. So when cleaning tank if you siphon some of the dirt from the gravel is it best just to leave the filter? Then next time I clean just take water out without going through the gravel and rinse the inside of filter in that water so that not getting rid of too much bacteria?
Thanks man haha I’m trying to force production of organic ammonia in a small ecosphere to see what microbes and bacteria survive after haha I get bored 😂 I even have my microscope and ammonia strips lmao
Loving your tank, and very useful info :), I'm due to move house soon and was wondering how long the beneficial bacteria will survive with no flow in an external filter? ( with tank water and sealed) the filter holds about 10 litres of water plus media.
I've heard around 6 hours ... but why not crack them a little and get some battery powered air pumps and stick airlines into those canisters. Then, no worries.
@@BenOchart nice one, thx for the reply
There is a fourth case too you add some antibiotic or dewormer to get rid of internal parasites that can also kill all your nitrifying bacteria in tank overnight.
When you address the water thing luckily I was told to star a sponge or pads bio bags ect put it inside a pre running tank if you have one or if you know someone who has a tank. What I have done to help kick start a 3rd tank with only snails so far is when I clean my sponge in my 29 it gets cleaned inside of that tank. It makes it look nasty for a little the snails snack on some of it but I don’t think iv ever seen a tank cycle faster. It’s been 4 weeks I did it started with only a sponge filter since washing my filter sponges inside of that tank Iv seen wonders. I don’t understand a whole lot about beneficial bacteria or if you can ever have to much of it? That’s what I looked up was can I ever have to much BB.
Hi, i have a 15x15 inch tank and i cleaned the filter and changed 50% water & soon fishes stopped being normal, stopped eating and started dying, especially all guppies. Fortunately neon tetras didn’t die even if they are said to be sensitive to sudden water changes
Great video but just wondering why crushed coral?
I have a 10gallon planted tank but with only gravel no substrate, with heater, with submersible air pump filter started with fish in cycling with 2 guppies both of them died after 4 days. I then decided to do fishless cycling then I realised ammonia source required so i again brought 2 x black spot barb fishes but they didnt' look great so i put them in a water tub and decided to do fishless cycling with tank since 1 week. I put 2 x raw uncooked prawn to get ammonia spike the seachem alert reads ammonia 0.5 ppm it reach here gradually day by day in last 7 days. I am also putting seachem stability as per dosage required since 7 days still no trace of nitrite. I didnt do any water changes since 1 week but before that for almost 1 week i did 2 times water changes almost 50%. What would i be doing wrong? I kept temperature 79F initially first week now in 2nd week i kept temp at 86F. Can you help ? My Gh0, Kh 180, ph 6.5-7, i added baking powder to raise GH as it was too low
I'm #2!
hey nice video, can you please help me. My aquarium is a 60 gallon and im running a fx6. Ive been trying to get my tanks clear for years im really down about this. i use that cotton batton ( pillow fill) from walmart and i cant seem to get my tank clear . im sad and pissed off about this, im trying so hard. i was using stress coat and melafix, thats what i thought was making it cloudy. i switched to prime, 1 ml for 10 gallons so i know its not from this. the water where im from is pretty clean as well here in canada eh. maybe an old charcol bag? i just dont know bc the pillow filling is pretty much filter floss. Helppp!!! o i have a 12" pleco, cat fish, ciclid, angel fish , rope snake but i dont over feed and have the blood worms in a contained piece of media.
hope to hear back asap
thanks
I found that my 150gallon cycled fairly fast, I put an established large sponge filter in it. But I’m surprised how much a large volume of water makes a difference. I feel that a sump system would be very beneficial to maintaining the nitrogen cycle better than canisters and sponges
I agree with you, simply because with greater total water vol you're going to dilute the nitrates (lower ppm).
so i think on my 5.5 gallon betta tank i may have made the first 2 mistakes now what should i do to get more beneficial bacteria in my aquarium because right now all of my ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite is all at 0 right now so just wondering what i should do
Hi , i have wash my nft tube and take off all water in tanks of 175lts of water and my ammonia has get to green on test kit what to do ?thanks you
Hey there as you are aware iv contacted you before iv been doing a fishless cycle n have put bacteria in my filter in my ceramic ring bio boots filter tablets and iv also put a bottle of dr Tim’s bacteria in my tank I went out n bought 4 fish on Saturday n all have died already :( my water got tested by the shop said was fine water was ok one question I want to ask please if I may can you get dieaaes or badness in the substrate and rocks that’s killing my fish? And also do you think getting a ocean internal filter to kill of nititrie and. Nitrate n ammonia would you recommend one of them? same as me then bacteria is on rocks n substrate please help me out thanks I’m from uk 🇬🇧 p,s I have also done 10 % water change that didn’t help either but everything you have said is my tank I’m having these problems please help me out as I keep loosing so many fish and of course a lot of wasted money I have a 120 litre tank with black substrate and lava rock have bubble curtain and have fluval 206 external filter I’m at a stand still now what to do? As my tank is now empty again cheers
Hi ben, if power cut for 30 min beneficial bectaria will died completely????
What about adding bacteria in a bottle like seachem stability I've been told it doesn't work and it's not bacteria in the bottle is this true
I use the api 2 different bottles one zmth and one stress coat now the zmth is the Beneficial bacteria so I added fleaks to have it rot on the bottom for the bacteria to eat now whenever i do my water changes i put some in the filter the api stuff and i wanted to know do i clean the bottom of the tank when fish come because there will be left over food
How long does beneficial bacteria survive on decorum once its been taken out of the water?
Imma leave a few comments here. As to what you say about cleaning decor and sand my routine for my very low stocked tank my first tank has one single betta no mystery snails just one betta. It produces the least amount of what other call gunk in my filter. Then Iv got a 29 (I like smaller tanks) that’s got an open back 40gallon rated aqueon quiet flow that makes buckets of beneficial bacteria in direct sunlight for about the whole day or at least most. I do weekly gravel vacuuming and never wipe the decor because it’s all live in my 10 with the 29 I like the look of the plastic ones mixed with the live plants. I don’t wash those because they are coated with green algae. This is a trade off me and the fish inside that tank have if I scrape it off they will eat my aquarium plants.
Contrary to popular belief old aquarium water is good for one thing, watering plants. It offers no benefit to an aquarium unless you're starting a new planted tank and then its minimal at best. Start with clean water and add dirty filter sponges is the way that works for me.
Yes! Nitrates are very good in that case.
When setting up a new aquarium let’s say 20-40 gallons, is it safe to use Spring water over Tap water that get treated?
Test it. If you have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites, you're good to go.
Thanks for your info. Would a dirty sponge from my established tank work well in my new tank filter?
Gently rinse the sponge in water from the tank you are taking the sponge from, before putting it in your new tank.
But YES, this sponge will help your new tank greatly - remember to feed it!
@@Rachel-ft2bi What do you mean "feed it" when using an old sponge in a new tank?
hey i wanted to say beneficial bacteria can be unpredictible and it can grow when you least expect it and like i remember my first tank it was a 10 gall and i was cleaning it like crazy and if i did not keep cleaning it every week it would get dirty soo i was getting tired of cleaning and cleaning and cleaning so i looked it up and i was hearing left and right about this thing called beneficial bacteria. so and i thought these people were crazy why put rocks in a aquarium. soo i did not do it. and i got tired of cleaning soo i stoped cleaning for about 5 months and my tank went soo down hill. soo i tryed some bio media and for about 3 weeks it did nothing. and i was like so they were crazy. but after a little bit my tank looked soo much better and my bio media was yellow and it was white before so i knew it was the bio media. and now i dont even use any poly fill or any thing just bio media and my tank look awesome.soo theirs the story of my life lol.
Actually after you have cycled the filtration medium thoroughly you should stock all or nearly all fish at once. Once the medium has faced several PPMs of ammonia and turn all to nitrate, it will be ready if you don't wait too long. a couple of weeks at least is fine. Stocking fish slowly is mini-cycling.
Inexperienced people have a hard time overcoming this mental hurdle. If the setup is correct and you have introduced enough ammonia during the cycle (without fish), your ammonia and nitrite will always be zero no matter how many fish you put in at once.
For freshwater I just add bacteria seed from an old tank (or suitable moist garden soil), keep adding fish food in amount many times you will feed your fish in fully stocked tank, run the tank as if there is fish, and wait five-six weeks depending on temp and the then do a 100% water change (cheap). A few days later there will be zero ammonia even if the cycle had not rigorously speaking complete.
So can anyone answer this so my tank finished cycling a while ago and after 2 weeks I put in plants then a few weeks later all my nitrates disappeared and I had an ammonia spike of 25 ppm that hasn't gone down yet did I do something wronge here
Hi Ben as always the instructions are clear and simple and great vedio .
Just I want a quick tip how to do very fast quarantine tank am going to recive new after 8 hours and I have a running tank and I have setup a tank 5 days ago assuming that the fish will come late but of sudden fish are coming in matter of hours pls help.
It is discus fish by the way
Thanks
Wish I had seen this sooner. Take handfuls of substrate out of your established tank and a sponge out of your filter and put it in your new system. Be sure to treat the water before adding and you should be good to go instantly.
@@BenOchart Thank you Ben , I recived them and I got your replay now ,but no problems they are ok and I did as you told me .
Thank you very much .
That's good info. Would it be too much to add 4 danios to my 5 gallon tank after cycling?
Thank you Toby. What's in there now and how big to they get? 5 gal is very small...
@@BenOchart It's currently empty and has been cycling for a week now. But wouldn't 5 gallons be sufficient as long as the water quality is well maintained? We're on a budget here so I revived my old 5g instead of buying a new one.
I just had to do my 40 and 50 gal yesterday had to clean filters and did probably a too big water change. Everything is good except my nitrites are up cuz I added a half dose of beneficial bacteria
Did that make my nitrites spike??
Adding BB would not bring about a spike in nitrates. I suggest that you service filters a week apart from a water change. Especially if you’re also vacuuming.