The Puffer Forum

Hi all,

I'm very new to this hobby and hope that every one over TFR care to help.

I'm from Singapore currently have a 4x2x2 main tank and a 3x1x1.5 sump tank run with some filter and bio-home.
As i know nuts about puffer habit and water parameter. Hope to hear some advice.
Tank pH: 7.8 Nirate:0 nirites: not very sure. Is there any whens that i can bring down the Nirites and ammonia by using something like Bio-home??

Thanks
VMware

VMware wrote:Hi all,

I'm very new to this hobby and hope that every one over TFR care to help.

I'm from Singapore currently have a 4x2x2 main tank and a 3x1x1.5 sump tank run with some filter and bio-home.
As i know nuts about puffer habit and water parameter. Hope to hear some advice.
Tank pH: 7.8 Nirate:0 nirites: not very sure. Is there any whens that i can bring down the Nirites and ammonia by using something like Bio-home??

Thanks
VMware

Hi Vmware

How long has the tank been set up have there been any fish in there recently. If you have ammonia and nitrite readings then that usually means that the tank is cycling and the bacteria in the tank cant cope with the weaste being produced. You could use a water conditioner like Seachem prime to detoxify the ammonia but until the cycle has been completed if there are fish in there big daily water changes are the best move forward.

Hilly wrote:

VMware wrote:Hi all,

I'm very new to this hobby and hope that every one over TFR care to help.

I'm from Singapore currently have a 4x2x2 main tank and a 3x1x1.5 sump tank run with some filter and bio-home.
As i know nuts about puffer habit and water parameter. Hope to hear some advice.
Tank pH: 7.8 Nirate:0 nirites: not very sure. Is there any whens that i can bring down the Nirites and ammonia by using something like Bio-home??

Thanks
VMware

Hi Vmware

How long has the tank been set up have there been any fish in there recently. If you have ammonia and nitrite readings then that usually means that the tank is cycling and the bacteria in the tank cant cope with the weaste being produced. You could use a water conditioner like Seachem prime to detoxify the ammonia but until the cycle has been completed if there are fish in there big daily water changes are the best move forward.

Hi Hilly,

Currently the tank is cycling without any fish and it been run like 2 months and also change water once a week like 50% of the main tank , But i find that the water is a little cloudy. any ways to in proof?? UV Sterilizer??

I'm also using seachem prime after every change of water. the prob is i need to get a test kit for Nirites to find out the lvl.


Thanks.
VMware

What did you go for to cycle it? ammonia, prawn fish food. If all has gone well with the cycle 2 months should be more than enough time and as soon as you get the test kit it will confirm it for you. Then you can decide on what you want to stock it with.

A UV sterilizer is good for getting rid of green water, I dont think it will sort out cloudy water though, is it after water changes only?

If you cang et hold of ammonia and nitrite readings at least you know the tank is ready for fish then can try and figure out why it is cloudy.

Good luck.

Hilly wrote:What did you go for to cycle it? ammonia, prawn fish food. If all has gone well with the cycle 2 months should be more than enough time and as soon as you get the test kit it will confirm it for you. Then you can decide on what you want to stock it with.

A UV sterilizer is good for getting rid of green water, I dont think it will sort out cloudy water though, is it after water changes only?

If you cang et hold of ammonia and nitrite readings at least you know the tank is ready for fish then can try and figure out why it is cloudy.

Good luck.

I using Ocean free bac 8000 for the cycle(What a prawn fish food?? Spawn?? or food for prawn?? sorry for ask stupit Q. Cloudy water is alway there even changing of water. Tough was due to leak for filteration so i add in more wools and ring to keep it run for days but the result is still the some.

Regard
VMware

To be honest a lot of these cycling products dont really do the job, they all claim to cycle your tank fast but never do. I have a suspicion that the tank isn't cycling properly what should happen is that a colony of bacteria occurs that removes the ammonia from the water and then more bacteria occur that turns the nitrites into nitrates so what you end up with is when a tank is cycled 0 nitrite and ammonia readings and only nitrate readings.

You can use prawns that you eat to cycle a tank, as they decompose they produce ammonia which gets the cycle going. Have a look in the library there is an article on fishless cycling using just ammonia, might be of some help to you.

Hilly wrote:To be honest a lot of these cycling products dont really do the job, they all claim to cycle your tank fast but never do. I have a suspicion that the tank isn't cycling properly what should happen is that a colony of bacteria occurs that removes the ammonia from the water and then more bacteria occur that turns the nitrites into nitrates so what you end up with is when a tank is cycled 0 nitrite and ammonia readings and only nitrate readings.

You can use prawns that you eat to cycle a tank, as they decompose they produce ammonia which gets the cycle going. Have a look in the library there is an article on fishless cycling using just ammonia, might be of some help to you.

Hi Hilly, Got my nitrite test kit result was 0.2 ppm, nitrate is at 2ppm, pH still at 7.8.

Is it adviserable to got a puffer now on i still need to touch up my water parameter??

Thanks.

Wait till nitrite and nitrate are zero.

Nitrates should not be zero in a fully cycled tank. Ammonia and nitrites should be zero but there should be some nitrates. Ammonia readings are vital.

Welcome

I bet that because your tank is new the cloudy water you are seeing is a bacterial bloom. The bacteria are going bonkos because the balance between wastes and bacteria hasn't been reached. I'm getting them now in my tank right after a water change because I've really upset the biofilter (I expected this to happen and I don't have any fish right now so it is OK). As the tank matures you probably won't see the cloudy water anymore.

Boxermom wrote:Nitrates should not be zero in a fully cycled tank. Ammonia and nitrites should be zero but there should be some nitrates. Ammonia readings are vital.

Right guess I was thinking SW

Finally got my water parameter right. And I have order my very first puffer a congo puffer will post some photo once he's in my tank.

VMware