The Puffer Forum

I currently have one juvenile gsp living in a ten gallon tank and started the process of cycling a 30 gallon tank to move him into. I've been following the process described here: viewtopic.php?f=67&t=28467 and started adding my source of ammonia as it said to a level of ~5 ppm and noticed my nitrite level spike up to ~5 ppm by the second or third day, so I cut back on the amount of ammonia I was adding. When I tested the levels of the tank today I found that both had dropped to barely .25 ppm for ammonia and ~.5 ppm for nitrite. I'm not sure if I should continue adding ammonia to the tank (I would only add enough to get a reading of ~2-3 ppm) or if the cycling process will continue on it's own from here on out, with the ammonia and nitrite continuing to decrease within in the next few days to the point where the tank will be ready for my puffer (after the final large water change that is). Any thoughts on what the best approach here would be?

You cut the daily amount of ammonia added in 1/2, after you start seeing nitrate. When ammonia/nitrite reach 0 the next day & you see nitrate, you can do a 80% WC & add the fish.

I know that's what the article said, I just wasn't sure why I'd keep adding ammonia if I do want them eventually at zero, but I guess I understand why it would make sense. I'm waiting for my nitrate kit to come in the mail cause I had to order it on amazon, so I suppose I should wait til I have that before I can be sure that the cycling is complete.

The fish will be adding ammonia. You want your system to be able to break that down to 0, before it's harmful to the fish.

Since I'll be doing a large water change before adding my fish, what part of the system is most vital to the breaking down of the ammonia? Is it mostly the bacteria found in the filter and sand/gravel rather than in the water itself?

The nitrification bacteria (two separate species, one for ammonia, one for nitrite) are oblogate attached bacteria, they are only found on surfaces such as filter material, rocks, gravel, etc. They cannot live and metabolize in the water column.

Yes

RTR wrote:The nitrification bacteria (two separate species, one for ammonia, one for nitrite) are oblogate attached bacteria, they are only found on surfaces such as filter material, rocks, gravel, etc. They cannot live and metabolize in the water column.

Rtr you are a textbook of information i love it.

After a lifetime in the hobby, I certainly hope so... If I can help others avoid some of the mistakes I've made, it has to improve the hobby. There are a lot of old timers here, some of them are still fairly young. The hobby is heck of a lot more advanced than it was 50+ years ago.

I'm certainly in the fairly young category, and I appreciate all the help and patience that the more experience ones here are willing to give. When I first started keeping land hermit crabs, I fell into the pit that many do in completely underestimating the requirements needed to keep them alive but I've learned a lot since then, not only about the crabbies, but about the fact that pet owners on forums tend to be a lot more knowledgeable than the employees at pet stores

Aria13 wrote:I'm certainly in the fairly young category, and I appreciate all the help and patience that the more experience ones here are willing to give. When I first started keeping land hermit crabs, I fell into the pit that many do in completely underestimating the requirements needed to keep them alive but I've learned a lot since then, not only about the crabbies, but about the fact that pet owners on forums tend to be a lot more knowledgeable than the employees at pet stores

Hey I agree to your words... May be it is because the pet owners of a forum, always deals with the queries and solutions of those queries, lots of discussion on the subject.

Amen!