ShrimpSA Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 So I was wondering.... In an established tank, how fast can the bacteria "age" the water? For example if you do a 25-50% water change, how long before the water is completely cycled? And another water change is safe to do? Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShrimpSA Posted November 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 Oh and with said water being tap water which had to be dechlorinated? Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk techsmith 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenteam Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 Is this a shrimp tank? how big is the tank? How often are you doing this big WC's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShrimpSA Posted November 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 I have both shrimp and fish tanks... have a 30 liter tank and a 100 liter tank... the 30 liter is just shrimps. At the moment do like a 20% water change every 1-2 weeks. But just in principle I am curious to know. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 Not much bacteria lives in the water. It lives on surfaces inside the tank. Citycode01, gillznglass, colorfan and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillznglass Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 The bacteria responsible for converting ammonia to nitrite are called nitrosomas, and nitrobacter converts nitrite to nitrate. One reason you change water is to lower nitrate, which at 40 parts per million or more can be harmful to fish. Shrimp are better off below 20 parts per million. Neither form of the above mentioned bacteria live in the water. Most of them live on your aquarium filter and as already said on the surfaces of your aquarium. 10 to 50 percent water change once per week is usually sufficient depending on the biological load of the tank. Nitrates are used up by both plants and another form of bacteria that grows in low oxegen low flow areas. Even if you provide a method of lowering nitrates, you should still do water changes to replace used up minerals that fish and shimp need. If the water used for a water change is the same tempature as the tank, you can change more or alot more of the water at a time. Never use hot water from the tap, but preheat the water however you choose. If the water is a different tempature than the water in the tank, smaller more frequent water changes are best. The reason for that is not only is a drastic tempature change bad for your aquatic life, it can cause a die off of the benificial bacteria that live in your filter and on the tanks surfaces. That is why sometimes large water changes can crash a tank. ShrimpSA, Soothing Shrimp and Citycode01 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishlover Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 The way you can find out for sure if the tank is cycled is to add a ammonia into the tank until you can detect a low concentration from ammonia test. Leave it alone for a day or 2 and test the water again. If Ammonia level drop to zero. Your tank is cycled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zodiac Posted November 11, 2015 Report Share Posted November 11, 2015 don't add ammonia to an established stocked tank. you just subject your creatures with higher levels of ammonia. there is already ammonia being produced and being consumed by the bacteria. gillznglass, svetilda and BigXor 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShrimpSA Posted November 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2015 The bacteria responsible for converting ammonia to nitrite are called nitrosomas, and nitrobacter converts nitrite to nitrate. One reason you change water is to lower nitrate, which at 40 parts per million or more can be harmful to fish. Shrimp are better off below 20 parts per million. Neither form of the above mentioned bacteria live in the water. Most of them live on your aquarium filter and as already said on the surfaces of your aquarium. 10 to 50 percent water change once per week is usually sufficient depending on the biological load of the tank. Nitrates are used up by both plants and another form of bacteria that grows in low oxegen low flow areas. Even if you provide a method of lowering nitrates, you should still do water changes to replace used up minerals that fish and shimp need. If the water used for a water change is the same tempature as the tank, you can change more or alot more of the water at a time. Never use hot water from the tap, but preheat the water however you choose. If the water is a different tempature than the water in the tank, smaller more frequent water changes are best. The reason for that is not only is a drastic tempature change bad for your aquatic life, it can cause a die off of the benificial bacteria that live in your filter and on the tanks surfaces. That is why sometimes large water changes can crash a tank.Ah thanks! I understand it much better now. But doesn't the tap water also contain ammonia? That is always my worry. But thanks I understand it all well now! Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duff0712 Posted November 12, 2015 Report Share Posted November 12, 2015 Ah thanks! I understand it much better now. But doesn't the tap water also contain ammonia? That is always my worry. But thanks I understand it all well now! Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk Tap water shouldn't contain any ammonia. With that being said though your location's tap water may vary. The only way to be sure is by testing it.Same thing holds true for chlorine and chloramine. Many places add it but not all. That would be harder to test (I think), but if you use RO/DI water you shouldn't have to worry about it. Otherwise I would use a dechlorinator to be on the safe side. You can let your water sit for 24hr to dissipate any chlorine, but chloramine won't dissipate. Besides being harmful to fish and shrimp, chlorine/chloramine can kill your bacteria (which is why it's added), and why it is highly recommended to clean your filter media in dirty tank water -Duffy Fishprinceofca 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted November 12, 2015 Report Share Posted November 12, 2015 Prime is a very good dechlor for shrimp if you are using tap. Fishprinceofca and svetilda 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShrimpSA Posted November 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2015 Tap water shouldn't contain any ammonia. With that being said though your location's tap water may vary. The only way to be sure is by testing it. Same thing holds true for chlorine and chloramine. Many places add it but not all. That would be harder to test (I think), but if you use RO/DI water you shouldn't have to worry about it. Otherwise I would use a dechlorinator to be on the safe side. You can let your water sit for 24hr to dissipate any chlorine, but chloramine won't dissipate. Besides being harmful to fish and shrimp, chlorine/chloramine can kill your bacteria (which is why it's added), and why it is highly recommended to clean your filter media in dirty tank water -Duffy So would dechlorinator remove chloramine?Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duff0712 Posted November 12, 2015 Report Share Posted November 12, 2015 So would dechlorinator remove chloramine? Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk It should yes. Prime, like Soothing mentioned, does get rid of chloramine too. I am unsure of other products though -Duffy ShrimpSA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillznglass Posted November 12, 2015 Report Share Posted November 12, 2015 Ah thanks! I understand it much better now. But doesn't the tap water also contain ammonia? That is always my worry. But thanks I understand it all well now! Cloramine is a mixture of chlorine and ammonia. So yes, if your city uses cloramines to decontaminate the system, then it surely contains ammonia, in a compound state. You will have to call your water department to find out what they use. Seachem prime neutralizes both straight chlorine and cloramines, so as mentioned this is the best stuff to use when in doubt, and even period, in my opinion. Duff0712 and ShrimpSA 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillznglass Posted November 12, 2015 Report Share Posted November 12, 2015 Prime also has some other uses which come handy in a pinch. It really is a great product. PrimeProduct DescriptionPrime® is the complete and concentrated conditioner for both fresh and salt water. Prime® removes chlorine, chloramine and ammonia. Prime® converts ammonia into a safe, non-toxic form that is readily removed by the tank’s biofilter. Prime® may be used during tank cycling to alleviate ammonia/nitrite toxicity. Prime® detoxifies nitrite and nitrate, allowing the biofilter to more efficiently remove them. It will also detoxify any heavy metals found in the tap water at typical concentration levels. Prime® also promotes the production and regeneration of the natural slime coat. Prime® is non-acidic and will not impact pH. Prime® will not overactivate skimmers. Use at start-up and whenever adding new water. ShrimpSA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShrimpSA Posted November 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2015 Thanks everyone! I really appreciate it! Ill see if I can find Prime here where I am. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShrimpSA Posted November 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2015 Just an update. I found Aqua safe. It seems to remove chlorine and chloramine. Also some other elements. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcorona301 Posted November 23, 2015 Report Share Posted November 23, 2015 If you need help cycling your tanks use this http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/the-almost-complete-guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.htmlreally helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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