Is new tank cloud dangerous?

SueK

Hi,

On Monday I filled my new 46g, including a big piece of driftwood and some laterlite for plants.

There's just a bit of clouding left, do you think it's safe to start moving in? I hate to wait until it's perfectly clear as I'm anxious, of course, and I assume once I start putting gravel in from the old tank, I'm likely to cloud it up again anyway.

What do you think? I'm moving the ocntents of 20g in there, including rainbows, tetras and cories.

Thanks,
Sue

Byron

Did you put a layer of gravel on top of the laterite before you filled the tank with water.

How do you intend to cycle the tank.

May have more suggestions when you answer the above.

Byron.

SueK

Hi Byron!

So glad to have caught your attention! Yes, I put a layer of gravel in over the latelite, but then mixed it in, as per instructions on the bag. The next layer of gravel will come from the existing tank, to help provide the bacteria.

This clearly wasn't ideal, but I didn't want to take the gravel out of the active fish tank until I could move the fish.

I'll also be moving over the bio-wheel from the current tank.

Thanks for any advice!!

Sue

SueK

Oops - forgot to mention - several plants coming over from the current tank too. Hope with the bio wheel and gravel, I have the cycle covered!

Byron

Hi Sue,

Sounds fine to me. I asked about the laterite being under some gravel because if it wasn't, it might take quite a while to settle. But that's fine.

I would put the gravel from the established tank on top (use a plastic container like a largish cup or something to slowly spread it out across the existing gravel surface), move the plants over and plant, the the filter, then the fish. Assuming you have several plants, move all the fish at once, it is less stressful. The plants will consume the ammonia from the fish, the bacteria will get whatever the plants don't, and everything should be fine.

You can test for amonia for a couple days, but if the plants are sufficent you won't see any rise in ammonia or nitrite. I never have. The tank is "cycled" from the moment everything goes in.

Byron.

Ramenuzumaki

so having real plants is definitely better than having fakes ones then right? because they om nom nom on ammonia? would a marimo algae ball do that at all? [sorry to go off topic sue ^^; good luck with your fishie move! <3]

Byron

Live plants are the best filtration in an aquarium; it is completely natural. Fake plants provide no such benefit; they do allow bacteria to colonize the leaves as surface area, and they probably provide a sense of "security" to the fish requiring such; but they are obviously not filters in themselves.

It is a scientific fact that live plants consume ammonium either directly (in acidic water) or by converting ammonia into ammonium internally; it is also now believed by scientists that plants consume nitrite by converting it to ammonium. They can do this with nitrate as well, but it is a more complicated internal process so they use the free ammonia/ammonium and nitrite first. Nitrates in a planted tank are always minimal because of this. It used to be said (and still is by some) that plants use nitrate, but the evidence now is that it is the amonia and nitrite first.

The bacteria in a planted tank are minimal by comparison to a non-planted tank, because the plants are quicker at using the amonia/ammonium and nitrite. And in acidic water (pH below 6) it is believed that the nitrosomonas bacteria may cease to function period.

Algae is a plant, so presumably it acts much the same with respect to the ammonia/nitrite. But I would suspect at nowhere near the capacity of higher plants.

Byron.

SueK

Yeah!!! I'm starting my move!

Wow, I thought plants consumed nitrates first and foremeost. Guess I'm not up on my reading at all!

Ramenuzumaki - Thanks for going off topic, as I learned something new! Besides, something as cute as the 'om nom nom' is worth it on it's own!

Ok, I'll be off-line for awhile - much work to do. Thank you both for popping in!!

Sue

Ramenuzumaki

@ Sue:i always say om nom nom. i also refer to "food" as "noms" XD I hope your move goes well ^^;

@ Byron: What sort of plants would be easy to start off with? is Java Moss good?

Teammuir1

Will the cloud in a new tank harm the fish?