My New Project - Wild Tefe

[Kirbs]

I decided some time ago I needed to reduce my number of tanks and just focus on one thing for now. I have purchased some of John's Wild Tefe (6 to be exact) and will hopefully be receiving them next week. I am starting this thread in the hope of receiving input as to what I'm doing right, wrong or what I may be missing!

They will initially go into a 50 gallon for their quarantine period and I will move them to their final home of a 90 gallon after I have that ready. I am doing the fishless cycling of the tank right now. I am using a mix of 70%RO/30% Tap. I age, heat and aerate my change water. I plan on changing water every day at a rate of 50% to 60%. Filtering is an AC70 with 2 Foam Pads and a sponge filter mounted to the side of the tank. Heater is a Finnex 300W with a Finnex controller. I'm not too happy with this, but more on that later! Water Parameters now are Ph - 7.0, Nitrite - 0, Nitrate - 10, Ammonia - .5, Gh - 60 ppm, Kh - 20 ppm and TDS - 87. The Ammonia was at 8.0 when I left town last Friday, 2/24 and .25 when I got home Monday afternoon. So I believe the cycle has started. I added 1 TBS of Ammonia this morning. The bad thing is I'll be gone again this weekend so I hope I don't mess things up by being gone. I may have to find somebody to come over and add a TBS of Ammonia on Sunday morning. I have manzanita in it too.

I'm sure I forgot to mention something. Thanks for viewing and any input.

[farebox]

Welcome to the wild side of things. I too started a wild tank a few months ago and gotten fish from John. I am not going to make any comments for now, but there are a few SD members with wilds, so there's quite a bit of info here. Please keep us all updated in the future on how your fish developed. Good luck and peace out.

[Second Hand Pat]

Which Tefes are you getting Kirby?
Pat

[Kirbs]

The Colorful Tefe he had on his last shipment.

[Second Hand Pat]

The Colorful Tefe he had on his last shipment.

I saw those, you'll be very happy with them.
Pat

[Kirbs]

Thanks Pat! I'm excited.

Am I on the right track so far?

[DatDiscusDude]

Are those the one he has listed as something special or like all green? I saw them on his stock list.

What do they look like or what makes them different ??

[Kirbs]

Yes, they were listed as "Colorful" Tefe. He said they had a better green shine over the entire body. Pat may know better since she has seen them in person. I've only seen them in pictures.

[Second Hand Pat]

They did have a better sheen plus they are good sized and really thick. I think you will be happy with them Kirby
Pat

[Kirbs]

It appears my tank is still cycling! I thought it would be almost done or complete by now. When I checked the ammonia on Saturday morning before I left town it was 4.0 and Nitrate at 5.0. Today when I got home at 1 p.m. it was at 2.0. I added a teaspoon of ammonia to bring it up to 4 hopefully. I will check it again tonight when I get home at 10:30.

Just curious about 1 other thing......I have never seen a nitrite reading. I check Nitrite, Nitrate and Ammonia every morning. I've even used 2 different kits. Any suggestions?

I was hoping to get these guys on Thursday, but not sure that is going to happen now.

[Jack L]

i've only seen nitrite 1 time in countless tests.

if you don't seed w/ BB, cycle takes weeks.

[Kirbs]

I tested water this morning and ammonia is at 2.0. I added 1 teaspoon of ammonia and I'll check that again in a bit. I'm going to ask John to hold them another week. I don't want to, but think it is the best thing to do.

I squeezed the sponges from an AC filter in another tank into this Tank AC. I'm considering moving another sponge filter from another tank to get this one going!

I also am experiencing a Ph drop/fluctuation that I believe is due to low Kh. I am using a 2 to 1 ratio of RO/Tap. Anybody have any experience with that? I ran across that subject in an old post I read last week.

[DatDiscusDude]

Kirby,

I think you would be making the right move in holding off on the fish...

What AC filter did you squeeze in? By doing so, you have cross contaminated the new tank from another source, leaving your new wilds open to contamination from whatever was running in that other tank. I would not have done this or advised against it. I would not move another sponge from yet another tank over. Especially if its yet a 3rd tank, your new tank for the wilds is going to be full of mess from the other tanks and could be very risky to their health.

[Kirbs]

My tank is finally cycling and I've set up a delivery date for Wednesday, 03/22. But now I am experiencing a new dillema.....I think.

Every morning I check the ammonia and it is at 0. I then add enough ammonia to bring it back up to 4, usually a TBS and 1 tsp. I haven't changed any water since Sunday until this morning. I tested all water parameters before the water change and had the following results: Temp - 83, Ph - 6.0 (not sure how low, my kit only goes to 6) Nitrite - 0, Ammonia - 2.0, Nitrate - 80+, Gh - 4, Kh - 0 and TDS - 171.

I am using Tap Water for WC. I checked my change water in my Brute Container and it is Ph- 8.2, Gh - 5, Kh - 7 and TDS - 136.

What could possibly be driving the Ph and Kh down so low? I have 2 pieces of Manzanita in there. Would that be causing it?

Why would today I get an ammonia reading of 2.0 and all other days this week I get 0? Could my high Nitrate reading be driving my Ph and Kh so low that my beneficial bacteria are dieing therefore my ammonia reading at 2 today?

I changed 50% of the water today and will check all parameters tomorrow. I hope I can get a handle on this over the weekend! I am also going to check my other tanks to see if they are experiencing the same changes. I use the same water for all WC's.

[Second Hand Pat]

Kirby, you are simulating the nitrification process while cycling your tank which lowers the KH and the ph drops.
Pat