Hi I'm a noob and I have a fluval edge 6 gal
- Thread starter Delaforce
- Start date
Chicken and Hot Sauce, I had that for yesterdays lunch. I love it that way. Unfortunately its all gone, you missed a really good lunch. It sure beats the burger for today. Cycling your tank (with fish) will be easy if you keep tabs on the ammonia and nitrite readings. When you see the ammonia going up try to keep the water changes going daily or every other so it stays barely detectable. At this point you will start seeing the nitrite going up. Do the same to keep the ammonia and nitrite just barely detectable. This may take 2 weeks to 2 months (ish). Once you start to see these at zero means you are building good beneficial bacteria and you will start to detect nitrate. At this point keep weekly water changes going to maintain you nitrates under 20ppm
Many water treatment places have stopped using chlorine because its believed to raise the rate of cancer. So now many use chloramine. The only sure way I know of to get rid of chloramine is to mix 10PPM of chlorine into your water before you put it in your tank and wait 24 hours, then let this set in the sun for about 4 hours to evaporate the chlorine. This process should get rid of the chloramine. It separates the ammonia from the chloramine, then the ammonia outgasses at the surface and the sun evaporates the chlorine.
A friend that works at a drinking water treatment plant says they switched to chloramine due to the fact that it is more stable (does not off-gas) and causes less damage to pipes.
I've never heard of this. Where did you learn it? (not saying its wrong, just love to learn new things!)
Its easier (just my opinion) to use a dechlor that binds ammonia until your biofilter can consume it.
I've never heard of this. Where did you learn it? (not saying its wrong, just love to learn new things!)
Its easier (just my opinion) to use a dechlor that binds ammonia until your biofilter can consume it.
Just basic chemistry really, its also the way I super-chlorinate my pool. It removes chloramine and other bonded molecules. Hypochlorous acid from the free chlorine takes ammonia away from the chloramine.
I have always tried to be chemical free with my water as much as I can. Before I got my 6 stage RO water treatment system this was the way I did it. I have a 150 gallon livestock water container I did this in. I got this idea from my pool one day when I was super-chlorinating it. Knowing pool chemistry, I knew this took about all impurities from water and the chlorine would evaporate in hours. So I gave it a whirl. The water seemed to test OK for fish use. I began to use it and had wonderful success. No more dechlor/treatment crap to buy, I was happy and the fish seemed great!
If a old house has old pipes chloramine can increase the lead exposure and increase health risks. Chloramine can contribute to respiratory problems as well. Either way chlorine (which can increase cancer) or chloramine both have their benefits and down falls I guess.
I have always tried to be chemical free with my water as much as I can. Before I got my 6 stage RO water treatment system this was the way I did it. I have a 150 gallon livestock water container I did this in. I got this idea from my pool one day when I was super-chlorinating it. Knowing pool chemistry, I knew this took about all impurities from water and the chlorine would evaporate in hours. So I gave it a whirl. The water seemed to test OK for fish use. I began to use it and had wonderful success. No more dechlor/treatment crap to buy, I was happy and the fish seemed great!
If a old house has old pipes chloramine can increase the lead exposure and increase health risks. Chloramine can contribute to respiratory problems as well. Either way chlorine (which can increase cancer) or chloramine both have their benefits and down falls I guess.