Ok. You guys know of my infamous 55 gallon fresh with my oscar, silver dollar, convicht and pleco. Well, it appears that my cycle is complete!!! But, here is the deal, I had been using Ammolock for a while. I finally got sense enough to stop using it and now that it is out of my tank my tests are legitimate. I think that my cycle has been complete for a while but because of the ammolock, I didn't know that because it showed my ammonia levels to be SO high. Is that weird or what???
This Is UNREAL!!!!
- Thread starter aspguru
- Start date
COOL! Good for you, good for your fish!
I'm forever grateful to the first LFS guy who helped me get started. As I was getting ready to leave the store with my latest purchases, he noticed me with some Ammolock in my hand. He very discretely let me know I didn't need it. And also made the general reccomendation to avoid using additives in general. " You'll be better off lettin' yer tank cycle, That stuff only hides problems and willcomplicate things for you."
I'm forever grateful to the first LFS guy who helped me get started. As I was getting ready to leave the store with my latest purchases, he noticed me with some Ammolock in my hand. He very discretely let me know I didn't need it. And also made the general reccomendation to avoid using additives in general. " You'll be better off lettin' yer tank cycle, That stuff only hides problems and willcomplicate things for you."
That's a rough one. I knew I'd found a good one when my guy discouraged me from buying something he was being paid to sell. I used to go to that store and refuse help until this guy was available. Guess you just weren't as lucky as me.
This also illustrates the paradox of LFSs. There's no shortage of posts blasting the LFS and/or there misinformed staff, but then on the other hand, if my guy hadn't tipped me off I don't know who would have. The magazines and books I'd been reading didn't have info like that. Hopfully the web can help. How did you discover this anyway?
This also illustrates the paradox of LFSs. There's no shortage of posts blasting the LFS and/or there misinformed staff, but then on the other hand, if my guy hadn't tipped me off I don't know who would have. The magazines and books I'd been reading didn't have info like that. Hopfully the web can help. How did you discover this anyway?
the real paradox is that they more helpful they are to you, the less money the store makes. If the fishes are healthy, you wouldn't come back for another fish in a while. Also there are so many useless stuff there on the shelf the creates problems just so that another product will sell. this site has a very nice product review, but it would be really nice if there is a store review?
i know that it is hard to review all the store in so many different states, but if everyone give their support, at least we would know some good stores to buy from, which would also encourage their helpfulness.
just a thought
*twirlysmiley*
i know that it is hard to review all the store in so many different states, but if everyone give their support, at least we would know some good stores to buy from, which would also encourage their helpfulness.
just a thought
*twirlysmiley*
Yeah, you got it Vee.
That IS the paradox and the reason buyer should beware. The guy who helped me is no longer there. Probably caught tellin people not to buy somethin that they didn't need. (see Colesea's rants about her old manager). Anywaze, It's still the best show in town for livestock. The fish I get there always live long and I can't say that about others I have tried.
So back to the topic. Guru's tank is ammo free! woowoo! I still want to know how he solved it and how you get whatever Amm*lock/amqu*l leave in the tank and how you get rid of it.
pd
That IS the paradox and the reason buyer should beware. The guy who helped me is no longer there. Probably caught tellin people not to buy somethin that they didn't need. (see Colesea's rants about her old manager). Anywaze, It's still the best show in town for livestock. The fish I get there always live long and I can't say that about others I have tried.
So back to the topic. Guru's tank is ammo free! woowoo! I still want to know how he solved it and how you get whatever Amm*lock/amqu*l leave in the tank and how you get rid of it.
pd
Well, after I stopped using the ammo lock, my ammo tests were going down ever so slightly. This excited me so much, that I started doing lots of water changes. I did one on Friday. I tested the next morning and it went down even more, I did one on saturday, it went down even more. I got so excited that I did another one on saturday and I checked this morning and whataya know. 0 AMMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was the ammo lock all the time giving me false readings. It is amazing.
I give my thanks to luvfishies and another guy on here. I'm not sure what his name is I just know him on AOL. You guys helped me out. It is so funny because I went from not being close one day and the very next day, being done. I checked the levels again to make sure I wasn't dreaming and...yes they are legit.
You see, I wondered how the fish could have been in such good health with thos "high" ammonia levels. LOL. Well, it turns out they probably never were high, it was those God forsaken chemicals I was putting in there. That is it. I am going with 0 chemicals but dechlor. Period. Oh yeah, luvfishies, my pH is very low and I can't figure out why. What can I do to bring it up a bit?
I will test the kH tonight. The pH out of the tap is about 6.5 to 7.0. It is a good level for what I have in the tank. However, I have been doing water changes quite frequently lately and the pH has gone down. Now, the last test I did on kH was 6/18/02. I had 53.7 ppm then. I will check again tonight and let you know.
Another Julia Robert's Wuh! Wuh! Wuh! *thumbsup2*
"If you cycle it, the bacteria will come"
mysterious voice in LFS
Now you are an expert on fishless cycle! Congrats!
I started a fishless cycle yesterday, 7/7. It's my 55 gal! I'm going to log the progress here on a new thread... So when I get impatient and disappointed - ya'll can give me support!
"If you cycle it, the bacteria will come"
mysterious voice in LFS
Now you are an expert on fishless cycle! Congrats!
I started a fishless cycle yesterday, 7/7. It's my 55 gal! I'm going to log the progress here on a new thread... So when I get impatient and disappointed - ya'll can give me support!
Ok you could be in trouble down the road with KH that low. Is that ONE drop?
I would go NATURAL for messing with the pH. Add some crushed coral in a filter baggie IN the filter....OR Tuffa rock, traverine rock, or aragonite substrate. They will all leach buffering agents if the pH starts to dip, hopefully keeping the KH up a little and the pH stable. A little at a time is the way I'd go, testing before and after waterchanges just to see what happens.
Sounds like the tapwater might have changed to a lower pH too?
I would go NATURAL for messing with the pH. Add some crushed coral in a filter baggie IN the filter....OR Tuffa rock, traverine rock, or aragonite substrate. They will all leach buffering agents if the pH starts to dip, hopefully keeping the KH up a little and the pH stable. A little at a time is the way I'd go, testing before and after waterchanges just to see what happens.
Sounds like the tapwater might have changed to a lower pH too?