Here is my setup:
125 Gal tank, 130# of gravel in bottom, no live plants, 10 Rosy Barbs, Rena XP3 canister filter.
My water from the tap was 8.0 pH, 20 dGH, 1 mg/L NH3, 0 NO2.
According to my LFS, the small amount of ammonia in my tap water is normal (it's well water, not municipal, so no chlorine/chlorimides in it).
My Rena XP3 has three trays, bottom has 2 20ppm and 2 30ppm foam filters in it, the middle tray has a Nitra-Zorb packet and a filter sock with Ammo-Chips in it (combo recommended by LFS), top tray just has a micro-filter in it.
When I added the fish, the next day the ammonia moved to about 2 mg/L, and hasn't moved since (about 4 days).
My questions:
1) Do I have the right filter media for housing bacteria, or should I add some bio balls/ceramic rings?
2) Is the Nitro-Zorb and Ammo-Chips combo helping or hurting the cycle process? I've heard it both ways, one saying it'll keep your fish alive, the other saying it's starving the bacteria.
3) Is 10 barbs 1.75"-2.5" enough to cycle a 125 Gal tank?
Thanks for helping out a newbie!
125 Gal tank, 130# of gravel in bottom, no live plants, 10 Rosy Barbs, Rena XP3 canister filter.
My water from the tap was 8.0 pH, 20 dGH, 1 mg/L NH3, 0 NO2.
According to my LFS, the small amount of ammonia in my tap water is normal (it's well water, not municipal, so no chlorine/chlorimides in it).
My Rena XP3 has three trays, bottom has 2 20ppm and 2 30ppm foam filters in it, the middle tray has a Nitra-Zorb packet and a filter sock with Ammo-Chips in it (combo recommended by LFS), top tray just has a micro-filter in it.
When I added the fish, the next day the ammonia moved to about 2 mg/L, and hasn't moved since (about 4 days).
My questions:
1) Do I have the right filter media for housing bacteria, or should I add some bio balls/ceramic rings?
2) Is the Nitro-Zorb and Ammo-Chips combo helping or hurting the cycle process? I've heard it both ways, one saying it'll keep your fish alive, the other saying it's starving the bacteria.
3) Is 10 barbs 1.75"-2.5" enough to cycle a 125 Gal tank?
Thanks for helping out a newbie!