Post by mralgae on Nov 15, 2007 4:44:21 GMT -5
If you're using household ammonia to cycle your tank, here's how to calculate how much household ammonia to add in order to get the desired ppm NH3. (This is the new improved version, hope it helps.)
Desired tank ammonia level/ (Ammonia concentration % (from the label) x 10/tank volume in litres) = Amount of household ammonia to add in ml
Here's an example:-
Tank volume = 165litres
Ammonia concentration % = 9.5 (from the label on the bottle)
Desired tank ammonia level in ppm= 4
So,4/(9.5x10/165)=ammonia ml to add.
4/(95/165)=ammonia ml to add
4/0.58=ammonia ml to add
=6.9 ml household ammonia
Actually we don't need to be that accurate, so let's call that 7ml.
In other words adding 7ml of household ammonia to this example tank will result in an ammonia NH3 concentration of approximately 4ppm. Which is what we want.
Once your cycle is up and running, it is likely that you will only need to 'top -up' the ammonia. In that case if your tank ammonia level was already 2ppm, then 'desired tank ammonia level' in the example above would also be 2ppm, in order to maintain the desired overall tank ammonia level of 4ppm.
Remember too, that a 60l tank will not actually contain 60l of water. Here's a Link
to a calculator on the main site which will give you the probable volume of actual water in your tank, whatever it's rated volume
Added 24th October 2007:
Some users of this forum have reported inconsistent results using ammonia as the 'food' for the bacterial colony. Whilst I have no firm idea as to why this should be perhaps it is worth noting that fish don't produce sudden increases in ammonia. Rather, they produce it in small amounts all the time. With this in mind it is probably worthwhile trying to recreate a more 'natural' system thus:
1.Take out a litre of tank-water in a suitable container.
2.Add the household ammonia as calculated above to this litre.
3.Dribble this 'treated' litre back into the tank over as long a period as is convenient.
It might even be worth 'building up' to the intended 4ppm level over a period of days.
All of the above is intended to avoid swamping the fledgling bio-colony with more ammonia than they might initially be capable of dealing with.
Added 2nd November 2007
Some users of the forum have reported 'stalled' cycles; nothing happening at all to ammonia/nitrite levels for days or even weeks on end. The solution appears to be to raise the KH/pH of the water by adding a teasthingy or so of Bicarbonate of soda (Baking soda). This Link
may help you to calculate how much soda to add. Note that whilst it appears that this will definitely get your cycle running again, adding bicarbonate directly in this way shouldn't be considered a permanent fix, in that the bicarbonate level will drop immediately you change the water.
Once the cycle appears to be completed, it will be necessary to assess whether or not the pH/KH has stabilised at a value you (and your new fish) will be happy with. If not, a more permanent, stable, and lower maintenance method of raising KH/pH would be to add crushed Oyster shell, argonite, or coral sand. You can learn more about KH, GH and pH Here
This article was written by fivebymiker. All credits go to fivebymiker and can not be used without permission of fivebymiker.
Fivebymikers blogg: uk.360.yahoo.com/michael444358
Desired tank ammonia level/ (Ammonia concentration % (from the label) x 10/tank volume in litres) = Amount of household ammonia to add in ml
Here's an example:-
Tank volume = 165litres
Ammonia concentration % = 9.5 (from the label on the bottle)
Desired tank ammonia level in ppm= 4
So,4/(9.5x10/165)=ammonia ml to add.
4/(95/165)=ammonia ml to add
4/0.58=ammonia ml to add
=6.9 ml household ammonia
Actually we don't need to be that accurate, so let's call that 7ml.
In other words adding 7ml of household ammonia to this example tank will result in an ammonia NH3 concentration of approximately 4ppm. Which is what we want.
Once your cycle is up and running, it is likely that you will only need to 'top -up' the ammonia. In that case if your tank ammonia level was already 2ppm, then 'desired tank ammonia level' in the example above would also be 2ppm, in order to maintain the desired overall tank ammonia level of 4ppm.
Remember too, that a 60l tank will not actually contain 60l of water. Here's a Link
to a calculator on the main site which will give you the probable volume of actual water in your tank, whatever it's rated volume
Added 24th October 2007:
Some users of this forum have reported inconsistent results using ammonia as the 'food' for the bacterial colony. Whilst I have no firm idea as to why this should be perhaps it is worth noting that fish don't produce sudden increases in ammonia. Rather, they produce it in small amounts all the time. With this in mind it is probably worthwhile trying to recreate a more 'natural' system thus:
1.Take out a litre of tank-water in a suitable container.
2.Add the household ammonia as calculated above to this litre.
3.Dribble this 'treated' litre back into the tank over as long a period as is convenient.
It might even be worth 'building up' to the intended 4ppm level over a period of days.
All of the above is intended to avoid swamping the fledgling bio-colony with more ammonia than they might initially be capable of dealing with.
Added 2nd November 2007
Some users of the forum have reported 'stalled' cycles; nothing happening at all to ammonia/nitrite levels for days or even weeks on end. The solution appears to be to raise the KH/pH of the water by adding a teasthingy or so of Bicarbonate of soda (Baking soda). This Link
may help you to calculate how much soda to add. Note that whilst it appears that this will definitely get your cycle running again, adding bicarbonate directly in this way shouldn't be considered a permanent fix, in that the bicarbonate level will drop immediately you change the water.
Once the cycle appears to be completed, it will be necessary to assess whether or not the pH/KH has stabilised at a value you (and your new fish) will be happy with. If not, a more permanent, stable, and lower maintenance method of raising KH/pH would be to add crushed Oyster shell, argonite, or coral sand. You can learn more about KH, GH and pH Here
This article was written by fivebymiker. All credits go to fivebymiker and can not be used without permission of fivebymiker.
Fivebymikers blogg: uk.360.yahoo.com/michael444358
