Hard water deposits

[titch 104]

I'm in the process of cycling my tank (3 weeks in) - all seems to be going well so far.

I do, however, have a lot of hard water deposits accumulating on my airline & the rubber connections on my filter intake/outlets. On previous setups, I would usually just wipe them off when I do my water changes, but obviously while I'm cycling I'm not doing any wiping down of the tank.

Are they an issue for fish or are they nothing to be concerned about?

My GH test changes at 16 drops and KH at 8-9 drops.

 

On the plus side... I have algae!! Lol!

 

[fantailfan1 26,742]

I don't think those are hard water deposits.  Hard water deposits usually form above water or at the air-water interface.  They are also hard to get off, usually requiring scraping or the use of vinegar.  That looks like biofilm to me which is completely harmless.  

 

Happy cycling!

[titch 104]

11 hours ago, fantailfan1 said:

I don't think those are hard water deposits.  Hard water deposits usually form above water or at the air-water interface.  They are also hard to get off, usually requiring scraping or the use of vinegar.  That looks like biofilm to me which is completely harmless.  

 

Happy cycling!

Oh wow, really? Fab. ☺️

Sometimes, it can come off like flakes in the water flow. It’s VERY unsightly when I wipe it off, kinda chalky. 

Thanks for the cycling wishes. Currently dealing with high nitrites, but I’m getting there. I think.

[fantailfan1 26,742]

The nitrite phase seems to last forever.  Sky high for weeks then, boom they will drop quickly..  Hang in there!!

[titch 104]

35 minutes ago, fantailfan1 said:

The nitrite phase seems to last forever.  Sky high for weeks then, boom they will drop quickly..  Hang in there!!

I'm hanging in. Just!  

Currently, they're rising to between 2.0 & 5.0 in 24hrs. Any longer and they're most definitely off the chart as it takes 2 big WCs to bring them right down.

I'm doing a large WC most days (70%ish) which brings them back down to 0-0.1 (light blue but not turquoise, no hint of purple) and then I redose the ammonia to 1.0.

Am I doing the right thing by doing a WC when the nitrites reach 2.0, or should I leave it be to see what happens? I read that nitrites higher than 2.0 could stall the cycle.

[koko 14,334]

1 hour ago, titch said:

I'm hanging in. Just!  

Currently, they're rising to between 2.0 & 5.0 in 24hrs. Any longer and they're most definitely off the chart as it takes 2 big WCs to bring them right down.

I'm doing a large WC most days (70%ish) which brings them back down to 0-0.1 (light blue but not turquoise, no hint of purple) and then I redose the ammonia to 1.0.

Am I doing the right thing by doing a WC when the nitrites reach 2.0, or should I leave it be to see what happens? I read that nitrites higher than 2.0 could stall the cycle.

If the nitrites go to 2ppm you need to change it or it will stall  

[titch 104]

Arrrrggggghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HATE NITRITES!!!! 

That is all 

[DawnMichele 6,045]

1 hour ago, titch said:

Arrrrggggghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HATE NITRITES!!!! 

That is all 

They aren't very lovable!!!! 

[koko 14,334]

2 hours ago, titch said:

Arrrrggggghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HATE NITRITES!!!! 

That is all 

[titch 104]

3 minutes ago, koko said:

Could I not just throw my test kit at them instead?! 

I'm on day 33 of my cycle and day 17 of crazy nitrites. Ammonia is reducing to between 0.0 > 0.25 in 24hrs (from 1.0), while the Nitrites are rocketing to between 2 & 5 in the same timeframe.

 

[fantailfan1 26,742]

What's your pH?  KH?  GH?

[titch 104]

24 minutes ago, fantailfan1 said:

What's your pH?  KH?  GH?

Hi Lisa

pH out of the tap is 7.4 on the API high range test and 7.6 on the normal range. This raises to about 8.0 after being aerated for 24hrs. Tank pH is 8.2.

On previous tank setups (when I have fish in the tank) I would normally age the water for WCs for at least 24hrs with an airstone to bring the pH closer to the tank level, however I haven't been doing this whilst cycling. I've just filled the tank back up with water straight from the tap.

Last time I checked (22nd September), the GH test changed at 16 drops and KH at 8 drops.

[titch 104]

 

On 10/6/2017 at 3:51 PM, titch said:

On 10/6/2017 at 3:13 PM, fantailfan1 said:

What's your pH?  KH?  GH?

Hi Lisa

pH out of the tap is 7.4 on the API high range test and 7.6 on the normal range. This raises to about 8.0 after being aerated for 24hrs. Tank pH is 8.2.

On previous tank setups (when I have fish in the tank) I would normally age the water for WCs for at least 24hrs with an airstone to bring the pH closer to the tank level, however I haven't been doing this whilst cycling. I've just filled the tank back up with water straight from the tap.

Last time I checked (22nd September), the GH test changed at 16 drops and KH at 8 drops.

What do you think? Am I doing something wrong or is there a way I can give it a gentle 'nudge'?

Also, FYI, I'm filling the tank up from the outside tap, so cold water. The temp after the WC is approx. 18*C which rises to approx. 21*C in the 24hrs before the next WC. I guess that may be slowing the cycle down right? Unfortunately, I don't have the means to refill from indoors with warmer water.

[fantailfan1 26,742]

Those numbers all seem good to me.  18* is on the cooler side though . . .  How many gallons is the tank and how much water are you changing at once?

What filter(s)/media do you have?

[titch 104]

8 hours ago, fantailfan1 said:

Those numbers all seem good to me.  18* is on the cooler side though . . .  How many gallons is the tank and how much water are you changing at once?

What filter(s)/media do you have?

It's 600 litres and I'm changing approx. 75-80% each time.

I'm running 2 x Fluval FX6 filters, both are set up the same - foam round the outside of each tray, bio pads in the top tray, a mix of ceramic noodles & bio balls in the middle & bottom trays with the addition of a fine floss/filter pad in the bottom.

For the last couple of days I've reduced the amount of Ammonia I'm redosing with each WC to 0.5ppm (was 1.0). The nitrites are still rocketing up to 2.0 - 5.0 (those colours are difficult for me to distinguish between) in 24hrs.

Yesterday, I returned home from work to fairly cloudy (brown) water which I assume is from the diatoms sloughing off (see pics). Not sure why they're coming off in patches. Safe to say they've well & truly taken over the tank though. Bleurgh! 

I also include some more images of the biofilm on the rubber filter connectors. This has also started to come off in flakes and is floating around the tank along with the chunks of brown yuk (til the filters sucks them up of course).

[fantailfan1 26,742]

That is a lot of diatoms!   Do you have a light on the tank?  

That's a huge tank!!   I was going to suggest warming some water on the stove to add in with your cold tap water to keep the temp from dropping so low but that'd be a lot of water!  After your next WC, don't add any ammonia and test the nitrite.  Let's see how far down it goes with a WC.  You may want to skip adding ammonia . . .  

Are you getting any nitrate?

[titch 104]

39 minutes ago, fantailfan1 said:

That is a lot of diatoms!   Do you have a light on the tank?  

That's a huge tank!!   I was going to suggest warming some water on the stove to add in with your cold tap water to keep the temp from dropping so low but that'd be a lot of water!  After your next WC, don't add any ammonia and test the nitrite.  Let's see how far down it goes with a WC.  You may want to skip adding ammonia . . .  

Are you getting any nitrate?

Thanks Lisa. Yeah, boiling might be out of the question! 

I know, the diatoms have gone mad in the last couple of weeks. I have a couple of LED light units on the tank, which I guess I could keep turned off if you think it wise (I only really need them on when I'm checking things/doing my WC)?

Whilst I've been cycling, I always check my parameters before & after a WC. Last night after the WC, my nitrite went down to 0.25 (I then dosed the ammonia to 0.5). I expect it to be back up to 2.0+ tonight.

My nitrate is 20ppm out of the tap. It's currently hovering around 40-80ppm (again, the colours for these two are difficult for me to tell apart).

[koko 14,334]

OKay Let me think about this?

So we have nitrites? and do we have nitrates in the tank? 

I want you to wipe that all down so the filters can suck it up for you. Do you have some live plants? If so I would like you to put one in there. Plants like ammonia and will help balance it out. Just make sure your plants are clean  

If you can too get photos of your test so we can see and help you better, I would put the test tube right in front of the card so we can see it the best  

Im thinking it might be very close  

[titch 104]

24 minutes ago, koko said:

OKay Let me think about this?

So we have nitrites? and do we have nitrates in the tank? 

I want you to wipe that all down so the filters can suck it up for you. Do you have some live plants? If so I would like you to put one in there. Plants like ammonia and will help balance it out. Just make sure your plants are clean  

If you can too get photos of your test so we can see and help you better, I would put the test tube right in front of the card so we can see it the best  

Im thinking it might be very close  

The crap of it is, the lighting in my dining room (where the tank is), is really poor (low light), so the test images may not be great. I'll do my best for you.

The only plants I have are what I had before (anubias on rocks, 3 small ones in total). I'll need to do a bleach dip on them to be sure they're free from any nasties from the previous setup. Should I add 1 only, or all of them?

My nitrate is 20ppm out of the tap. It's currently hovering around 40-80ppm in the tank (again, the colours for these two are difficult for me to tell apart).

I hold off on dosing the ammonia tonight, as @fantailfan1 suggested.

[koko 14,334]

4 hours ago, titch said:

The crap of it is, the lighting in my dining room (where the tank is), is really poor (low light), so the test images may not be great. I'll do my best for you.

The only plants I have are what I had before (anubias on rocks, 3 small ones in total). I'll need to do a bleach dip on them to be sure they're free from any nasties from the previous setup. Should I add 1 only, or all of them?

Add them all after you clean them  

4 hours ago, titch said:

My nitrate is 20ppm out of the tap. It's currently hovering around 40-80ppm in the tank (again, the colours for these two are difficult for me to tell apart).

I hold off on dosing the ammonia tonight, as @fantailfan1 suggested.

Thats what I was thinking too. You might be at the end of adding ammonia to the tank  

[titch 104]

5 hours ago, koko said:

If you can too get photos of your test so we can see and help you better, I would put the test tube right in front of the card so we can see it the best  

Im thinking it might be very close  

Here we go...

Before the WC. Annoyingly, the ammonia test looks much greener in the pic than in real life 

[titch 104]

After the WC 

[titch 104]

And now for something completely different...

After scraping all the diatoms off, I saw a couple of these wriggling in the water. They’re about 1cm long & very thin. Please tell me they’re just detritus worms & nothing to be concerned about!! 

[titch 104]

Test results 12 hours after WC & no dosing of ammonia.

Will test again tonight at 24hrs.

Edited October 12, 2017 by titch

[DawnMichele 6,045]

 Hi Amy. Have you figured out what the worm's are?