# New Tank. 7.8 Ph And 0.50 Ammonia , 0 Nitrates, 0 Nitrites



## dmackey

just set up a new tank just wondering why i cant get my ph and ammonia in check. i went from a 46 o a 180, i transfered most say 30 or so gallons of water from my 46 gallon into the 180, now the 46 had a reading of 2.0 in it so i change half of that water out 1st to bring down the ammonia to like 1.50 or so, before i added it to the 180. any suggestions ?


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## Tensa

dont worry about the ph too much. post the filtration you have on the tank and how long it has been setup. sounds like it just needs to cycle.


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## dmackey

AS fan said:


> dont worry about the ph too much. post the filtration you have on the tank and how long it has been setup. sounds like it just needs to cycle.


 i have 2 5 gallon bio ball buckets with scrubbies and 2000gph return pump. the tank has been set up say 4days. i added my old hob filters from my 46 gallon to hopefully seed my bio balls. all the readings are still the same 7.8 ph, and 0.50 ammonia 0 nit, 0 nitrate


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## Plowboy

I think AS was talking about the 46g since the problem started in there if I'm following correctly.


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## dmackey

Plowboy said:


> I think AS was talking about the 46g since the problem started in there if I'm following correctly.


well both results are posted here so i don't think he is really concerned about what was in the 46. maybe im wrong tho , who knows? lol


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## Tensa

i would wait a couple days and retest it. if your starting to see a nitrite reading after a couple days it shows your cycle is well on its way. the fact you have a ammonia reading and no nitrites or nitrates shows none of your stuff is cycled not even the stuff from the 46 gallon. it may of gotten killed off when you did the transfer if the 46 was cycled but either way not much you can do now. i would just add some salt wait it out and retest in a couple days to make sure its not a bigger problem. i would also cut back on how much your feeding since the ammonia is already so high. but thats a personal choice really it has its benefits and drawbacks.


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## CLUSTER ONE

dmackey said:


> dont worry about the ph too much. post the filtration you have on the tank and how long it has been setup. sounds like it just needs to cycle.


 i have 2 5 gallon bio ball buckets with scrubbies and 2000gph return pump. the tank has been set up say 4days. i added my old hob filters from my 46 gallon to hopefully seed my bio balls. all the readings are still the same 7.8 ph, and 0.50 ammonia 0 nit, 0 nitrate* ammonia forms before no2 or 3 so this means your cycle is starting. When the cycle is done the ammonia will be turned into no2 which will mean there is bacteria established*
[/quote]

You can have 180g of bioballs, but there useless until there established. Your going through a cycle and the ammonia will drop when the cycle is done. A 30g water change in a 46g could also cause a recycle if it wasn't done right. As for ph whats your sources pH. Also adding 30g or water fro man old tank is just a waste of time. There is very limited bacteria suspended in the water


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## JoeDizzleMPLS

you're off in the right direction man, you just gotta give your new filters time to play catch-up.... just keep an eye on your ammonia and then your nitrite levels, keep them in check with small water changes and add salt to help with nitrite poisoning.

soon you'll have a big fully cycled tank that you can kick back and stare at without having to stress over


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## dmackey

sean-820 said:


> dont worry about the ph too much. post the filtration you have on the tank and how long it has been setup. sounds like it just needs to cycle.


 i have 2 5 gallon bio ball buckets with scrubbies and 2000gph return pump. the tank has been set up say 4days. i added my old hob filters from my 46 gallon to hopefully seed my bio balls. all the readings are still the same 7.8 ph, and 0.50 ammonia 0 nit, 0 nitrate* ammonia forms before no2 or 3 so this means your cycle is starting. When the cycle is done the ammonia will be turned into no2 which will mean there is bacteria established*
[/quote]

You can have 180g of bioballs, but there useless until there established. Your going through a cycle and the ammonia will drop when the cycle is done. A 30g water change in a 46g could also cause a recycle if it wasn't done right. As for ph whats your sources pH. Also adding 30g or water fro man old tank is just a waste of time. There is very limited bacteria suspended in the water
[/quote]

how long does that normally take?


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## JoeDizzleMPLS

normally a new tank would take a few weeks to cycle, but since you used established media, that should speed the process up a bit... it's hard to say for sure tho since the media from your 46 gallon couldn't keep up with the bio load in that tank.


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## dmackey

AS fan said:


> i would wait a couple days and retest it. if your starting to see a nitrite reading after a couple days it shows your cycle is well on its way. the fact you have a ammonia reading and no nitrites or nitrates shows none of your stuff is cycled not even the stuff from the 46 gallon. it may of gotten killed off when you did the transfer if the 46 was cycled but either way not much you can do now. i would just add some salt wait it out and retest in a couple days to make sure its not a bigger problem. i would also cut back on how much your feeding since the ammonia is already so high. but thats a personal choice really it has its benefits and drawbacks.


yea was actually thinking of doing that, cutting back on the food of course, although im only feeding them pellets , today was there 1st tilipia in this tank.


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## dmackey

everything is still the same now my ammonia is a 1.0 . SHOULD I BE WORRIED ? daily water changes?


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## JoeDizzleMPLS

just keep performing small volume water changes to keep your ammonia levels in check... if you have any way of getting your hands on some more established bio media, it would really help speed things up


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## dmackey

joedizzlempls said:


> just keep performing small volume water changes to keep your ammonia levels in check... if you have any way of getting your hands on some more established bio media, it would really help speed things up


just to make sure we on the same page, when you say some established bio media you mean like , (example) maybe ask to buy say some used bio balls ? is that even possible ?


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## db04ph

you can try going to your local lfs and they might sell you or give you some old established media


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## CLUSTER ONE

dmackey said:


> just keep performing small volume water changes to keep your ammonia levels in check... if you have any way of getting your hands on some more established bio media, it would really help speed things up


just to make sure we on the same page, when you say some established bio media you mean like , (example) maybe ask to buy say some used bio balls ? is that even possible ?
[/quote]
Thats what he means, but i think he's referring to take some from another tank that you have as i don't think you could find somebody selling used fw bioballs that are still established. If you don't have another established tank most likly you cant use this technique, unless for some odd change you find somebody willing to sell you established media.

So are the pygos in the 46 still or in the 180g? The cycle time depends on how much established bacteria you have. If you don't have much then it could take a month. With media from only a 40 going to a 180g i don't think the cycle would be sped up a ton, but mayby a week or so


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## dmackey

yea they in the 180. i had my filter from my hob from the 46 in my bucket all week , just took them out last night


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## Tensa

if that media was sitting in a bucket for a week it has no beneficial bacteria left. just a heads up.


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## CLUSTER ONE

AS fan said:


> if that media was sitting in a bucket for a week it has no beneficial bacteria left. just a heads up.


agree. Not necessarily none, but without an ammonia source for a week it will start to die off.


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## Ægir

sean-820 said:


> if that media was sitting in a bucket for a week it has no beneficial bacteria left. just a heads up.


agree. Not necessarily none, but without an ammonia source for a week it will start to die off.
[/quote]

By bucket, he was referring to the DIY drip towers in his sump... as in part of the filtration on the new tank, to help seed the bio balls that were new


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## Johnny_Zanni

and he had a piece of shrimp in the 180 to give ammonia.


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## Tensa

im following now. sometimes it gets confusing keeping track of peoples setups. it takes a village to raise a child


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## dmackey

AS fan said:


> im following now. sometimes it gets confusing keeping track of peoples setups. it takes a village to raise a child :laugh:


i'll take that as a good thing lol


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## Tensa

yea it is lol


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