# Bioload?



## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

Ok what is Bioload? Im sorry for the basic question, but Im just tryin to get my tank just right. By the way the Well Water tanks seems to be good. Is 7.3-7.5 pH ok?


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## smithgrind_who (Mar 26, 2004)

Bio load is the amount of waste is created in an aquarium, and the biological filter will change toxic molecules to less toxic ones. 


©1998 said:


> A simple definition of biological filtration is: The conversion of ammonia to nitrite, then nitrite to nitrate, by bacteria. This process is called "biological" filtration because the filtering is done by living organisms as opposed to mechanical and chemical filtration, which are accomplished by inert media. A technical term for the process is "nitrification." Biological filtration may also be termed the "nitrifying cycle," but this is not really correct as the process is not cyclic.
> 
> When ammonia is released into the water by the fish, bacteria called ammonia-oxidizing bacteria start converting it through an oxidation process, into nitrite, another toxic substance. Nitrite is utilized by a second group of bacteria, called the nitrite-oxidizers which convert it to nitrate.


Also, decaying food and detritus will create ammonia.


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

lets say you have one lone neon tetra in the 55 gallon, besides the fact that he wont produce alotta ammonia hes only producing so much bactera...

so if u add 1 neon tetra and you cycle perfectly then you add 3 6'' piranha the whole cycle will be fucked because the tetra didnt produce enough bacteria that could handle the 3 p's... because the amount of ammonia being produced is how much good bacteria will be produce...

A= ammonia
B= bacteria

A=B

but then all the sudden when you have 3X's as much ammonia and fish there isnt enough bacteria to eat it all so it goes like this...

3A=B

and there is still 2A ammonia in the tank killing your fish

soooo lets say you're keeping 3 3'' piranhas in the tank, you will need to cycle with about a dozen 1'' goldfish ( a little more just to be safe)

*also your pH is perfect, P's can acclimate to a wide range of pH.... bascially anything from like 6.2-7.8 but 6.8 is the best*


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

God I forgot what kinda of fish I got?? Wow, They r like 2 inches, fat and have fantail. Maybe Calico Fantails? 3 of them.


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

Red-Belly-Mike said:


> God I forgot what kinda of fish I got?? Wow, They r like 2 inches, fat and have fantail. Maybe Calico Fantails? 3 of them.


what are you keeping in the tank when it finishes?


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

4 RBP'S


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

shutter13 said:


> lets say you have one lone neon tetra in the 55 gallon, besides the fact that he wont produce alotta ammonia hes only producing so much bactera...
> 
> so if u add 1 neon tetra and you cycle perfectly then you add 3 6'' piranha the whole cycle will be fucked because the tetra didnt produce enough bacteria that could handle the 3 p's... because the amount of ammonia being produced is how much good bacteria will be produce...
> 
> ...


 Hrm, I'm somewhat out of it at the moment but I believe the math goes something more like

A = B

Where A is the amount of ammonia produced which is also equal to B which is the amount of ammonia the bacteria can absorb

o if you have

3A

which is three times the ammonia, it does not equal the original amount that the bacteria can process called B

Therefore 3A != (does not equal) B

In order for the bacteria to take care of the ammonia the bacteria will need to multiply to

3B

Where

3A = 3B

Once again

A = B

Another thing to remember about bioload is that the entire process takes up oxygen and therefore reduces the amount of oxygen available for your fish. That's another reason why it's important to keep your tank as clean as possible.


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## smithgrind_who (Mar 26, 2004)

elTwitcho said:


> shutter13 said:
> 
> 
> > A= ammonia
> ...


I think that was the point. Since there would be an overload on the biological filter, the fish will be subject to excesive amounts of ammonia. I do see what you are saying elTwitcho, and the choice of logic being used seems strange.


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

So what should I do? Get more fish for the cycling?


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## BKtomodachi (Jul 28, 2004)

I wouldnt have used fish at all! But if not then just wait.


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

elTwitcho said:


> shutter13 said:
> 
> 
> > lets say you have one lone neon tetra in the 55 gallon, besides the fact that he wont produce alotta ammonia hes only producing so much bactera...
> ...


yes but it takes time for the bacteria to multiply to 3B and thus you still have some ammonia in the tank killing your fish


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

So what should I do?


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

shutter13 said:


> elTwitcho said:
> 
> 
> > shutter13 said:
> ...


 Yeah I misread your post because the equation was off and I'd had a towelie moment before I posted that...

Ahem


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

So more fish?


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

Red-Belly-Mike said:


> So more fish?


depends on how big the reds will be....

IMO i would get a bunch of tiger barbs, they're cheap, hardy and cool fish to look at for a month... get like 15-20 (at my lfs they're .69 each)


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

LOL, ok so my 3 calico fantails arent goin to do it for me. And I shouldnt Get 10 or 20 goldfish for 2 dollars at my LFS. But really 15-20 fish? I didnt know you needed so much. The 4 RBP'S will most likey be smaller then 2 or 3 inches.


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

well the $.69 tiger barbs were really small

but i would just get like 5 more goldfish just to be safe...


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

of just like 5 more hardy fish? cause what bout all the disease and sh*t. I think I might get just 5 or 6 more "Hardy"fish, Im bout to leave so Ill fill you in when i return.


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

I just got more fish making the total count: 3 2 inch calico fantails, 1 huge calico fantail ( fat as hell ) one black fantail, and 3 danios. am i good?


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## BKtomodachi (Jul 28, 2004)

Next time try fishless cycling... its less cruel, easier, and less expensive. What could be better?


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

Why are they guarnteed to die?


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## BKtomodachi (Jul 28, 2004)

I didnt say that.... its just that going through a cycle is hard on fish (ammonia burns gills, similar to the way ammonia vapor burns our lungs) and many poeple just let their new p's eat the golds. Try throwing a couple cocktail shrimp in and letting them rot. You can use more if you want a stronger cycle.


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

and keep the fish i got in there in still? I have no place to put the fish o gpt in there now.


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

IMO fishless cycle isnt as good... i for one would not want to stare at an empty tank for a month...

when i cycled i used 4 large goldfish, 6 neons, 6 t-barbs and 2 blood-fin tetras... the only fish that died were one goldfish and 2 neons... they were all killed by the tiger barbs


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

If you want to do a humane cycle with fish you can add ammo lock which detoxifies the ammonia in your tank. I had to do a cycle with my baby reds in my tank when I botched my original cycle and with ammo lock and a tiny bit of salt they never showed even a hint of discomfort.

A rotting shrimp is disgusting dude, by the time your cycle was done you'd have really foul water that might not be the best place to put any kind of fish let alone piranhas. Fish less cycling is generally done by adding pure ammonia to the tank, works alot better than letting something just rot


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

Is what I got in there now ok? 3 Danios, 3 1-2inch Fantails, 1 huge fantail hes fat as hell, a black fantail, and one glass fish ( like it will do anything lol )


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

Red-Belly-Mike said:


> Is what I got in there now ok? 3 Danios, 3 1-2inch Fantails, 1 huge fantail hes fat as hell, a black fantail, and one glass fish ( like it will do anything lol )


 that should be good









now just test the water like every week until you have 0 ammo and nitrites and some nitrates, then do a few smaller water changes every other day and you're good to go!

the ammo will go up... then come down one day, then the nitrite will go up and come down one day... then the nitrates will go up, do your water changes and add your fish

P.S- to speed up the process ask your LFS for some established gravel from one of their tanks (make sure the tank is disease free) and you can buy "stress-zyme" to speed it up also


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

Yeah I got it.


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

Thanks again


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

no prob


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## Uncle Buck (Jul 14, 2004)

think of it like midgets and hot dogs. the hot dogs are the food like ammonia and the migets are the bacteria. say you all of a sudden you get more hot dogs for some reason (bioload increased, maybe added a new fish) now you are going to need more midgets to eat all the hot dogs, but this dosent happen instantly, the midgets need to have babies to eat all the extra food. but if the bioload decreases (hot dog shortage) the midgets start to die off.


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## sourbugs (Aug 10, 2004)

> think of it like midgets and hot dogs. the hot dogs are the food like ammonia and the migets are the bacteria. say you all of a sudden you get more hot dogs for some reason (bioload increased, maybe added a new fish) now you are going to need more midgets to eat all the hot dogs, but this dosent happen instantly, the midgets need to have babies to eat all the extra food. but if the bioload decreases (hot dog shortage) the midgets start to die off.


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

Uncle Buck said:


> think of it like midgets and hot dogs. the hot dogs are the food like ammonia and the migets are the bacteria. say you all of a sudden you get more hot dogs for some reason (bioload increased, maybe added a new fish) now you are going to need more midgets to eat all the hot dogs, but this dosent happen instantly, the midgets need to have babies to eat all the extra food. but if the bioload decreases (hot dog shortage) the midgets start to die off.


 good analogy!! i think he gets it now


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## Red-Belly-Mike (Jun 21, 2004)

Damn right


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## smithgrind_who (Mar 26, 2004)

shutter13 said:


> Uncle Buck said:
> 
> 
> > think of it like midgets and hot dogs. the hot dogs are the food like ammonia and the migets are the bacteria. say you all of a sudden you get more hot dogs for some reason (bioload increased, maybe added a new fish) now you are going to need more midgets to eat all the hot dogs, but this dosent happen instantly, the midgets need to have babies to eat all the extra food. but if the bioload decreases (hot dog shortage) the midgets start to die off.
> ...












Now that's laymen terms!


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## chiefkyle (May 3, 2004)

I don't like goldfish anyway. I would have threw 50 gold (side note: 50 Goldfish are on sale at PetLand) in the tank. Then put the Piranhas in there to eat the sh*t bags.


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