New to the site - so Hi everyone.
I'd call myself an intermediate experienced fishkeeper but I've never successfully kept plants so having been out of the hobby for a few years I've decided to start it up again.
I'm building a lo-tech planted tank in an old 35L Arcadia Arc I still had kicking around (dimensions 28 x 40 x 33cm - WxLxH).
Among many things I've bought some Power Sand and some AquaSoil Amazonia Powder.
When all the kit arrived I wanted to get the tank cycling as quick as possible despite going away for a few days. So I white vinegar-ed the tank to make it sparkle again, Added just over 1 litre of the power sand and about 4litres of the aqua soil.
I then added the water and set up the new filter (AquaClear 20 HOB) - note I don't have media from a runnign tank so its a complete new cycle. I had to leave the house for a few days. Whilst away I read that to cycle the soil I was supposed to change 95% water for a few days from the day after setting up. Obviously I missed this as I was away.
So after it's been running for 5 days I got back today and changed 95% of the water. I'm a little unsure what to do now...
Also one other question - how to people add Osmocote to an already running tank - do you bury it under the substrate or just spread it onto the top of the substrate?
I'd call myself an intermediate experienced fishkeeper but I've never successfully kept plants so having been out of the hobby for a few years I've decided to start it up again.
I'm building a lo-tech planted tank in an old 35L Arcadia Arc I still had kicking around (dimensions 28 x 40 x 33cm - WxLxH).
Among many things I've bought some Power Sand and some AquaSoil Amazonia Powder.
When all the kit arrived I wanted to get the tank cycling as quick as possible despite going away for a few days. So I white vinegar-ed the tank to make it sparkle again, Added just over 1 litre of the power sand and about 4litres of the aqua soil.
I then added the water and set up the new filter (AquaClear 20 HOB) - note I don't have media from a runnign tank so its a complete new cycle. I had to leave the house for a few days. Whilst away I read that to cycle the soil I was supposed to change 95% water for a few days from the day after setting up. Obviously I missed this as I was away.
So after it's been running for 5 days I got back today and changed 95% of the water. I'm a little unsure what to do now...
- Should I keep changing the water? Obviously the ammonia is what I need to cycle the filter so I'm a little reluctant to do water changes at the moment.
- Or should I be changing water until the aqua soil stops leeching ammonia and then start planting. Then Cycle the tank ready for the fish?
Also one other question - how to people add Osmocote to an already running tank - do you bury it under the substrate or just spread it onto the top of the substrate?