Seems you need a science degree…
The API Master Test Kit will ensure your water quality is improved.
Haven’t posted lately, because nothing much has happened. I bought an API Master Test Kit to ensure the water is safe for the introduction of fish, and started a “fishless cycle” to get the friendly bacteria working in the filter.
This process involves dropping 1 ml. of household ammonia into the tank for every 50 litres of water, so in my case it’s just over 3 ml.
Every day you use the kit to test the ammonia reading, and add more as required.
Eventually, when the bacteria are at full force, the ammonia is converted to nitrites, and then to nitrates. The instructions will explain it better than I can, but eventually when all the readings are correct, the cycle has started and the fish can be introduced. They have more chance of survival if this is all done properly, otherwise there is a major risk of them not lasting long, due to what’s called “new tank syndrome”.
So apart from carrying out the daily tests there is not a lot else to do.
The plants have grown at an amazing rate with the aid of a weekly dose of liquid fertilizer. Unfortunately so have the snails! The chemical killer had little effect, despite the claims made on the box. I am now waiting delivery of five Assassin Snails. These are large striped snails that eat the others. I have heard good things about them. One good thing is that they themselves are very slow breeders, so when they have cleaned up the pests I can pass them on to someone else with the same problem.
One more thing. If you are thinking of buying the API Master Test Kit get it on eBay, it’s half the price of the high street shops.
Victoria Carter Memorial Page
