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Temps and bacterial bloom (1 Viewer)

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Team Turtle

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So i have a 10 gallon fresh water tank on my desk at work. 6 tetras and a guppy...1 ghost shrimp. Sand bottom with some java fern, and chain sword. Dirted bottom so no additives or root tabs. Kessil a 80 tuna sun that is on for 8 hrs a day, spong filter with air stone on opposite side for flow. I feed bug bites on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays and very frugal with it. It's on my desk so mindful of over feeding. I change 3 gallons every other friday and vacuum top of sand off. Can't vacuum into it cause of the dirt bottom. Have heater set to 78 but over weekend it does rise to 85-90 in the office since the air gets shut off. I keep experiencing bacterial blooms. Yes the tank is relilatively new. About 4 months now. But would think I'm past the new tank stuff. Question is, could the temp swings be causing die off that I'm not seeing and causing the bacterial blooms? There is some die off of plant leaves so maybe that's it. I'm at a loss.
 

soymilk

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90 is pretty hot there. Imho, i don't think its die off causing the bloom as opposed to you just setting the perfect conditions for different strains of bacteria to start taking off and competing with the nitriding bacteria.

get a small green killing machine and be done with it
 
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90 is pretty hot there. Imho, i don't think its die off causing the bloom as opposed to you just setting the perfect conditions for different strains of bacteria to start taking off and competing with the nitriding bacteria.

get a small green killing machine and be done with it
What do you mean by perfect conditions? If i could change something to fix it i would love too. Not familiar with uv and really trying to keep this low tech. If temp is the issue maybe i can add a fan.
 

soymilk

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depending on who you ask you get different answers.

In a recent thread about raising tank temps to fight ich. Humblefish mentioned raising the temp up to 86 will hasten ich's life cycle but might be detrimental to nitrifying bacteria. Other papers mentioned nitrifying bacterial being its most active in 85+ temp water.

One thing for sure is that bacterial loves warm nutrient rich water.

You can get a simple uv with pump combo.

 
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I will look t
depending on who you ask you get different answers.

In a recent thread about raising tank temps to fight ich. Humblefish mentioned raising the temp up to 86 will hasten ich's life cycle but might be detrimental to nitrifying bacteria. Other papers mentioned nitrifying bacterial being its most active in 85+ temp water.

One thing for sure is that bacterial loves warm nutrient rich water.

You can get a simple uv with pump combo.

depending on who you ask you get different answers.

In a recent thread about raising tank temps to fight ich. Humblefish mentioned raising the temp up to 86 will hasten ich's life cycle but might be detrimental to nitrifying bacteria. Other papers mentioned nitrifying bacterial being its most active in 85+ temp water.

One thing for sure is that bacterial loves warm nutrient rich water.

You can get a simple uv with pump combo.

Thank you I will have to look that up. I find myself board at work over the summer so between professional development hours what a way to pass the time!!
 

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one thing i overlooked was the nitrifying bacteria for saltwater and freshwater are more likely different strains. So comparing saltwater and freshwater might not be fair.
 
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So changed the sponge filter out for a regular HOB with media from another tank and so i could add poly fill as a prefilter and see what was coming out of the tank. Trimmed the plants down to almost nothing so I'm starting fresh...straight sludge, almost like mud is what the poly is pulling out. Not sure what that is because the sand cap does not appear to be leaking anywhere and water has cleared up. Also been adding dr. Tims waste away once a week so i know i know...too many changes at once. But have not had a bacterial bloom again and that is what makes me happy. Had also read a experiment done, will try and find and post, that temps can effect nitrifying bacteria filtering speeds..was a short read but fairly interesting
 
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