Amazonia II Cycling Advice

[ColeMan]

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to minimize the risk for potential problems associated with AS II (prolonged cloudiness, delayed cycling time, etc) while cycling a tank? I was thinking about using a method found on shrimpnow.com for regular amazonia, in which twice-daily water changes are done on days 1-3 and then mulm is added...by day 11 cycling seemed to be complete; others have had success with this method. So...I'll say it again: does anyone have any similar methods/advice for the amazonia II?

[John N.]

Waterchanges twice a week is good to get rid of some of the initial cloudiness and ammonia release. Specifically for the cloudiness, stuff your filter with carbon and change it every few weeks for a month. Other than that you should be all set.

You can add mulm or old filter media rings into your filter to jump start it as well. But for me, usually two waterchanges a week, and using some old filter media kicks off the biological colonies rather successfully.

If you are in a rush to cycle the tank completely, you can purchase a $20 bag of Bio-Spira which cycles the tank overnight.


-John N.

[goalcreas]

Is that all it cost.
I always here people crying about how expensive it is.
I figured it must be $40 to $60, not $20.
In this day and age, that is pretty darn cheap IMHO

[waterfaller1]

I thought Bio Spira was not available presently, as they are reworking the formula or something? Is that a myth?

[John N.]

Well I suppose it may end up costing around $40 because you should pay for overnight shipping if you are buying it online. The item needs to be refrigerated. I wasn't aware that the formula is changing, but it's still available from the link I posted above and they are a decent aquarium plants company.

-John N.

[ColeMan]

Thanks John. I saw a this post Jeff (Senske) had made on APC:

Originally Posted by jsenske
"After having some long-term experience and getting lots of feedback from customers, I can officially say that regular Amazonia is superior overall to Amazonia II. I will personally not use Amazonia II in any of my/ADG tanks in the future. The growth is better with regular Amazonia, it's firmer and will therefore likely last longer and endure more re-scaping, and the consistency of that classic color is a plus as well.

Regular Amazonia receives our highest recommendation and the "start-up" issues it poses are easily overcome. Regardless of your tap water hardness, go with regular Amazonia for the best growth and long-term performance."

So...this combined with some of the "difficulties" others have had with AS Am. II, I'm a bit wary to get started!! There's a great thread at shrimpnow.com that discusses a quick-cycle with Amazonia in which multiple 100 per cent daily water changes are done for the first 3 days (2x 100% for 3 days); then mulm is added and NH4 should test 0 at around day 11.

This is the method I've heard a lot of people have success with, but it's usually used with AS Amazonia I, not II. I sent Jeff an e-mail asking him for "last minute suggestions for successful cycling" with the Amazonia II, and he told me to call him, as there was too much information to include in an email!! I'll update with his suggestions/recommendations after I talk with him. Thanks again for the responses, and keep 'em coming!!

[plantbrain]

I've had some rather serious issues with ADA when I did some new starts.
If you do not keep up on large frequent water changes in the start up phase, even with bacteria starters, zeolite, carbon, mulm, pre seeded with old tanks water from established systems etc, Weekly 80% water changes where not enough.

I measured 7 ppm NH4.
Melts some plants even. Some response very well, but some did not.
NH4 can be used as a herbicide BTW. There where no fish so I cranked the light and the CO2. Did not matter.

It was not until the ADA As stopped leaching NH4 did things stabilize, this has occurred with 3 batches of the ADA AS. Other aquariums had no issues, so it seems to vary a fair amount bag to bag. Some had no issues on start up.

You can avoid these issues if you do 2-3x a week water changes, maybe even daily if it's as bad as one of the smaller tanks I recently set up.
That stuff was horrid. It's calmed down now. The client I have in La had a similar problem from what I looked back on. We did daily water changes, did not make it much better in terms of cloudiness.

It just took time.
No way to stop the leaching process other than massive frequent water changes to reduce it down or have a massive filter/Zeolite system.
I still think it's worth while and use it.
But it does require initial work to get things going.

In the most recent tank, I did the dry start method and it did not help much either.......

The Shrimp now advice is pretty good. I'd do 3-4x a week water changes at 70% for the first 2 weeks or so.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[ColeMan]

Thanks Tom. sound advice as per usual. I have a feeling Jeff's going to give me pretty much the same type of advice, and, as you said, it seems like frequent large water changes are going to be my best bet...I ordered some Zeolite earlier this week, so I'm planning on stuffing one of my filters with floss and zeolite, carbon, the other with the normal ceramic bio-media, filter pads and purigen. Hopefully I'll be able to minimize some of these issues, but I'm not counting on any miracles!