Sixo’s 350 Rio Renovation

[Sixo]

Hi folks,

Thought I’d start a tank log on my Juwel Rio 350 which I’ve just filled this evening after a long wait to get it up and running due to building work in our house.



Tank is about 2 years old, my wife and I took a road trip down south to get it, sold to us by a nice guy who has kids with similar learning support needs to our own and didn’t have the time for it any more.

He’d already made some upgrades to the tank with the Juwel 1500 pump and Fluval Aquasky light.

Since then due to placement/viewabiliy in our living room I’ve moved the filter to the opposite side and made a few tweaks, the 3D background (although I’m not a huge fan of these) removed and re-fitted accordingly, I know it looks a bit unfinished around the internal filter but my wife was that keen to keep it and get involved she did this by herself when I was as work!

I know they’re a bit of contentious subject but I quite like the Juwel internals. The flow with the 1500 is pretty impressive.

Plants have been ordered, wood is in a bucket and I’m now going to dig out my old notes on how to cycle a tank. Trying out Dr Tims Ammonium Chloride Cycle for the first time fingers crossed it goes well without too many hiccups.

[fr499y]

Don’t forget there is a guide on here for cycling

[Sixo]

Don’t forget there is a guide on here for cycling

I think that’ll be my morning reading after the school run .

I should point out this is a reflection of a lamp across the room and not damage.

[plankton]

Just make sure there are no gaps for fish to find their way behind the background.
I've only used the internal filter on my Juwel, I've had it over 20 years. (I did upgrade to the 1000 pump from the 600)

[SPACKlick]

Similarly i you're using plants that propagate by runners like Vallis, use lots and lots of silicon on the edges because they can grow behind it, die and rot...

[Staffylover]

I also like the Jewel filters, how does the light work though, will you be running it open top in order to have the Fluval light?

[Sixo]

I also like the Jewel filters, how does the light work though, will you be running it open top in order to have the Fluval light?

The guy I bought it from has just slotted it into the existing Juwel bracket and it’s sitting fine so I’m quite happy to leave it as is. It’s quite a cool piece of kit, just trying to get the hang of the app, setting up photoperiods etc.

[Sixo]

Needing a little steer on cycling if anybody can help please.

Just started cycling a couple of days ago, dosed 2ppm Dr Tim’s Ammonium Chloride along with a bottle of the One and Only Nitrifying Bacteria (I know it’s debatable how essential that is but thought if it could help I would give it a go).

Anyways, 3 days after I’m sitting with these readings for ammonia and nitrite:





I’m wondering if I just need to be patient and the nitrite will come along eventually or would I need to add more Ammonium Chloride, but I know overdoing it with Ammonia isn’t good either.

The Dr Tim guide for day 3 says:




But considering I don’t have any nitrite at all I don’t know what the next step is.


Also since adding the bacteria I seem to have got some fuzzy growth on the wood in the tank so I need to do anything with that or will it go away on its own eventually?:






Thanks folks.

[plankton]

Fuzz on wood is normal.
I would add mor Dr. Tim's - both readings look below 2ppm.....1ppm is pretty hard to test for.

[Sixo]

Added more Ammonia think I’m in the 2ppm ballpark now, will keep testing daily see how things develop, much to the frustration of the wife who doesn’t share my patience .