Still Having Problems Getting Tank Balanced

[Larry Little]

Hi All -- It's been a while since I checked in with this crazy aquarium. I am restricted in the work I can do; I was severely mauled by an English Mastiff a week ago and my arms are badly mangled.

But to the matter at hand; the ammonia is still hanging @4-6 ppm and nitrates are at 40 ppm+. I have a few plants in the tank that are struggling, hornwort continues to disintegrate as fast as I pupt some in the tank, and I'm now getting algae growth.

I need HELP!''

Is there any livestock I can put in my tank with the ammonia at the level it is? This is that 15 gallon long, thin tank I've posted about before. I've never had problems setting up aquariums, including this one, before

I'm pulling my hair out on this one (hard to do with a shaved head).

 

[Leopardshark20]

If you are having problems starting an aquarium, I recommend adding a bottle of tetra safe start, letting it cycle for 24 hours or more before putting in a very hardy fish. The tetra safe start is a bottle of live bacteria that are good for your aquarium cycle. You can find it on Amazon or your local pet store. Good Luck!

 

[Larry Little]

Thanks, Leopardshark, I'll try it. Any suggestion for a hardy fish to go into What I"m setting up as a nano tank?

 

[Leopardshark20]

If you are looking for a hardy nano fish, I recommend starting with a school of cherry barbs or ember tetras, and eventually
moving on to neon/cardinal tetras too. I always like putting cherry or Bloody Mary shrimp at the bottom of nano tanks as well, but wait until the tank is established to do add them.

 

[Mcfly]

Have you tested the nitrates in your tap water?

Are you cycling the tank fish in, or fish out?
How long have you been cycling the tank?

Putting fish in with the ammonia so high will not go well.

 

[Larry Little]

Hi McFly & Leopardshark20 -- OK, this morning my water chemistry shows ammonia down to between 0.25 - 0.50 and nitrates hanging at 40.

McFly, in answer to your question, the tap water nitrates are too low to get a reading.

Beginning to get algae blooming; with the current restrictions against getting my arms in aquarium water, I'll have to rely on my magnetic scraper.

Leopardshark20, thanks for the recommendations on hardy fish. I think McFly was right about not adding fish as long as the ammonia was as high as it was, but now I think I can risk it.I need some wildlife that will start on the algae. I have Otocincluses in my 60 gallon tank and had planned to put some in this tank at some point. Do y'all think they could withstand the low level ammonia?

I really appreciate the feedback and good advice. Thanks

Larry

 

[m.j.gomez]

Hello, ottos are very sensitive to water parameters & require a well established tank. If your tank is not stable I would avoid putting them in. A few nerite snails would work at keeping algae down. The problem w/them is they leave non viable eggs all over the place(hard to clean).
Since there are no fish you may just want to black out your tank(no light no algae) till algae is gone. Hope this helps!

 

[King Fisher]

If you add fish, get your nitrates down to around 10 ppm before adding them.

 

[Larry Little]

M. J. Gomez and King Fisher, thanks for the input. I'd figured that it would not be wise to add the Otos until I can stabilize the tank. I've disconnected the light and will keep it off for a few days. Any other ideas on snails? I was thinking rams horn, but am open to other suggestions. My eventual goal is to have a small school of espei rasboras, maybe 4 pygmy cory cats, 3 Otos, and maybe a few sparkling gouramis. I'd also like to incorporate some bloody mary shrimp.

I've got several individual plants from a couple of Crypt species, a start of java moss, a couple of moss balls, and some java ferns in the tank, but it's too soon to tell if they;ll take off. After I see some plant growth, I'll probably add some anchored hornwort and call it good.

I would greatly appreciate any other suggestions, ideas, input, or advice that any of y'all might have. Many thanks.

 

[King Fisher]

Nerite snails eat up algae pretty good. They also won't reproduce in freshwater.