Hey everyone!
I was hoping I could get some help in regards to an issue I am experiencing with my tank...
To give you a rundown, here are my current standings:
- Specs:
- 45 Gallon Tall
- Fully cycled since Jan 28th, after 3 weeks (used 4oz - Dr. Tim's Aquatics One & Only Live Nitrifying Bacteria for Freshwater Aquariums)
- I did fish & plants cycle (started with 9 bloodfin tetras and a TON of plants)
- pH around 8.0
- Ammonia 0.25ppm
- Nitrites 0ppm
- Nitrates 10ppm
- 80 pounds of EcoComplete (thicker grain - 3 inches of substrate)
- 2 Marineland Aquatic Plant LED Lights with Timer (8 hours a day)
- Tidal 55 filter
- A heater
- Air pump
- Driftwood:
- 1 piece of manzanita (been in for 3-4 days)
- Plants:
- Cryptocoryne Wendtii ( of some form )
- Some "mermaid" plant
- Temple plants
- Italian Val ( added 2 days ago)
- Fish & Shrimp:
- 9 Bloodfin Tetras
- 9 Cherry Shrimp (added after cycle)
- 6 Amano Shrimp (added after cycle)
- Dosing:
- I dose Flourish weekly
- I used to dose Flourish Excel daily (switch between API CO2), but now do half doses every other day as I heard Italian Val will melt from it
- I stopped dosing Flourish Iron, as I heard that will be bad for the shrimp
- My current issues:
1. From the get go there was this white cloudy fuzzy substance that was growing on the roots of some my plants. It seems to be killing the plants anywhere it grows and/or it's growing wherever the plants are dying. I have cut out 60%+ of my plants because of it, and had to throw them away. It doesn't seem to be disappearing, and I can spot little specs of it floating around my tank after trimming... very milky white. It is definitely not hairline algae, and it appeared to be growing all the way up my airline tubing.. my local fish store says it might be mold. And I went and purchased hydrogen peroxide 3% and took out a bunch of plants and sprayed them and let sit for 3 minutes, then replanted. I vacuum wherever the plant was and replant what I can... no matter how much I remove from the tank and no matter if it looks clear, a day or two later it's growing on another plant.
This stuff will not go away, and I fear it's a mold in my substrate... I don't want to dose the entire tank with hydrogen peroxide because of my shrimp :/ I'm at a loss how to fight this.
Any ideas?
2. My stems are blackening constantly, sometimes with the white fuzz, sometimes not.. And it's not only the roots or base of the stem blackening or rotting.. It can be the top of the plant, but most commonly it starts in the middle of the stem, halfway up. I heard this may be malnutrition because the plants aren't rooting quick enough? I did slack for maybe a week on Flourish, but not CO2.
3. I noticed 2 of my Bloodfin tetras acting strange after adding the manzanita wood (I let the wood soak for about a week in water) - They started thrashing around a bit and twitching, and they would run the side of their bodies into the substrate... I immediately checked ammonia for fear of a spike and it was at 0.25ppm, and I then dosed Prime for the recommended dosage for my size tank- that was a few days ago, and I haven't noticed the behavior again, but I haven't been home long enough to observe for awhile. I also don't see any symptoms or signs of Ich. And my ammonia seems to be staying at a constant .25ppm no matter how much plant matter I remove.
I read I may have to nuke my entire tank and clean the substrate 100%
Two nights ago I dosed half the dosing suggestion of Flourish last night and came home from work yesterday to find 1 of my Bloodfin Tetras dead and 6 of my red cherry shrimp (1 pregnant). Going to try and save the eggs and see if I can hatch them.
Did my first decent water change at about 10% and tested my water before hand.. all came out the same. I cleaned out my filter a bit too..
I attached some photos of my issues..
I was hoping I could get some help in regards to an issue I am experiencing with my tank...
To give you a rundown, here are my current standings:
- Specs:
- 45 Gallon Tall
- Fully cycled since Jan 28th, after 3 weeks (used 4oz - Dr. Tim's Aquatics One & Only Live Nitrifying Bacteria for Freshwater Aquariums)
- I did fish & plants cycle (started with 9 bloodfin tetras and a TON of plants)
- pH around 8.0
- Ammonia 0.25ppm
- Nitrites 0ppm
- Nitrates 10ppm
- 80 pounds of EcoComplete (thicker grain - 3 inches of substrate)
- 2 Marineland Aquatic Plant LED Lights with Timer (8 hours a day)
- Tidal 55 filter
- A heater
- Air pump
- Driftwood:
- 1 piece of manzanita (been in for 3-4 days)
- Plants:
- Cryptocoryne Wendtii ( of some form )
- Some "mermaid" plant
- Temple plants
- Italian Val ( added 2 days ago)
- Fish & Shrimp:
- 9 Bloodfin Tetras
- 9 Cherry Shrimp (added after cycle)
- 6 Amano Shrimp (added after cycle)
- Dosing:
- I dose Flourish weekly
- I used to dose Flourish Excel daily (switch between API CO2), but now do half doses every other day as I heard Italian Val will melt from it
- I stopped dosing Flourish Iron, as I heard that will be bad for the shrimp
- My current issues:
1. From the get go there was this white cloudy fuzzy substance that was growing on the roots of some my plants. It seems to be killing the plants anywhere it grows and/or it's growing wherever the plants are dying. I have cut out 60%+ of my plants because of it, and had to throw them away. It doesn't seem to be disappearing, and I can spot little specs of it floating around my tank after trimming... very milky white. It is definitely not hairline algae, and it appeared to be growing all the way up my airline tubing.. my local fish store says it might be mold. And I went and purchased hydrogen peroxide 3% and took out a bunch of plants and sprayed them and let sit for 3 minutes, then replanted. I vacuum wherever the plant was and replant what I can... no matter how much I remove from the tank and no matter if it looks clear, a day or two later it's growing on another plant.
This stuff will not go away, and I fear it's a mold in my substrate... I don't want to dose the entire tank with hydrogen peroxide because of my shrimp :/ I'm at a loss how to fight this.
Any ideas?
2. My stems are blackening constantly, sometimes with the white fuzz, sometimes not.. And it's not only the roots or base of the stem blackening or rotting.. It can be the top of the plant, but most commonly it starts in the middle of the stem, halfway up. I heard this may be malnutrition because the plants aren't rooting quick enough? I did slack for maybe a week on Flourish, but not CO2.
3. I noticed 2 of my Bloodfin tetras acting strange after adding the manzanita wood (I let the wood soak for about a week in water) - They started thrashing around a bit and twitching, and they would run the side of their bodies into the substrate... I immediately checked ammonia for fear of a spike and it was at 0.25ppm, and I then dosed Prime for the recommended dosage for my size tank- that was a few days ago, and I haven't noticed the behavior again, but I haven't been home long enough to observe for awhile. I also don't see any symptoms or signs of Ich. And my ammonia seems to be staying at a constant .25ppm no matter how much plant matter I remove.
I read I may have to nuke my entire tank and clean the substrate 100%
Two nights ago I dosed half the dosing suggestion of Flourish last night and came home from work yesterday to find 1 of my Bloodfin Tetras dead and 6 of my red cherry shrimp (1 pregnant). Going to try and save the eggs and see if I can hatch them.
Did my first decent water change at about 10% and tested my water before hand.. all came out the same. I cleaned out my filter a bit too..
I attached some photos of my issues..
