Fishperson
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sounds/looks good!
New South American 29 gal tank
- Thread starter Coryluv
- Start date
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True confessions time!
I took a good look at my bacopa australis this morning only to discover that some of it was melting. About half if it is good and I was able to salvage the tops from about half of the melted stems. I replanted those. I've been doing some research and it may be (or not) that I started using Florish Excel. My other plants are very happy with the Excel but maybe a full dose is too much for the more delicate bacopa. So ill cut back to every other day. If this continues, I'll start a thread over in the plants section, but right now, this is kind of a general journal of my successes and failures in getting started.
I also have snails. I didn't sanitize my plants so this is expected. So far they are small and few. I'm going to give them a try. From the fact they are out and about they almost certainly are just garden variety ramshorns and not mts. They are too small to clearly ID and their shells haven't yet taken a clear ramshorn shape. I've read all the pros and cons. For now, they are just a little more life in the tank.
Now the really good news. Each of the ruffle swords is sending out a new leaf. They were clearly visible this morning.
I took a good look at my bacopa australis this morning only to discover that some of it was melting. About half if it is good and I was able to salvage the tops from about half of the melted stems. I replanted those. I've been doing some research and it may be (or not) that I started using Florish Excel. My other plants are very happy with the Excel but maybe a full dose is too much for the more delicate bacopa. So ill cut back to every other day. If this continues, I'll start a thread over in the plants section, but right now, this is kind of a general journal of my successes and failures in getting started.
I also have snails. I didn't sanitize my plants so this is expected. So far they are small and few. I'm going to give them a try. From the fact they are out and about they almost certainly are just garden variety ramshorns and not mts. They are too small to clearly ID and their shells haven't yet taken a clear ramshorn shape. I've read all the pros and cons. For now, they are just a little more life in the tank.
Now the really good news. Each of the ruffle swords is sending out a new leaf. They were clearly visible this morning.
Argh. Ammonia is dropped to .25. This is not going to cycle this way. The dead shrimp is decaying. I just ordered some ammonium chloride and I'm going to try to some of Dr. Tim's One and Only. I've heard good things about it. Since it is still a fish less cycle, I figure that other than a few dollars I have nothing to lose. I figure it is worth a try.
Too soon to tell if the bacopa is going to do well, but the ruffle swords are very happy. I'll just keep a check on the bacopa and if needed ill float it and try to grow roots on it that way. I should be able to tell in a few days.
I've ID'd the snails. They are bladder snails. They just seem to be happy little cleaners at this point.
Too soon to tell if the bacopa is going to do well, but the ruffle swords are very happy. I'll just keep a check on the bacopa and if needed ill float it and try to grow roots on it that way. I should be able to tell in a few days.
I've ID'd the snails. They are bladder snails. They just seem to be happy little cleaners at this point.
It has been two weeks now since I planted and put my shrimp in to start the cycle. My plants are growing, though only the ruffle swords are growing fast. The Bacopa is doing okay again, I few more stems melted but nothing has melted in the past five days. It is growing again.
My Dr. Tim's order came yesterday so I added the ammonium chloride and one and only as directed, I'll test later today. If this works as advertised and if I don't screw it up I should be cycled in a week. That would be nice. The bladder snails are still alive this morning and I'm happy about that.
So here is this weeks picture. Io wish I had a tripod in order to get the same angle each week, but I think the sword growth is clear.
I do have a question if anyone knows. Does Excel really slow the cycle? I've heard that, so I'm going to skip it for a few days, unless someone has an answer to that.
My Dr. Tim's order came yesterday so I added the ammonium chloride and one and only as directed, I'll test later today. If this works as advertised and if I don't screw it up I should be cycled in a week. That would be nice. The bladder snails are still alive this morning and I'm happy about that.
So here is this weeks picture. Io wish I had a tripod in order to get the same angle each week, but I think the sword growth is clear.
I do have a question if anyone knows. Does Excel really slow the cycle? I've heard that, so I'm going to skip it for a few days, unless someone has an answer to that.
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thursyanna
Aquarium Advice Freak
I can't help you on your Excel question but I do want to say that I absolutely love your tank!! You seem to have a "green" thumb. I'm about to give up on my plants and go to fake ones. I can't seem to keep mine alive.
As for a fishless cycle, I gave up on that too when I started my tank. I ended up buying some zebra danios and using them to cycle my 55 gal and it went real quick. I haven't had any issues with ammonia or nitrites and my nitrates stay at around 30. Good luck, I enjoy watching your progress!
As for a fishless cycle, I gave up on that too when I started my tank. I ended up buying some zebra danios and using them to cycle my 55 gal and it went real quick. I haven't had any issues with ammonia or nitrites and my nitrates stay at around 30. Good luck, I enjoy watching your progress!
Hi thursyanna,
Thanks for responding and for your kind words about my tank. I'd call my plants right now beginners luck, though I did buy them online from a place that has a good reputation and grows true aquatics immersed (unless clearly marked otherwise).
If you haven't already, try posting in the planted section about your plant problems. Btw, folks there have tanks that make my beginners efforts look like just that.
I've been googling and searching everywhere about the Excel during a cycle, but a few days without won't hurt. After all, the plants survived several days in wet paper in a dark box.
As to cycling, we all go though it one way or another. Fish or fishless,, seeded or bottled, even when we "give up" one method we need to go through the process in one form or another.
Best wishes to you! I'll keep updating as I have news.
Thanks for responding and for your kind words about my tank. I'd call my plants right now beginners luck, though I did buy them online from a place that has a good reputation and grows true aquatics immersed (unless clearly marked otherwise).
If you haven't already, try posting in the planted section about your plant problems. Btw, folks there have tanks that make my beginners efforts look like just that.
I've been googling and searching everywhere about the Excel during a cycle, but a few days without won't hurt. After all, the plants survived several days in wet paper in a dark box.
As to cycling, we all go though it one way or another. Fish or fishless,, seeded or bottled, even when we "give up" one method we need to go through the process in one form or another.
Best wishes to you! I'll keep updating as I have news.
The cycle has started. I dosed the ammonium chloride to 2 ppm yesterday and added the bottle of One and Only. 24 hours later I tested. Ammonia was 1 ppm and Nitrite was 2 ppm using the API test kit. I'm so glad to see something happening. Next added a 1/2 dose of ammonia per the instructions. Looking forward to seeing what the progress is tomorrow.
Fishperson
Aquarium Advice Addict
Awesome!
It is always a great feeling when a cycle just starts to pick up. When I cycled my 20H, I didn't realize it, but the nitrites were so high that they showed up as around 0 on my test kit (api freshwater master test kit). It was like this for about a week, then I did a 50% wc, and found them at 5+ and realized what happened!
It is always a great feeling when a cycle just starts to pick up. When I cycled my 20H, I didn't realize it, but the nitrites were so high that they showed up as around 0 on my test kit (api freshwater master test kit). It was like this for about a week, then I did a 50% wc, and found them at 5+ and realized what happened!
Fishperson
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well the tests went like this. I tested every day.
0
.5
1
2
5
8
10
10+
10+
0
so it was pretty weird. Then I did a few big water changes, and it was around 5 again.
0
.5
1
2
5
8
10
10+
10+
0
so it was pretty weird. Then I did a few big water changes, and it was around 5 again.
Thanks for that Fishperson. Pretty interesting. Today, my ammo was down to 1 again after dosing it up again as directed, my nitrite was at 5 appearantly (hard to tell 2 from 5 but it looked a little deeper and pinker today) and I got a nitrate reading of 20. By using the bacteria in a bottle this is all quite accelerated. I'm going to skip testing tomorrow and just let it "cook".
I had heard good things about Dr Tim's, and it is very evident that the bottle did contain live nitrifying bacteria. I maximized that by ordering direct at a time of year when the temps were favorable to keeping it alive. So at this point I would give the product a thumbs up.
I had heard good things about Dr Tim's, and it is very evident that the bottle did contain live nitrifying bacteria. I maximized that by ordering direct at a time of year when the temps were favorable to keeping it alive. So at this point I would give the product a thumbs up.
The cycle is progressing. The ammonia has been 0 for 5 days. I'm in the nitrite is high and has been difficult to read phase. I'm guessing it has been 5+. So knowing this can stall the cycle, and seeing that the ammonia is being converted to nitrite, I did a 60% water change yesterday. After that, I tested again and the nitrite was still purply-pink but it deepened more slowly. I gave the tank a dose of ammonia (1 ppm)
This morning, I tested again and the nitrite was still deep purply-pink. Is that a 2 or a 5 or a 5+? I just can't tell. So I got out the buckets again and did a 80% water change (which is as much as I can siphon without moving plants, rocks, etc). After that, the ammonia was still 0, but the nitrite was .25. I dosed the ammonia back to 1 ppm. So the nitrite is finally at a level I can read, and hopefully something that the bacteria can get munching on, especially after todays ammonia is processed.
To those who are following this, thanks. I just proves that every cycle takes its own path to completion. I'm really hoping that I see a readable nitrite level tomorrow. Right now I'm not even bothering to check nitrates again until I see the nitrite going down.
My plants and snails are doing well in the meantime. Ill post a progress pic in a few days.
This morning, I tested again and the nitrite was still deep purply-pink. Is that a 2 or a 5 or a 5+? I just can't tell. So I got out the buckets again and did a 80% water change (which is as much as I can siphon without moving plants, rocks, etc). After that, the ammonia was still 0, but the nitrite was .25. I dosed the ammonia back to 1 ppm. So the nitrite is finally at a level I can read, and hopefully something that the bacteria can get munching on, especially after todays ammonia is processed.
To those who are following this, thanks. I just proves that every cycle takes its own path to completion. I'm really hoping that I see a readable nitrite level tomorrow. Right now I'm not even bothering to check nitrates again until I see the nitrite going down.
My plants and snails are doing well in the meantime. Ill post a progress pic in a few days.
Fishperson
Aquarium Advice Addict
Thats good. When did you start the cycle again?
I initially started with the dead shrimp just short of three weeks ago. I guess i used too small a shrimp because i didnt ever get enough anmmonia, and though the ammonia was going down to .25 ppm, there was no appearant increase in nitrite. I restarted with the Dr Tim's ammonium chloride and One and Only 6 days ago.
Fishperson
Aquarium Advice Addict
Wow, fast!
Yes, the nitrite literally showed up the morning after adding the One and Only. A few days later the ammo was 0 and has stayed there ever since. I can't wait to see what the nitrite reading is tomorrow now that I've got down to a readable level.
Scottyhorse
Aquarium Advice Addict
I will be following this thread. I think it will turn out great.
I'm a few days late on my weekly photo. I'm still just using the phone camera. The pics seem to lose some sharpness in the upload from the app on my iPad. Sorry about that. This time I got in a little closer. The bacopa is going crazy. I'm going to have to trim it soon. Even the bacopa salvaged from the stems that were melting two weeks ago is growing. All the other plants are growing, too. The ruffle sword on the left is taller and sparser. The one on the right is shorter with more leaves.
As expected, the bladder (or as some call pond) snails are laying eggs and there are tons of baby snails. They are definitely Physa and I wish we'd just call them that to avoid confusion. I'm sure I'll have to start hand picking and baiting them with a cucumber slice soon. Since I'm not adding any food to the tank, I'm just watching to see what happens. They are not eating plants. They are eating the fuzz off the driftwood and what I presume is algae from surfaces. I can barely see a film on the tank walls looking through from inside to outside with little snail trails through it. So though there are lots of babies, I still see a benefit to them at the moment.
I'm in the infamous nitrite waiting period of the cycle. After that massive water change mid week to get the nitrite down to readable levels, I'm very conservative with the ammonia. I'm only adding 9 drops every other day. Watching the nitrite test closely, it is turning pretty slowly and ultimately ends at purple, so I'm calling it 2 ppm. I've turned the temp up to 84 from its previous 80 (also contributing to rapid snail growth), and keeping the aeration going.
Small patches of grey fuzz have reappeared on the sand. I haven't seen those since the first week. I'm guessing it is the last traces of the dead shrimp decaying with the increased temp because of its location. I'm not overly concerned about it, just keeping an eye on it. I don't want to slow the cycle by giving in to the urge to clean.
As expected, the bladder (or as some call pond) snails are laying eggs and there are tons of baby snails. They are definitely Physa and I wish we'd just call them that to avoid confusion. I'm sure I'll have to start hand picking and baiting them with a cucumber slice soon. Since I'm not adding any food to the tank, I'm just watching to see what happens. They are not eating plants. They are eating the fuzz off the driftwood and what I presume is algae from surfaces. I can barely see a film on the tank walls looking through from inside to outside with little snail trails through it. So though there are lots of babies, I still see a benefit to them at the moment.
I'm in the infamous nitrite waiting period of the cycle. After that massive water change mid week to get the nitrite down to readable levels, I'm very conservative with the ammonia. I'm only adding 9 drops every other day. Watching the nitrite test closely, it is turning pretty slowly and ultimately ends at purple, so I'm calling it 2 ppm. I've turned the temp up to 84 from its previous 80 (also contributing to rapid snail growth), and keeping the aeration going.
Small patches of grey fuzz have reappeared on the sand. I haven't seen those since the first week. I'm guessing it is the last traces of the dead shrimp decaying with the increased temp because of its location. I'm not overly concerned about it, just keeping an eye on it. I don't want to slow the cycle by giving in to the urge to clean.
thursyanna
Aquarium Advice Freak
Looking great!!
