jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Might be too sick to get into the car and drive, but never too sick to play around with the tank!
LOL!!!
Retarting fishless cycle from scratch...help!
- Thread starter sammybelle
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sammybelle
Aquarium Advice Regular
Oh, no....What the #%&@ are these critters???!!
Just did a 50% water change and was playing around with the sand/plants/rocks, dosed ammonia, and when I was done, I saw these gross white threadlike worms, I guess they are, about 1/4 inch long, acting sort of like mosquito larvae! Ugh! I wonder if they've been living in my sand! What the &$#%!!! Should I worry??
Just did a 50% water change and was playing around with the sand/plants/rocks, dosed ammonia, and when I was done, I saw these gross white threadlike worms, I guess they are, about 1/4 inch long, acting sort of like mosquito larvae! Ugh! I wonder if they've been living in my sand! What the &$#%!!! Should I worry??
sammybelle
Aquarium Advice Regular
I just saw another poster, Jeff6.0, who seems to have the same problem. He included a photo of exactly what I'm seeing...I guess it's Planaria. He says he got his from using too much seeding material...maybe I did, too! He included a link w/further info about it. It says it happens from too much gravel/too much uneaten food. (I've got about 1 1/2 inch of sand and no fish to feed yet!) I wonder if I should remove the old seed filter material I used, or do something else?--Thanks
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
I cant even express how much I hate worms in my tanks!!! But, I would take the white kind any day over leeches! My best guess is some type of planaria. They are harmless (but disgusting never the less). They probably came from your plants (disinfecting plants is a good idea). You can remove when you do wcs but if they are overwhelming, you can dose you tank with prazipro to kill them off safely & without affecting your bacteria.
librarygirl
Look It Up
Yep planaria. It's odd, I had them in my tank too when I was fishless cycling but now that I have fish to feed I don't have them. lol. They are harmless. They'll go away eventually, the ammonia alone might kill them off at some point. You can also suck them up during water changes. I wouldn't remove any media.
sammybelle
Aquarium Advice Regular
Just read further and it seems they're not Planaria after all, but "Detritus" worms: http://aquarium-answers.blogspot.com/200…
Quite honestly, on Jeff6.0's post, the picture of the threadlike worm as compared with the planaria did seem a bit disproportionate, so I wondered if they were indeed planaria. They're still disgusting no matter what!
Quite honestly, on Jeff6.0's post, the picture of the threadlike worm as compared with the planaria did seem a bit disproportionate, so I wondered if they were indeed planaria. They're still disgusting no matter what!
sammybelle
Aquarium Advice Regular
Check this out, too re: Planaria vs. Detritus worms; apparently often misidentified!!
Planaria, Wiggly Detritus Worms, in Aquarium, Glass & Water
Planaria, Wiggly Detritus Worms, in Aquarium, Glass & Water
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Interesting!! I still hate ALL worms! As i suggested, a treatment of Prazipro (praziquantel) would most likely eliminate them without having to resort to harsh meds such as copper sulfate which never truly leave your tank.
librarygirl
Look It Up
Ew, well that's disgusting lol.
If you use chemicals just be sure they won't kill the bacteria you're cultivating too! I've read dog dewormer can help get rid of them, although I don't have experience with it and I don't know if it would harm the bacteria.
Also what filter do you have?
You could try sucking them up with a few water changes (and get the siphon into the stand or stir it up) and see if it helps before resorting to chemicals.
If you use chemicals just be sure they won't kill the bacteria you're cultivating too! I've read dog dewormer can help get rid of them, although I don't have experience with it and I don't know if it would harm the bacteria.
Also what filter do you have?
You could try sucking them up with a few water changes (and get the siphon into the stand or stir it up) and see if it helps before resorting to chemicals.
sammybelle
Aquarium Advice Regular
For filtration, I have an Aqueon 75 (HOB)in my 55 gal. tank.
Apparently these Detritus worms aren't harmful, either, unless their population explodes and they begin clinging to the sides of the tank. I hadn't seen them until I started messing around with the setup of my decorations today. I think I'll leave well enough alone for now, because it appears I'm almost done with my cycle and am looking forward to about a half dozen cory cats as one of my first fish to stock, so I'm hoping they consider these worms a delicacy and therefore take care of the problem for me! If that doesn't work, I'm glad you told me of the praziquantel--thanks!
Apparently these Detritus worms aren't harmful, either, unless their population explodes and they begin clinging to the sides of the tank. I hadn't seen them until I started messing around with the setup of my decorations today. I think I'll leave well enough alone for now, because it appears I'm almost done with my cycle and am looking forward to about a half dozen cory cats as one of my first fish to stock, so I'm hoping they consider these worms a delicacy and therefore take care of the problem for me! If that doesn't work, I'm glad you told me of the praziquantel--thanks!
librarygirl
Look It Up
Sounds like a good plan! In the future you might want to consider adding a second filter or upgrading to a larger one. Ideally you want enough filtration for double the size tank, so you would want enough filtration for a 110 gal tank.
sammybelle
Aquarium Advice Regular
Looks like I made it!
Today: ammonia =0 Nitrites=0 Nitrates=80 pH=6.6. I had even dosed the ammonia back up to about 4.0 last night to try to teach those nasty detritus worms a lesson!
The pH continues to be a puzzle, however. Each time I have done a WC to clear out nitrates, the pH drops to either 6.4 or 6.6. Yesterday I found that the "true" pH is 7.6 (using standard test bottle) and 7.4 using hi test bottle. I am concerned that when I begin to do WC with fish in, that I'm going to be altering the pH too drastically. I have not yet gone out to get the crushed coral or aragonite that was suggested--will this help to keep things on an even keel during WCs?
What's my next step?
Today: ammonia =0 Nitrites=0 Nitrates=80 pH=6.6. I had even dosed the ammonia back up to about 4.0 last night to try to teach those nasty detritus worms a lesson
!The pH continues to be a puzzle, however. Each time I have done a WC to clear out nitrates, the pH drops to either 6.4 or 6.6. Yesterday I found that the "true" pH is 7.6 (using standard test bottle) and 7.4 using hi test bottle. I am concerned that when I begin to do WC with fish in, that I'm going to be altering the pH too drastically. I have not yet gone out to get the crushed coral or aragonite that was suggested--will this help to keep things on an even keel during WCs?
What's my next step?
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Wow! Your amm & nitrites zeroed out after 4ppm dose of amm? YAY!! This is great news! Go ahead & dose the amm again- if you continue to get zero readings for the next few days steadily, you can officially say your cycled! To proceed from this point, you will need to do 100% wc (ot two) to get your nitrates as low as possible (temp matched, conditioned water) and adjust the temp for your future fish. I would let your tank run for 24hrs after the big wc (no amm) and then test your ph & see where it sits before you purchase any fish & let us know what this reads & we will be able to advise you from here.
sammybelle
Aquarium Advice Regular
Just a l'il confused...
BTW, I am wondering if the 3 large chunks o' driftwood I have in the tank could be causing the pH drops I've been having?
Per instructions above, yesterday I changed 99.9% of the water, dosed back up to 4ppm ammonia. Today ammonia=0, nitrates=20, pH=6.8 (Yay!--But are the nitrates sufficiently down?) Then in the next line you said let tank run 24hrs after the big WC (WITHOUT ammonia)...Do I need to do another 100% WC without ammonia now, let run 24 hours and then check pH? Or do I do another ammonia dose to 4ppm one more time? Sorry I'm confused...and I hope I haven't confused YOU!!Wow! Your amm & nitrites zeroed out after 4ppm dose of amm? YAY!! This is great news! Go ahead & dose the amm again- if you continue to get zero readings for the next few days steadily, you can officially say your cycled! To proceed from this point, you will need to do 100% wc (ot two) to get your nitrates as low as possible (temp matched, conditioned water) and adjust the temp for your future fish. I would let your tank run for 24hrs after the big wc (no amm) and then test your ph & see where it sits before you purchase any fish & let us know what this reads & we will be able to advise you from here.
BTW, I am wondering if the 3 large chunks o' driftwood I have in the tank could be causing the pH drops I've been having?
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Im so sorry- i guess i confused you!! No harm done! Ok- let me rephrase everything here & hope i make some sense!
Ok- for the next few days, continue to dose your amm to 4ppm & lets see if it continues to steadily zero out. If it does, then you are officially cycled (YAY!)! If it doesnt, then we will have to wait a bit longer.
If it does steadily zero out over the next few days & your tank is cycled, the day before getting fish, you will need to skip the ammonia & do a 100% wc (possibily more than 1) to get your nitrates as low as possible (you already have some practice, lol). Adjust your tank temp for your fish. Let the tank run atleast overnight & check to see where your ph is. We can then give you a better idea of how to handle you water changes if its drastically different than your tap (hopefully, it wont be!). Does this make more sense? Please let us know if it doesnt!
Ok- for the next few days, continue to dose your amm to 4ppm & lets see if it continues to steadily zero out. If it does, then you are officially cycled (YAY!)! If it doesnt, then we will have to wait a bit longer.
If it does steadily zero out over the next few days & your tank is cycled, the day before getting fish, you will need to skip the ammonia & do a 100% wc (possibily more than 1) to get your nitrates as low as possible (you already have some practice, lol). Adjust your tank temp for your fish. Let the tank run atleast overnight & check to see where your ph is. We can then give you a better idea of how to handle you water changes if its drastically different than your tap (hopefully, it wont be!). Does this make more sense? Please let us know if it doesnt!
sammybelle
Aquarium Advice Regular
jlk, please don't apologize!! Geez, you have been so extremely helpful to me through all of this; I feel like you are my personal aquarium expert/consultant!!
And yes, it is now crystal clear!
And yes, it is now crystal clear!
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Keep us posted! Hopefully, you will be able to get fish by the weekend!
librarygirl
Look It Up
Looks good! So the PH drops after a water change to the mid-6's? It might be that the PH straight out of your tap is mid-6 and then goes up to 7.4. We'll see what happens as Jlk said.
sammybelle
Aquarium Advice Regular
pH stands for pain (in the) Head!!!
I didn't post at all yesterday because things were looking great; another day of 0 ammonia and nitrites and the pH was 6.6, better than it had been. But I just checked the pH right now and to my horror it's 6.0! I immediately did a PWC of about 6gallons (55g tank) hoping I saved my tank from stalling or killing the BB.
I was reading another poster with daily pH crashes and someone suggested removing his driftwood to see if that was the problem. I have 3 good sized chunks of driftwood in mine--wonder if that is the problem? I do, however, want to keep the driftwood in there. I am also leaving out another plastic cup of water to test true pH tonight. The glass I used may have had some dishwasher detergent residue in it to alter results.
Also, I never did get the aragonite I was gonna get. Unless I hear otherwise, think I'm gonna dash out right now and get it!
No, the pH drops the next day after the WC.Looks good! So the PH drops after a water change to the mid-6's? It might be that the PH straight out of your tap is mid-6 and then goes up to 7.4. We'll see what happens as Jlk said.
I didn't post at all yesterday because things were looking great; another day of 0 ammonia and nitrites and the pH was 6.6, better than it had been. But I just checked the pH right now and to my horror it's 6.0! I immediately did a PWC of about 6gallons (55g tank) hoping I saved my tank from stalling or killing the BB.
I was reading another poster with daily pH crashes and someone suggested removing his driftwood to see if that was the problem. I have 3 good sized chunks of driftwood in mine--wonder if that is the problem? I do, however, want to keep the driftwood in there. I am also leaving out another plastic cup of water to test true pH tonight. The glass I used may have had some dishwasher detergent residue in it to alter results.
Also, I never did get the aragonite I was gonna get. Unless I hear otherwise, think I'm gonna dash out right now and get it!
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ah-ha! Another clue to your water puzzle! I did not know you had a bunch of dw. Did you soak & thoroughly boil it before using it? It may still be leeching some tannins (even if the water isnt discolored) and affecting your ph as well. You may need to do some more boiling/soaking of the dw. Lets see what the argonite does for you, too. It may solve your crash issues but your dw may be playing a role here as well. Glad to hear your amm/nitrite are still zeroing out!!
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