What is this?!

[Beengirl]

Carbon isn't entirely useless IMO. some people don't use it, but it helps remove odors (that "fishy" smell some tanks have) and clears the water up.

 

[nicolea]

I'd throw those stinky shrimp,back in (or new ones). You want your ammonia to be at least 4 ppm to have a steng cycle. Also, you will want to bump up your ph, it's looking pretty low. Try pointing the power head at the surface and see if it helps. You might not be getting enough gas exchange. Also, the carbon cleans that water, and you want the ammonia in the tank for the cycle. The pad you put in is taking it out. Not something you want right now. Trust us, please. We are not trying to sell you anything and take your money. We all have a lot of experience. The key to aquaria (successful aquaria) is patience. Let the cycle happen and you will be happy you did.

Not trying to be a Debbie downer...please don't take offense.

Good luck!

oh no no offence taken what so ever! im very thankful for the advice!!! Trust me, I am very excited for the tank, but I've put in so much money already and theres no fish even in the tank so i do want to do it right! Everything people have been telling me has been great info with the scientific facts to back it up. I have lots of faith in you guys!!

So I pointed the power head upwards, the water at the top its moving lots now! I was pointing it down towards the bottom bc I thought that would move the water from the bottom upwards.

Dug the stinky shrimp out and tossed one back in! bah so gross lol i threw it in the back so i dont have to look at it, its flaking apart! Will those flakes stink up my filters?

Would the temperature have anything to do with pH? What should the ideal temp be? I read 78F; Im having a hard time getting it there and my heater is for up to 70gallons and my tank is only 36g. Are digital thermometers better than the glass ?

I'm leaving for 4 days. I will test the water tomorrow morning. Is 4 days too long for that shrimp to stay in there? I can always get someone to test the ammonia and if I reach 4ppm have someone take it out? What do you think?

If i cant get the pH up, should I buy those chemicals that increase pH?

 

[Beengirl]

oh no no offence taken what so ever! im very thankful for the advice!!! Trust me, I am very excited for the tank, but I've put in so much money already and theres no fish even in the tank so i do want to do it right! Everything people have been telling me has been great info with the scientific facts to back it up. I have lots of faith in you guys!!

So I pointed the power head upwards, the water at the top its moving lots now! I was pointing it down towards the bottom bc I thought that would move the water from the bottom upwards.

Dug the stinky shrimp out and tossed one back in! bah so gross lol i threw it in the back so i dont have to look at it, its flaking apart! Will those flakes stink up my filters?

Would the temperature have anything to do with pH? What should the ideal temp be? I read 78F; Im having a hard time getting it there and my heater is for up to 70gallons and my tank is only 36g. Are digital thermometers better than the glass ?

I'm leaving for 4 days. I will test the water tomorrow morning. Is 4 days too long for that shrimp to stay in there? I can always get someone to test the ammonia and if I reach 4ppm have someone take it out? What do you think?

If i cant get the pH up, should I buy those chemicals that increase pH?

If the shrimp falling apart bothers you, then you can put it in a pantyhose that's tied off- then the pieces won't fly around.
The temp when fish are in there should be 77-80. I have a digital thermometer, and find it much easier to read than glass. During the cycle, turning the temp up to mid 80's helps the bacteria to grow faster.
The shrimp will be fine in the tank for 4 days, and you'll get to miss the stinkiness!!
Try the PH disturbing the surface first for couple of days, that should help the pH. If that doesn't work, then you can add a buffer. But that's not a big issue until you're ready for fish, an since you're just starting to cycle, that'll be a while.

 

[nicolea]

Ok Great! What a good idea with the shrimp & panty hose !!!!!

 

[Spotted]

I left 2 shrimp in andnever took them out. They totally disappeared.

 

[nicolea]

I left 2 shrimp in andnever took them out. They totally disappeared.

in an empty tank???

 

[Spotted]

There was a little live rock in it, no fish.

 

[Beengirl]

in an empty tank???

Well, if the pieces are small enough, the filter will at some point suck it up. And if there are hermits, they'll eat it as it falls apart. (Some people put hermits in during the cycle- I don't).

 

[Spotted]

Well after a while things came out of the rock and started eating the shrimp. It was pretty cool to see what would show up next. Then all those lil critters crawling all over the rock that I now know as amphipods, thanks to this site. I love you guys.

 

[nicolea]

i read some bad things about bristle worms; i also heard u can make a trap to get rid of them. Would that be bad if i did that? are they super beneficial or a parasitic nuisance?

 

[Spotted]

Bristle worms good, fire worms bad. Bristle worms are shorter and fatter. Fire worms are a lot longer. There's more too, but can't remember them now.

 

[LaWoWee]

i read some bad things about bristle worms; i also heard u can make a trap to get rid of them. Would that be bad if i did that? are they super beneficial or a parasitic nuisance?

I will never have bristle worms since i have a 6 line wrasse that i will never be able to catch and they eat bristle worms. Unfortunately he's an A-hole toward my other fish

 

[Spotted]

Oh! If they are timid and come out after lights off, prolly a bristle worm. If they are bold and come out any time with lights on, prolly a fire worm. I believe fire worms easy done corals, right?

 

[nicolea]

I will never have bristle worms since i have a 6 line wrasse that i will never be able to catch and they eat bristle worms. Unfortunately he's an A-hole toward my other fish

by 6 do you mean 6 inches? i would sacrifice some inches for a fish that would eat them lol i had some come off my first rock, and they did die ,, when i took them out i used my hands and i was super itchy... not sure if it was related to them or not.. but after what i read i just rather not have them in my tank. would a 6 inch fish be ok in a 36 gallon?

 

[Spotted]

The fish has 6 lines on it. Its a wrasse with 6 lines on it, hence the name six line wrasse.
Lol

 

[nicolea]

The fish has 6 lines on it. Its a wrasse with 6 lines on it, hence the name six line wrasse.
Lol

LOL woowww okay. im not new at alllll HAHAHa

 

[LaWoWee]

by 6 do you mean 6 inches? i would sacrifice some inches for a fish that would eat them lol i had some come off my first rock, and they did die ,, when i took them out i used my hands and i was super itchy... not sure if it was related to them or not.. but after what i read i just rather not have them in my tank. would a 6 inch fish be ok in a 36 gallon?

Your hands were probably itchy because you can get pricked by the worms bristles, hence the name. ?