HooKooDooKu
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I'm in the process of fishless cycling a 5 gallon planted tank. I've gotten plants from various sources, and I can only assume that one of those plants was the source of the 1/4" snail I found in the tank today.
So far, I don't see any other snails, but I've got two questions:
1. Is it possible that I only have one snail?
2. Since I'm still cycling the tank, what might be a good way to ensure the tank is free of snails (given that I'm going to be placing a few shrimp in the tank).
As far as the fishless cycling, I've got the ammonia eating bacteria well established. In 12 hours, I was able to go from about 5ppm of ammonia to ZERO. The nitrite bacteria are not doing as well. I obviously have some as my nitrate levels have sky rocketted along with my mitrite levels. But even doing HUGE water changes, I just can't seem to get the nitrite levels below 1ppm. I did an 80% PWC this morning, and right now the nitrite levels are still above 1.0, while the nitrate levels are over 10ppm.
So far, I don't see any other snails, but I've got two questions:
1. Is it possible that I only have one snail?
2. Since I'm still cycling the tank, what might be a good way to ensure the tank is free of snails (given that I'm going to be placing a few shrimp in the tank).
As far as the fishless cycling, I've got the ammonia eating bacteria well established. In 12 hours, I was able to go from about 5ppm of ammonia to ZERO. The nitrite bacteria are not doing as well. I obviously have some as my nitrate levels have sky rocketted along with my mitrite levels. But even doing HUGE water changes, I just can't seem to get the nitrite levels below 1ppm. I did an 80% PWC this morning, and right now the nitrite levels are still above 1.0, while the nitrate levels are over 10ppm.