Tank not cycling?

[jlk]

You can remove the dead leaves. Just have some patience in the meantime and keep up the good work with testing and wcs!

 

[octanejunkie]

You can remove the dead leaves. Just have some patience in the meantime and keep up the good work with testing and wcs!

Thanks for the response, JLK... my patience and sanity are on a sliding scale opposite each other at this point

I'll be swapping substrate this weekend (like I really need to add more variables) and will pull the dead leaves then - the plant with mucho dead leaves is Hygrophila Angustifolia, I wonder if my tank's conditions are just too harsh for it The Anacharis on the other hand is doing great and has more than doubled in size since I got it.

Here's a pic for posterity sake. The clown puke gravel gives way to CaribSea Eco-Complete Black on Saturday

 

[jlk]

Here's another suggestion that I may have offered already but in case I didn't... If you want to try to speed this up some, do you know anyone with a healthy established tank that could donate some filter media? If not, Angelsplus sells 'active' cycled filter sponges. Quite a few people have had great success with these. A third option would be to give a bottled bacteria product a try (Dr Tim's One & Only or Tetra Safestart). I'm not a personal fan of the bottled products but some people swear by them.

http://www.angelsplus.com/FiltersSponge.htm

 

[octanejunkie]

Update 7-19

Tested my water twice today after a partial water change last night; I got exactly the same numbers in the AM and PM:

pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0.5
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

I did another 50% water change just now. The good news is I can now knock out a 50% in about 5 minutes

Waiting patiently to see test results that show something other than ammonia and high range pH

 

[octanejunkie]

Update 7-21

I pulled the plant with several dead and decaying leaves yesterday, it's a Willow Hygro, not a micro sword like the LFS dude told me.

I put it back all clean and pretty but today it's still showing signs of continuing deterioration... I'll wait it out and see if it declines further. It's roots had grown into the gravel so it's not dead, perhaps just adjusting to it's new home.

Tested my water today, after a 50% water change yesterday:

pH: 7.8-8.0
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0-5.0 ppm

Perhaps with the reduced ammonia from the decayed plant matter things will start trending in the right direction.

Time will tell.

 

[octanejunkie]

Tested last night:
Ammonia around 0.25, nitrites 0, nitrates 5.0 ppm

Did a 33% water change and will test again tonight...

The wilo hygro has a bunch. Of clear leaves again and is covered w snails, roots seem healthy but leaves do not; I guess time will tell if it makes it.

 

[octanejunkie]

I've been monitoring my tank and have noticed an almost consistent level of both ammonia and nitrate, even with daily pwc.

I upgraded my light to see if the Willow Hygro was failing due to low light, time will tell. I did remove more dead leaves off of it and added a few more plants to help absorb some ammonia, hornwort (Ceratophyllum demursum) specifically, which has taken off and grown 2" since being added last week. It actually "stretched out" somewhat and opened up too, but has definately gotten taller.

As of this morning, water reads:
pH: 8.0
Ammonia: 0 - 0.25
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0 - 5.0 (closer in color to 0 sadly)

It was suggested that the power filter with this tank is too small. I am thinking about upgrading to a larger filter... Looking at the Azoo Mignon 150 (good for 20-30 liter tanks (5-8 US Gallon))

Thoughts re filter upgrade?

 

[Fishninja]

Put some tetra easy balance and safe start in wait a day and see what happens

 

[octanejunkie]

As of yesterday, tank water:
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0-5.0

Tank water is clear, plants are thriving, fish seem well... I think (hope) out cycle has completed.

Knowing our tap water has a trace amount of ammonia in it means we are reintroducing it with every water change, I could try RO water next few changes... and/or start dosing with stability on each pwc... thoughts?

 

[octanejunkie]

Dosed w Stability yesterday... will test water again tonight.

Should I be dosing w Stability for a few days in a row, like they suggest for establishing new tanks/colonies?

 

[octanejunkie]

Tank seems stable.

Though nitrates still test less than 10ppm, no ammonia and no nitrites.

 

[flitabout]

That sounds really really good!!!!!