[Doing all the right things, but fish don't live long.]

6 minutes ago, Sweet Sharon said:

If I use half a shrimp or salmon, how long will it be before it's cycled?  I think I assumed that when I got the nitrites and nitrates down to zero on the test strip that he tank was cycled.  Should I also leave dead leaves in the tank instead of scooping them out?  And...did the water changes kill the good bacteria?  I've got a Fluval 406, and I replaced the carbon with more sponges, and I learned a few years back not to do anything but take big pieces off of the sponges.  (I used to be good at this, then I had a snail infestation, and just stopped being a fish keeper for two years.) Thanks so much for helping me out here! 🙂

I honestly don’t remember how low it took, it’s been a while and I wasn’t in a hurry. I never had a smell problem. If you had nitrites, than you were getting there, but the water changes did probably hurt. The most important thing is patience on this. You’re getting good advice, just go it slow and it will come around. 

[Doing all the right things, but fish don't live long.]

Every time I cycled a tank, I used a piece of raw salmon or a piece of raw shrimp. Nothing big, like half a shrimp, and just tossed it in and let it decay and do it’s thing. Keep filter running and lights on timer for any plants and tested weekly til it was ready to go. Boring I know but it works. Good luck.

[Easy Planter Question]

Here’s a video @Corydid. 

 

[Yikes! What are these worms and should I be worried?.]

You could try something like this trap.  Leech Trap for Aquarium,Planaria Trap Leeches Catcher for Cherry Shrimp Crystal Red Shrimp Dwarf Shrimp https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08C7MSC75/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_GDQSR4M1BFKX8T1K9RWM

@Irenehas a video on YouTube about it and other course of actions. 

 

[Recommendations on aerating fish tank.]

Add an air stone, it’s the number one tip @Cory always recommends. 

[Activ-Flora Substrate?]

I have had it in my 29 gallon for a couple of years. My plants seem to be happy with it, especially my bronze Cryptocoryne Wendtii, it has spread across my tank.

[Sponge filter]

I say the pump went bad than. 

[Sponge filter]

An underpowered pump wouldn’t change because of a water change as you mentioned above. Did you check to see if the tubing came off the pump and air is escaping? There are only 4 parts to the set up of a sponge filter. Pump, tubing, air stone and filter itself. 2 of those supply the air, the pump and the tubing. The problem has to be one or the other. As I said earlier, tubing could be crimped or getting cut off by the lid or something or partially came off the pump. Second thing is that the pump has a problem and may be time for a new one. It could have been coincidental that the pump had a problem during a water change. As @Dwayne Brownsaid above, get another piece of tubing and hook it to your pump and put the other end in the water to make sure you are getting air still. Double check all connections of the tubing as well. Another thing I thought of does your pump have a valve to change how much pressure comes out?   

[Sponge filter]

You can unscrew it. The tighter the smaller the bubbles that will come out. How old is the pump? I had one that ran like it was fine but put out little air. I believe the diaphragm had a hole in it.

[Sponge filter]

The sponge doesn’t have anything to do with the bubbles, its the flow of the air pump. You could have a pump going bad or possibly the line is crimped somewhere not allowing the air to flow as much as it was. If you have an air stone connected, that may be becoming clogged. I would start there first. Hope that helps.

[is there a difference between food grade and non food grade IBC totes?]

There might be a chance for toxins to leach from a non food tote possibly. 

[Anyone else’s bristle nose go down your sponge filter?]

I had one that used to swim into my HOB if the water level was high enough. He would go missing and I would look and there he was. 

[How do I make sure my otocinclus are getting enough?]

Mine love baby carrots. I put one in a veggie clip on the side of the tank and they all eat it. I put it in the microwave in a cup of water for a minute to soften it a little. I’ve also done cucumber and zucchini slices as well. Carrots seem to make less of a mess.

[Can my tank survive a couple of days without a filter?]

I have had electric go out for four days. I didn’t feed the whole time  and everything was fine. Since you have electric, you can do a water change and put the air stone in for some circulation. Best of luck

[Balance ugh]

Double check but I actually just watched @CoryPlants 101 video and I believe Vals and the Crypt are heavy root feeders, the others are more water feeders.  I would add some extra root tabs for those plants. I put some Vals in my tank less than a month ago with two tabs for each plant and they are growing nicely. My nitrates are in the 20-40 range and I limit my easy green doses to every other week. Hope that helps, good luck.