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Trying to correct my mistakes! Please help.


GraveCompany
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Hello world (I'll try to keep this as short as possible!)

I had been itching to start a tank for years, and with COVID came new opportunities since I now work from home. So I redid my office and found some space to put a nice 45-gallon tank. I threw water in, let it run for a few days, and then added some fish. I have been struggling to get the parameters good ever since.

I am aware now of my mistakes and wish not to be pointed and laughed at (haha). Believe me I feel guilty for them. Below is my rough timeline.

1. Added water from the hose, which was probably a bad idea. It was murky from the get-go.

2. Added fish to "jump-start" the cycle. 1 Rubber-lipped pleco and 2 Bronze Cory's.

3. Proceeded to over-feed said fish. And after a few days, I added 6 Cardinal Tetra's.

4. The driftwood that i soaked for days ended up getting white algae that grew like wildfire, I was told its natural and to leave it.

5. White algae became too much so I scraped as much off as I could, and did a 15-gallon water change with some RO water I bought at a local fish store.

6. However I rinsed the filters, and all the decor with tap water not knowing I am not supposed to do that.

7. I then capitalized on this mistake by adding some Seachem Purigen, but I goofed and didn't rinse one of the packets before putting it in my HOB and it re-clouded my water.

8. I then sat and stewed for a few days as I was advised to let it cycle.

9. Water did somewhat clear up, but the algae was back again on the driftwood and I decided it was time to try another water change. This time I used my tap water with some API Tap-Water Conditioner. I did however, rinse the decor with tap-water again (I know, I know...)

10. At this point I started to really see my mistakes and was lucky enough to get some GOOD information. I added foam filters to my filter water inlet tubes, and some Pinky-Floss as well inside the canister. These were huge additions and made big differences in water clarity.

11. I exchanged another 15-gallons of water (conditioned tap water). This time I was smart though and all the filters got rinsed in the old tank water that I took out. I felt like a pro lol. Water was looking really good. Fish were all still happy.

12. I felt bad that the Cory's were alone, and added 2 Albino Cory's and 2 Skunk Cory's. They're all pals, and love schooling and goofing around.

13. Finally stopped being a dummy, and got an API Master Test Kit. My parameters weren't great. The entire time I had been testing with the API test strips, and was showing 0 Nitrites and 0 Nitrates. Now with the master kit, I see my Ammonia is at 2PPM and still 0 Nitrites and 0 Nitrates. Now I feel bad for my poor fish who were still somehow happy. I grabbed some PRIME and threw some in to insure their livelihood.

14. Scraped the driftwood AGAIN and did a 50% water change. Water was now looking as clear as ever. Fish still happy. Tank looking clean. Wait a day and test again - I am now at 1PPM Ammonia, and still 0 Nitrites and 0 Nitrates. I waited till I hit about 24hrs and added another small dose of PRIME, again just to insure my fish dont get sick.

AND HERE WE ARE! So been up and running just over 6-weeks. I have two Marineland HOB 200's running at all times, 2 air stones, and a small powerhead. Heat is always around 78. Full spectrum light on for 12hrs a day. The HOB's have a sponges on the intake, a carbon filter, then Pinky Floss, then the bio-wheel and I threw some Fluval Bio-Rings in some empty spots as well to increase the media thats in there.

This morning it still says 1PPM for Ammonia and 0 Nitrites and 0 Nitrates. I added a half-dose of PRIME to insure livelihood. The driftwood has also finally stopped growing insane amounts of algae and is naturally growing some greens and plants.

What do I do? Another big water change? I feel like I never fully cycled. I just want a healthy tank!

2021-10-25 08.00.16.jpg

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The first thing I would do is get some live plants.  They are one of the best ways to balance a tank.  They are not necessarily the easiest ways, though.  It requires learning a whole new skill set.  If you’re up for that, ACO has plenty of videos on the subject and there are many others on line also.  You can search for “aquascaping” videos for inspiration.  Don’t get discouraged thinking it will be impossible to achieve such amazing tanks.  It takes LOADS of practice to get those really amazing, award winning tanks.  Just use them to learn techniques and get inspiration and ideas.

Keep in mind that most of those spectacular tanks are running CO2 injection, which you certainly don’t need to do as a beginner.  Start with the easy plant lists (ACO has those lists and so do others), then build from there.  Anubias, Bucephalandra, Java ferns, Java or Christmas moss, various sword plants, Cryptocoryne species and Vallisneria among others.

Here is a list from ACO.

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/easy-aquarium-plants

Edited by Odd Duck
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This is just what I would do, maybe someone with more experience will back me up or make adjustments.

what you are doing is a fish in cycle and when doing this you need to keep ammonia below 1ppm at all times. If that means 2-3 water changes a day so be it. When you do a 50% WC it should go 2ppm down to 1ppm wait couple hours do another WC 1ppm to .5 ppm. It will take days of this maybe even over another week and you will start seeing nitrites. Keep up on WCs to keep ammonia below 1ppm and then you will see nitrates start showing up. Keep up this process till ammonia is 0ppm nitrites 0ppm and nitrates under 20ppm and then your cycled. And I would stop cleaning out your filters until this process is complete every time you do this even with tank water you will be killing off small amounts of beneficial bacteria and that’s what you need to keep alive. Same with the driftwood and decorations and don’t do gravel vacs. Feed very very small amounts of food maybe even only feed every couple days and still small amounts. With this many fish in it will be easy to have an ammonia spike so I would try to do anything to avoid it.

the reason your fish seem happy is ammonia poisoning takes awhile to affect them unless your levels are high of course. And because you are feeding them to much. If possible I would take back some fish until your cycled. The more you have in there the bigger the risk for a spike and that will kill or atleast stress them and cause disease. If you keep all the fish you will have to keep up on the WC or you will start seeing the adverse affects of ammonia.

again this is just my opinion. And what I would do in this situation. Good luck mate 

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Welcome. We were all new once and made a million mistakes. I agree with @Odd Duck plants are miracle mistake correctors and keep the water clean eating up stuff harmful to fish. Even big box tube plants which are easy just put a plant weight on and drop in. You are here and that will soon make you an efficient fish keeper. Boiling your driftwood will lessen( not end) the biofilm. It is unsightly but harmless and once the good bacteria gets really thriving it will dissipate. 

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Lots of good information here - and one of the toughest is knowing when to be patient (like the driftwood) and when to act (water changes). Remember that the presence of algae means your tank is ALIVE and that's a good thing. 

Getting the tank in balance (cycled) is a slower process in a larger tank and without plants. But they are their own learning curve, so don't feel a rush to add them if you feel you're grappling with information overload. that said, some of my best success with my new nanos has actually been with moss I brought in from outside (I'm on a organic farm, so I know there are no chemical risks). I glued up wood i prepped with it and most of it is flourishing! But it depends on the look you want. My java fern went through bad lighting, brown algae bloom, too much light, etc and has added leaves through it all. You might try one or two as they aren't planted but can be tied to rocks, wood, etc., and moved around as desired. It's my favorite plant in my "endor" tank and the kuhli loaches love it too.

Good on the master test kit - I had the same issue and it was worse when I got to the nitrite stage - the api strips said .25ppm, while the reagent test was closer to 4.0! You are still in the cycling process, so just keep up with regular water changes (I was doing daily 15-20%) and be sure to add the appropriate water conditioner if your tap water is treated. I would not add any more fish until you're at 0ppm ammonia and Nitrites, even better with some nitrates registering.

Edited by Jawjagrrl
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First, way to go on doing your research and figuring out how to fix some of the issues you've run into!  You're in a similar position to how I started my first tank, and there's nothing like  wanting to take care of your fish to motivate learning lots of new stuff really fast!

I agree that I wouldn't add any more fish for right now--they'll be happier a little lonely than with too many fish in a cycling tank.  You're essentially doing a fish-in cycle, so that might be a god thing to just look up and read about.  Prime is a great idea, and I've had very good success with it keeping fish healthy during mini-cycles.   

The other thing you could do is if you have a good local fish store or a friend with a tank, you could see if you could get a cycled sponge filter to add.  I believe Michael's Fish Room also sells his online at least sometimes.  That can help to jump start your cycle.  

The live plants are a good idea, but stick with something easy to start with since dying ones can add to your ammonia/nitrite issues.  Out of curiosity, do you know about what your PH is?  Ammonia is more toxic at higher PHs, so that might just be something to take into account.

Also, the tip I really wish someone had told me when I was cycling for the first time: when you test nitrates with the API test kit, you have to bang and shake the bottle like MAD before you put the drops in.  The Nitrate solutions form crystals in the bottle, so you have to really smack them around to get them distributed in the bottle and get an accurate test.  Otherwise, you'll just keep testing at 0 for nitrates...forever...and ever...😉

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First off, I hope you're not going into information overload - take everything in and follow whatever advice you are comfortable with and feel you can be successful...the biggest thing is to keep at it and do the best you can for your fish.

I agree with everyone above about the live plants. I would make one suggestion, if you have access to live plants, even if they are only from a big box store, I would suggest that you not try to plant anything right away, leave them in the pots and just drop the whole thing in your tank. There will be at least some beneficial bacteria on the plants and in the pots as well, and the pots will have some fertilizer in the pots, so they will last for a while without you needing to try to figure out that right away. Floating plants are also an idea if you are open to it, and they are easier (sometimes) than other plants and since they are fast growing, they will help to pull toxins out of your water

Definitely don't add more fish, and feed sparingly - and leave your current decorations and the driftwood alone, your rubberlip will probably appreciate it anyway 🙂

Keep up your research, but don't try to do too many things all at once, it will be overwhelming...keep testing with your master test kit and do your water changes as needed

Good luck!!

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Ahhh, I knew this forum would be the right place! The replies are fantastic.

I will NOT add more fish for sure, and I was already entertaining the idea to add plants - I will do so!

It seems as though it is suggested to keep up with daily water changes as well, maybe I'll start with 5 gallons daily? What should I be looking for on my water tests to know when to stop doing water changes?

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On 10/25/2021 at 10:51 AM, KaitieG said:

Also, the tip I really wish someone had told me when I was cycling for the first time: when you test nitrates with the API test kit, you have to bang and shake the bottle like MAD before you put the drops in.  The Nitrate solutions form crystals in the bottle, so you have to really smack them around to get them distributed in the bottle and get an accurate test.  Otherwise, you'll just keep testing at 0 for nitrates...forever...and ever...😉

Great tip! I've been getting nitrates on my strip tests, but next to nothing on the reagent/tube tests. Now I know why!

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yes!! read the directions for the test kit carefully - I did the nitrate test two different wrong ways before I was instructed on how to do it correctly (shake bottle 2 for a minimum of 30 sec, then shake the tube for a minute...) I was getting no nitrates showing when in fact I had ~20 😐

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Hello! Welcome 🙂 

One easy plant that doesn't even need "planted" is java moss. I use it a lot in my grow out tubs and breeding tanks. A clump wedged below the base of the driftwood would look good and function well for giving shelter and absorbing nitrates. Also you can wrap some on the skinnier branches.  They would look good with anubias nana wrapped on, too. Black cotton thread works really well for this. And, if it were me, I would use larger anubias, like barteri, hastifolia, or gracilis on far left and right of the tank, and then java ferns in the crotch of the branch. All of those can be attached to rocks using rubber bands or super glue. Just don't bury their rhizome in the substrate. All of those absorb nitrates from the water column, I believe.  That way you don't have to add root tabs (like you should for Vallisneria, Dwarf Lily, Swords, and Crypts). 

A different option that works well is sticking in philodendron / pothos vines from above. The leaves and vine can stick out of the water, with a part of the vine (with at least one node) in the water. Roots will grow down and remove nitrates from the water. You might not like the look, but many of us here quite like the jungle-y / natural aesthetic. Plus the foliage add nice interest to the top of the tank.

Good luck! Keep us updated and keep asking questions 🙂

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Awesome alright I was already considering some Java Moss and I know where to get it locally. My driftwood is also growing some greens naturally which I am wicked excited about.

I also did another water change yesterday, 10 gallons. AND TODAY I got some new numbers.

Just under 1ppm Ammonia

.25 - .50ppm Nitrites

0-5ppm Nitrates

So probably should continue with another 10-gallon change and keep it up till ammonia hits 0?

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On 10/25/2021 at 7:58 AM, GraveCompany said:

8. I then sat and stewed for a few days 

... said most of us at some point. 😂

The only thing I didn't see mentioned in this thread is that it's very helpful to add bottled bacteria. Establishing that bacteria is what the cycle is all about. (I think Prime doesn't include bacteria, from what I'm finding.)

If you want to stick with the company that makes Prime, their bottled bacteria is called Stability. But I've always used other brands. 

As someone else mentioned, live plants will have some bacteria on them. I'd still add the bottled stuff though, just to be sure. I even add a drizzle to my established tanks every month-ish. Unless you dump the whole bottle in, it can't hurt.

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On 10/25/2021 at 10:59 AM, GraveCompany said:

Ahhh, I knew this forum would be the right place! The replies are fantastic.

I will NOT add more fish for sure, and I was already entertaining the idea to add plants - I will do so!

It seems as though it is suggested to keep up with daily water changes as well, maybe I'll start with 5 gallons daily? What should I be looking for on my water tests to know when to stop doing water changes?

First, I want to commend you on your introduction!

You have a solid timeline, you are honest about the learning curve, and your fish will appreciate your accountability. 

The two easiest plants for a first time, fish in cycle that will drop your ammonia the fastest, is going to be pothos (buy a potted pothos if you don't own one, cut off a runner with at least 6 leaves. Remove the bottom 3 leaves and stick the stem in the tank water, roots will start to sprout underwater from the nodes where you removed the leaves) and a floating plant like frogbit, dwarf water lettuce, or something similar. 

Floating plants don't like their leaves to get wet. Pothos leaves don't like to get wet. This means that both types have access to all the CO2 they need from room air, and they will "eat" the ammonia the fish are producing. 

To test water, be sure to shake the API nitrate reagent until you are fairly certain your arm is going to fall off. Then you add the drops as the directions tell you, and shake the vial. People will frequently get a 0 reading for nitrates because they didn't shake vigorously enough. 

You have a lot of great information here, and some fabulous links. Welcome to the forum!

My biggest recommendation to new fishkeepers is check out the links in people's signatures. Find someone who has tap water similar to your own, and has tanks you like the look of. Ask them questions, and read their journals. 

There are too many variables in keeping an aquarium to say one thing will work every single time. 

It's more accurate to say we are keeping water, and the water keeps the fish. Having plants just makes it easier to keep the water.  😉

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I come with good updates! I can say for sure you do have to really shake those API bottles to make sure you get accurate results. Luckily my results have also been promising.

I did 30-50% water changes almost daily since I originally posted and it made a huge difference. My ammonia plummeted more and more every time and slowly my Nitrites and Nitrates both started to build. Now I am showing less Nitrites and my Nitrates are on the rise! Were doing good.

I DID pick up some SeaChem Stability and that aided in the process. I could see results with Nitrates building very quickly after using it. And I occasionally threw a little SeaChem Prime in to make sure whatever ammonia is in there, doesn't harm the fish.

I also have been growing natural greens on my driftwood! Very excited about that. Not sure how, but it sprouted on its own! I snapped a couple pics. My fish were very curious as I was taking pictures, including one of my Bronze Cory's in the last pic.

Tank-1.gif

Tank-2.gif

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