SeaDevl Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 Hi all, so i put water in my new tank on New Years Eve.. a few plants a couple of days later.. been adding easy green and small amounts of fish food(no fish yet).. my Ph has been steady around 7, almost no Ammonia,Nitrites or Nitrates.. I planted a few more plants on Jan 20 and today Jan 22 i have: Ph 7.2 Ammonia 0.5 N02 0.5 No3 20 .. Do you guys think this is my Ammonia spike happening..? Want to add a few Nerite snails and maybe a small Pleco or some Catfish but think i should wait a few more days now until my numbers come back down.. Please share your wisdom! I want to put some lifeforms in there but don't want to go too early.. Thanks for any help.. Regards, Seadevl Ammonia Spike not Algae..🙄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 You may be getting some ammonia from the breakdown of some of the plants and leaves. Have you tested your tap water? Some tap has some ammonia. It may take a little bit more time and water changes to get the quantity of beneficial bacteria to handle the bioload fish will give you. Nerite would be a good choice a couple of ramshorn snails could help too. I would wait on the pleco, would make that my last addition as you want sufficient biofilm for them to eat along with wood, fresh veggies and algae wafers. You’ll be cycled when your ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0 and nitrate is 5 or greater. Have you been adding an ammonia source while cycling? Some of us “ghost feed” essentially adding an amount of ammonia and nitrogen to help the bacteria grow. What is the size of the tank? Filtration? Substrate? Lighting? Picture can help as well. Do you have any green algae yet? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottieB Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 Sounds like your off to a good start! Your test numbers look like you reached the end of a traditional nitrogen cycle. Things seem to be doing well If your getting nitrate values, so I wouldn’t put too much value in the ammonia. I would think your safe to start adding livestock? What size is the tank and what’s the rest of your setup like? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaDevl Posted January 23, 2022 Author Share Posted January 23, 2022 thanks.. its a 20gal long med sponge filter with airstone, gravel substrate with dragon rock and a cholla log(?), hygger led light on its own timer.. No green algae but some cloudiness on the glass, some clear looking algae on some plant leaves.. i am addicted to this hobby and i don't have any fish yet! current pic.. Thanks again! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 You’re really close. I think it’ll look great when those plants grow in. I would consider a small hydor korralia pump to circulate the water or putting a power head on that medium sponge. Grab a nerite snail and let it go to town on the biofilm in there. If it or some ramshorns look like they’re doing well and your nitrite is 0 I’d go ahead and start stocking. I would start with a hardy fish to start - harlequin or porkchop rasboras, black neon tetras, cherry barbs. These are fish that can handle a wide range of parameters and look great. In a 20 long I’d do a group of 5-7 to start. Watch your parameters and wait a couple weeks or a month. Then continue to stock. Glad your enjoying the process. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 On 1/23/2022 at 2:27 AM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said: You’re really close. I think it’ll look great when those plants grow in. I would consider a small hydor korralia pump to circulate the water or putting a power head on that medium sponge. This is excellent advice. Pleco like very oxygenated water and enjoy some current. Patience is the key to success in this hobby. Every time I try to rush things I regret it. I still have no patience after a lifetime of fish keeping but this hobby has at least taught me by sheer repercussions not to rush things and even sometimes wait a bit extra for good measure. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 With dragon stone and cholla logs it’s always taken me alot longer than other setups to get the algae and film growing. Couldn’t tell you why that is. I really like your setup so I hesitate telling you to add anything but maybe as a temporary thing you could add a softwood driftwood piece to kickstart the bacteria and algae growing process. It will also double as a food source for a pleco later on. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 @Biotope Biologisttotally agree! The other thing that could help would be some Indian almond leaves which are great for a number of reasons but my plecos always return to them for a little nibble. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 It’s looking good and on the way to being cycled! It looks like you have some epiphyte plants with their rhizomes buried in the gravel. That can cause them to rot. For both the Anubias and Java fern I’d attach them to the hardscape with superglue or string. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaDevl Posted January 24, 2022 Author Share Posted January 24, 2022 Great advice.. Question: if i attach the co-op powerhead, should i use the airstone separately, or modify the lifttube and keep it in the sponge filter..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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