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Newly planted tank with high ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and not fish. (Newby Sorry)


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I just planted my first planted 10 gal aquarium after much research and study but I wasn't as prepared as I thought. There are no fish in the tank and I first cycled the tank with Seachem Stability and old filters from my 55 gal established tank. I have small gravel substrate with Java fern, dwarf hairgrass, lily bud, and anubias petite in there. I used the root tabs (12) below the substrate before I planted and that's it. My amonia , Nitrite, and nirate was off the charts when tested with the Topfin master kit. My local aquarium shop just told me to change the water to get the ammonia down. I am four days in and I have changed the water every day but is that correct? My reading come down and then spike again. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks 

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Maybe some tetras and snails. No big plans. I just want to learn the plant side of the business right now. I ordered a CO2 injection system so that should help. Any ideas on the chemistry. Am I focusing on the wrong parameters? I watched the Aquascape University guide yesterday but there was no mention of ammonia, only GH,KH, and PH. That test kit will be here tomorrow. 

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If I read the above correctly, you used 12 root tabs correct? 12 root tabs in a 10 gallon tank is an insane amount 😁. I would do a massive and thorough gravel vacuum and a few 100% water changes if the above is true.

Going forward, I would not use root tabs just "because", wait for signs of deficiency. Even then, root tabs are just not necessary.

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 Correction, it was 9 root (Aquarium Co-Op)tabs but even though that may be too much. Moving forward, should I have just planted into  the substrate with only a squirt of the fertilizer in the water and no root tabs? With no fish poop for food, will the plants be ok to just stick in the substrate? I may be in over my head. Very discouraging. I know it is self inflicted, I just cannot find answers to the grey areas I have. I will remove everything tomorrow and start over. Just water, substrate, and plants and the light of course. 

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The plants will be fine, they are probably loving it! Algae loves it too and and that's the problem. Yes, I would just do a low dose of an all in one until the tank gets situated. Just do a gravel vacuum and some good water changes. Try to hold Nitrates at 10ppm. If ammonia getd above 2ppm, do a water change and try to keep it below 2ppm.

Don't start over unless that's just less work. You'll be fine, just need to lean out the nutrients until things get rolling.

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Sounds like a plan. Thanks everyone and sorry for the newby ignorance. I only wish I had gotten into the hobby earlier in life. I never new I would like aquariums as much as I do. I got into this so that my twin (5 year old) boys could have a hobby to keep them busy and out of trouble. I think I am enjoying it more than they are tho.  

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On 8/2/2022 at 6:05 PM, anitstuk said:

Don't feel embarrased or worried of making mistakes in this hobby. We all were newbies at one point:)

Seriously, don't worry about asking questions. Especially in this forum. The folks here are super chill and happy to share information.  On that note.  I too started with a 10g planted tank (about a year ago, up to 3 tanks now)  and no idea what I was doing. Unlike you, I killed a whole bunch of fish and plants before looking for answers.    

To second the advice already provided, you don't need to give your plants a ton of fertilizer right away. Some require root tabs and some are water column feeders.  Use the time while your new tank is cycling to learn more about the plants themselves.  Some of them need a lot of food and some very little.  The amount of light and other factors also influence the plant's nutritional needs.  Here is a good post from the AC blog about identifying plant problems.  https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/plant-nutrient-deficiencies.  

On 8/2/2022 at 8:08 PM, Bertman35769 said:

Sounds like a plan. Thanks everyone and sorry for the newby ignorance. I only wish I had gotten into the hobby earlier in life. I never new I would like aquariums as much as I do. I got into this so that my twin (5 year old) boys could have a hobby to keep them busy and out of trouble. I think I am enjoying it more than they are tho.  

Ha ha... Love it.  I got my second tank when my 8-year-old complained about all the time I spent in her room "playing" with the fish.   

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Thanks again everyone! I'm always one to share the knowledge if I have it and all of you have made me feel better about my situation by sharing your experience and knowledge with me. I will post an update in a few days and let ya'll know how its going. 

 

Cheers!

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On 8/2/2022 at 8:57 PM, Bertman35769 said:

with Java fern, dwarf hairgrass, lily bud, and anubias petite

Be sure not to plant the java fern or the anubias nana petite.  The roots need to be exposed because those types of plants need to get their nutrients from the water column.  They can be tied to the decorations in the tank with string or super glued on, but you have to get the super glue "gel" - look for cyanoacrylate on the ingredients.  I probably spelled that wrong.

The lily bulb should be only partially buried also.

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Holy cow! Thanks CITS, I planted mine...😟 I will get it out as soon as I get home. Also thanks again for all of the support form you guys!!! (I'm working nights right now so the context may not make sense) When I got home this morning I performed a 100% water change and when i woke today and checked the chemistry, everything but the nitrates was spot on!!😃 What is the best way to increase my nitrates? Fertilizer?? 

I will order some glue right now as I am using sewing thread which is so darn thin and difficult to tie in a knot at my age... One last question, I hope.. Do I still need to keep adding bacteria to the tank? I used the stability from seachem and dosed for 7 days along with one dose of Topfin instant bacteria. How do i know when I have enough bacteria? (another newby question)

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On 8/3/2022 at 7:40 PM, Bertman35769 said:

Holy cow! Thanks CITS, I planted mine...😟 I will get it out as soon as I get home. Also thanks again for all of the support form you guys!!! (I'm working nights right now so the context may not make sense) When I got home this morning I performed a 100% water change and when i woke today and checked the chemistry, everything but the nitrates was spot on!!😃 What is the best way to increase my nitrates? Fertilizer?? 

I will order some glue right now as I am using sewing thread which is so darn thin and difficult to tie in a knot at my age... One last question, I hope.. Do I still need to keep adding bacteria to the tank? I used the stability from seachem and dosed for 7 days along with one dose of Topfin instant bacteria. How do i know when I have enough bacteria? (another newby question)

This is such a good video that relates to this topic. It helped me a lot. Your aquarium is going to go through a cycle. It starts with ammonia (toxic to fish). The presence of ammonia “invites” a beneficial bacteria that eats it. 
 

That bacteria gives off nitrites (toxic to fish). The presence of nitrites invite a different bacteria that likes to munch on it.

That bacteria is going to give off nitrates (ok for fish if not too high). This takes time. But the good news is, plants consume all 3 things! Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Therefore you don’t need to add the fertilizer yet to get the nitrates. You just need to allow the cycle to occur. Adding bacteria does speed up the cycle though. Since you did a 100% water change, and “if” you plan to add fish soon, then go ahead and dose the bacteria again. 

nitrogen cycle in general- start here:

Watch this one second. More info on the cycle- plants involved:

And for fun- how to glue Java fern or anubias to rocks (what part of the plant to glue, etc)

 

On 8/3/2022 at 7:40 PM, Bertman35769 said:

I planted mine...😟 I will get it out as soon as I get home

By the way this happens all the time!  Don’t worry 😊

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OK quick update = It has been 5 days since my last update. I bought the RO buddy for my water changes and I've been able to keep my GH and KH around 4 most of the time. Also I am using CO2 injection as have been monitoring the levels and all is good there. My plants seem to be doing good. I did see my Nitrates are staying around 10ppm. Is there anything else I may be missing or not looking at that you guys can point out? I still have NO fish right now and I believe my cycle did complete as I monitored the ammonia levels daily and all of that appears in low parameters. Anyway, Thanks for reading and guidance. 

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You don’t need to apologize for being a “newbie”… we were ALL exactly where you are once… some of us more recently than others, but just the same (we will not discuss the poor fish that I’ve lost in the past from just not knowing the right info)! 
 

Before  I found this forum, I had belonged to a few groups on social media and some of them weren’t very nice to new hobbyists- almost an elitist attitude. But you WONT find that here! Everyone here is super helpful and passionate about their hobby and very willing to help others learn to! I ask questions all of the time for things I’m unsure of and never had anyone been anything but helpful! I am always happy to help someone else with what I learn. This forum is pretty much a “no-judgement” zone!

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On 8/10/2022 at 3:53 PM, Bertman35769 said:

OK quick update = It has been 5 days since my last update. I bought the RO buddy for my water changes and I've been able to keep my GH and KH around 4 most of the time. Also I am using CO2 injection as have been monitoring the levels and all is good there. My plants seem to be doing good. I did see my Nitrates are staying around 10ppm. Is there anything else I may be missing or not looking at that you guys can point out? I still have NO fish right now and I believe my cycle did complete as I monitored the ammonia levels daily and all of that appears in low parameters. Anyway, Thanks for reading and guidance. 

PXL_20220810_194726221.jpg

You want to be checking “the big 3”. Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

You've already had ammonia, and if you’re not getting readings on that, you’re on at least phase 2: nitrite. You’ll want to be testing for that.

Generally once the presence of nitrAte is there we’d say a cycle is complete or nearly complete, however, you are using fertilizers and those add nitrates. Therefore we can’t really say it’s bacteria that is creating the nitrate. If you are consistently getting zeroes on ammonia and nitrite though, you’re on the home stretch!

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@Bertman35769 looks like you are doing a great job with your new tank! I really like the layout. I was in the same place you were a few weeks ago. Cycling a new tank with plants. I have gravel substrate and only used root tabs under the "root feeding plants" like my red melon sword and crypts.  Typically time works out most issues when it comes to the hobby.   Keep asking questions, watch Co-op's videos to learn more.  We are all learning, my KH was super low yesterday I and I had a mild freak out! What is in your 55 gallon? Oh, and I keep a small sponge filter in my 29 gallon for a just in case I need a QT or hospital tank. I use a medium sponge filter for my main filtration. Lastly, my peacock gudgeon was "missing" in my tank. I was mildly worried, until my kid walked in the room and said (pointing to tank) you mean this fish?  UGH.  🤪

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OK so, my Ammonia is almost gone considering it was 1 ppm 4 days ago. My nitrite is currently .50ppm an my Nitrate is 5ppm. Thanks for asking Chick-In-Of-TheSeaI am not panning to do anything else at this point except weekly water changes and keeping and eye on KH, GH, & PH right? 

 

I agree all the way CK with the sponge filter. I used mine to cycle my Betta tank and this planted one as well. My 55 has cory's, angles, red tail shark (carp), gourami, tetra, pleco, and a few snails. The mystery snails are my favorite. I have never had to clean the algae in my 55 so far. I must have done something right so far! Not a bad tank for a Petsmart package. I have added an external heater controller and a UPS on its way. Also some glass lids which is a must IMO. 

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Love it!  
You are doing the right thing. Probably there are differing opinions on this, but I would skip the water changes and just let the bacteria do its thing. Not much reason to change water unless fish/inverts are in the tank and some kind of parameter exists at a level that is unsafe for them. Also live plants will consume ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to some degree. Live plants actually like that stuff.*
 

*source: Ecology of the Planted Aquarium

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