I am hoping for some advice on how to proceed with my problematic fresh water tank that just can't seem to get going.
I have been in the aquarium hobby since 2000, and had a successful little 5 gal tank for two years.
In Sept I decided to finally set up the new 33 gal tank my other half bought the year before (we thought we were moving and we wanted to wait to set it up).
This time I wanted to do a planted tank, and after some research decided on a vermiculite and laterite kitty litter substrate.
I dumped a bag of vermiculite into the empty tank and mixed it with water until mud consistency. Then I put in the kitty litter (pure laterite, no additives) and mixed it up a bit before topping it off with pea sized gravel (probably should have gone for smaller though).
I then planted java fern, two Amazon swords and a crypt before gently filling the tank with water. Everything looked great that first night- hadn't kicked up any substrate and the water was nice and clear. No sediment.
However, the very next morning to our horror, the tank had turned to milk! I thought a bacterial bloom was suppose to take three days or so to show up in a new tank? I didn't treat the water so the chlorine should have kept the bacteria level down for a couple days, right?
I was planning to do fishless cycling this time anyways, but it is now three months later and we still don't have fish because there is still cloudy water and the tank must still be cycling.
The cloudiness of the water has improved 300% at the end of the first month/month and 1/2, however it is still cloudy and I have to do water changes every 4 days to keep it on the level/slightly improve.
I have been putting a little food in the tank on a regular basis, seeded the tank with Cycle bacteria, have used BClear enzyme and Bright n Clear and tried a Green-X pouch, plus have a snail family that hatched after a month (came along with the plants obviously).
I know cycling can take quite a few weeks, but 3 months? Did I do something wrong with the substrate (I washed the gravel as usual, but didn't wash/squeeze the vermiculite as some articles have suggested....
The problem had to be nutrient based originally, but to still not have completed the cycle did I not supply enough fuel to kick start the system? The pinches of food and the snails poop is not enough I guess?
Should I try adding ammonia directly? If so, how do I do this? I am fresh water, so when people say clear liquid ammonia- do they mean the ammonia you buy in jugs to clean with? And how much do you put in the tank each time and how often+ for how long?
The plants have grown wonderfully and the snails are amusing to watch, but I am getting a bit impatient. I want fish in there!
Could someone please tell me how to proceed so I can get this tank up and running!
Thanks very much for any help!
Wishing for fishies,
tetra_girl
I have been in the aquarium hobby since 2000, and had a successful little 5 gal tank for two years.
In Sept I decided to finally set up the new 33 gal tank my other half bought the year before (we thought we were moving and we wanted to wait to set it up).
This time I wanted to do a planted tank, and after some research decided on a vermiculite and laterite kitty litter substrate.
I dumped a bag of vermiculite into the empty tank and mixed it with water until mud consistency. Then I put in the kitty litter (pure laterite, no additives) and mixed it up a bit before topping it off with pea sized gravel (probably should have gone for smaller though).
I then planted java fern, two Amazon swords and a crypt before gently filling the tank with water. Everything looked great that first night- hadn't kicked up any substrate and the water was nice and clear. No sediment.
However, the very next morning to our horror, the tank had turned to milk! I thought a bacterial bloom was suppose to take three days or so to show up in a new tank? I didn't treat the water so the chlorine should have kept the bacteria level down for a couple days, right?
I was planning to do fishless cycling this time anyways, but it is now three months later and we still don't have fish because there is still cloudy water and the tank must still be cycling.
The cloudiness of the water has improved 300% at the end of the first month/month and 1/2, however it is still cloudy and I have to do water changes every 4 days to keep it on the level/slightly improve.
I have been putting a little food in the tank on a regular basis, seeded the tank with Cycle bacteria, have used BClear enzyme and Bright n Clear and tried a Green-X pouch, plus have a snail family that hatched after a month (came along with the plants obviously).
I know cycling can take quite a few weeks, but 3 months? Did I do something wrong with the substrate (I washed the gravel as usual, but didn't wash/squeeze the vermiculite as some articles have suggested....
The problem had to be nutrient based originally, but to still not have completed the cycle did I not supply enough fuel to kick start the system? The pinches of food and the snails poop is not enough I guess?
Should I try adding ammonia directly? If so, how do I do this? I am fresh water, so when people say clear liquid ammonia- do they mean the ammonia you buy in jugs to clean with? And how much do you put in the tank each time and how often+ for how long?
The plants have grown wonderfully and the snails are amusing to watch, but I am getting a bit impatient. I want fish in there!
Could someone please tell me how to proceed so I can get this tank up and running!
Thanks very much for any help!
Wishing for fishies,
tetra_girl
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