Cycling, a snail, and Ph...three in one :)

AquaOwner871

AquaOwner871

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Feb 16, 2007
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My 10g tank has 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 10 nitrate. My aquarium is done cycling, right? Well, it has only been 8 days. I have a snail, 2 crypts(live plants), and a piece of driftwood. The live plants came from an established tank, so would this have helped?

My apple snail that is in my tank acts healthy and curious, eats anything it can get it mouth on, and moves around the tank like he is the boss...which I think he is...My snail has wierd stuff going on though on his shell. On the "point" it looks like someone dipped it in bleech, Which was not ME!! It is white I mean white, and looks like the black part is flaking off. His original color is black with a greenish strips going through. Very pretty I think, but the white does not look natural. But can snails change colors, or is this something else??

Last but not least, My Ph has sky rocketed! It was 7.8-8.0 yesterday which is way to high for the fish I am playing on putting in. Now today it has climbed dramatically, drum roll...8.8 or higher!! I am planning on going to a LFS to get a Ph reducer that is good for live plants (didn't read the label last time). But what might be causing this dramatic increase? How can I fix it?...with just Ph reducer or is there something else I can do??


Thanks Guys:dog:
 
In general I've always felt using ph 'fixers' will generally cause more issues than it will solve. What sort of ph test are you using? Also have you tried testing the ph of your tap water after it has sat out overnight? What if any chemicals have you put into the aquarium? Also what sort of substrate are you using? I'm generally curious as to what is causing your ph to go up that high.

As for your cycle I don't believe I would call the aquarium cycled yet. 10ppm of nitrate is actually what is allowed in tap water. If you haven't tested your tap water for nitrates you may want to try that. If your counting on the snail to be your ammonia producer I don't believe that will be sufficient. If you have been adding ammonia to the aquarium then the aquarium is most likely cycled, but at the same time that may be what has happened to your snail.
 
yes, you're done cycling

how old is your snail? they sometimes flake their shells as they age, it can also indicate too low a pH but obviously that's not the problem. try putting some calcium in their for him, it may help.

do you have any rocks in there? whats the substrate? what kind of fish do you want to add? you can lower it by putting in driftwood and peat, but you must first find the source of your woes.
 
My substrate is Eco-Complete, my test kit is Freshwater Master Test Kit by API, I don't have any rocks but I do have driftwood. The fish I want to add are some cories, and a betta...and maybe another catfish or a loner/couple fish that my Betta won't attack. And I don't know how old my snail is...he is about an 1" in length and alittle less in height.

I am planning on adding granite rocks, and more live plants.
 
Hound said:
In general I've always felt using ph 'fixers' will generally cause more issues than it will solve. What sort of ph test are you using? Also have you tried testing the ph of your tap water after it has sat out overnight? What if any chemicals have you put into the aquarium? Also what sort of substrate are you using? I'm generally curious as to what is causing your ph to go up that high.

As for your cycle I don't believe I would call the aquarium cycled yet. 10ppm of nitrate is actually what is allowed in tap water. If you haven't tested your tap water for nitrates you may want to try that. If your counting on the snail to be your ammonia producer I don't believe that will be sufficient. If you have been adding ammonia to the aquarium then the aquarium is most likely cycled, but at the same time that may be what has happened to your snail.
Click to expand...

i agree.
 
I checked my tap water nitrate levels and they are either 0-5, and my nitrate is 10-15 and my amonia is still 0, and nitrite is 0. My Ph has gone down, 8.0. I added my Betta and cories to the set, Betta gets along fine with cories...thank god. And hoping to get much more live plants (well 2-4). I have added calcium to my tank and my snail's shell seems to be subsiding with the white. Will feed him spinich when I go to the store.

Thanks for the Replies!:dog:
Will post pics. soon of final product!
 
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