Is there a ground cover plant that doesn’t grow like crazy (I don’t want to have to be trimming ) that I can do without fertilizers and CO2? I like the looks of the groundcover but need something that will work on gravel.
Fishless Cycle
- Thread starter railer20
- Start date
OK you are clearly moving in the right direction. We are looking now to do the snack dose in my article. Because yours is not the typical fishless cycle and we had to do a reset, this will cause me to modify those directions somewhat.
After the second ammonia addition (Dose #2), while waiting for nitrite to rise, peak and drop, the bacteria will need a maintenance feeding (Dose #3). Give the bacteria a “snack” by adding 1/3 of the full dose when you get two consecutive every other day ammonia test readings of 0 ppm,. This “snack” (Dose #3) should be needed somewhere between days 21 and 27 of the cycle. Only a single snack dose is needed.
Ignore the every other day and as soon as you get a 0 for ammonia and there is still nitrite, do the snack dose. Normally I would expect nitrite likely to be rising here, but you are not starting with almost no nitrite bacteria. So you may not see much more of a rise. Because you are using the powder form of ammonium chloride here is how you will get 1/3 of 1/4 teaspoon into the tank.
Get an 8 ounce measuring cup. Fill it with tank water to the 3/4 (6 oz) line. Then add 1/4 teaspoon of the ammonium chloride to the cup. Mix it so that it is all dissolved. Then add 2 oz. of this mixture to the tank and throw out the rest (4 oz)..
Now continue following the article directions as to when you should add Dose #4 which would use 1/4 teaspoon of the ammonium chloride:
"After the maintenance feeding (snack Dose #3), whenever you test and ammonia is .25 ppm or lower and nitrite is clearly under 1 ppm, it is time to add another full ammonia dose (Dose #4) and then test in 24 hours. "
My guess is you will likley be at this point after tommorow morning's test. I will check you numbers then.
Are you feeling more relaxed and less stressed now?
After the second ammonia addition (Dose #2), while waiting for nitrite to rise, peak and drop, the bacteria will need a maintenance feeding (Dose #3). Give the bacteria a “snack” by adding 1/3 of the full dose when you get two consecutive every other day ammonia test readings of 0 ppm,. This “snack” (Dose #3) should be needed somewhere between days 21 and 27 of the cycle. Only a single snack dose is needed.
Ignore the every other day and as soon as you get a 0 for ammonia and there is still nitrite, do the snack dose. Normally I would expect nitrite likely to be rising here, but you are not starting with almost no nitrite bacteria. So you may not see much more of a rise. Because you are using the powder form of ammonium chloride here is how you will get 1/3 of 1/4 teaspoon into the tank.
Get an 8 ounce measuring cup. Fill it with tank water to the 3/4 (6 oz) line. Then add 1/4 teaspoon of the ammonium chloride to the cup. Mix it so that it is all dissolved. Then add 2 oz. of this mixture to the tank and throw out the rest (4 oz)..
Now continue following the article directions as to when you should add Dose #4 which would use 1/4 teaspoon of the ammonium chloride:
"After the maintenance feeding (snack Dose #3), whenever you test and ammonia is .25 ppm or lower and nitrite is clearly under 1 ppm, it is time to add another full ammonia dose (Dose #4) and then test in 24 hours. "
My guess is you will likley be at this point after tommorow morning's test. I will check you numbers then.
Are you feeling more relaxed and less stressed now?
OK you are clearly moving in the right direction. We are looking now to do the snack dose in my article. Because yours is not the typical fishless cycle and we had to do a reset, this will cause me to modify those directions somewhat.
After the second ammonia addition (Dose #2), while waiting for nitrite to rise, peak and drop, the bacteria will need a maintenance feeding (Dose #3). Give the bacteria a “snack” by adding 1/3 of the full dose when you get two consecutive every other day ammonia test readings of 0 ppm,. This “snack” (Dose #3) should be needed somewhere between days 21 and 27 of the cycle. Only a single snack dose is needed.
Ignore the every other day and as soon as you get a 0 for ammonia and there is still nitrite, do the snack dose. Normally I would expect nitrite likely to be rising here, but you are not starting with almost no nitrite bacteria. So you may not see much more of a rise. Because you are using the powder form of ammonium chloride here is how you will get 1/3 of 1/4 teaspoon into the tank.
Get an 8 ounce measuring cup. Fill it with tank water to the 3/4 (6 oz) line. Then add 1/4 teaspoon of the ammonium chloride to the cup. Mix it so that it is all dissolved. Then add 2 oz. of this mixture to the tank and throw out the rest (4 oz)..
Now continue following the article directions as to when you should add Dose #4 which would use 1/4 teaspoon of the ammonium chloride:
"After the maintenance feeding (snack Dose #3), whenever you test and ammonia is .25 ppm or lower and nitrite is clearly under 1 ppm, it is time to add another full ammonia dose (Dose #4) and then test in 24 hours. "
My guess is you will likley be at this point after tommorow morning's test. I will check you numbers then.
Are you feeling more relaxed and less stressed now?
lol not really! I get stressed easy though! Basically now I am waiting for a zero reading on ammonia and when I get that do the snack dose?
Ground covers are difficult especially in gravel. Look at anubias nana petite. It has small 1/4-1/2 inch dark green leaves & grows slowly. It could be attached to a small rock & placed on the substrate. It needs to have its "rhizome" (the sideways stem that both leaves & roots grow from) just a slight bit above the gravel.
We can discuss plants later after your tank is cycled
We don't want you to be more stressed...but you could think about fish you might like...I'm sure we'll have opinions on them too, lol. See? It's already a fun hobby 
Ground covers are difficult especially in gravel. Look at anubias nana petite. It has small 1/4-1/2 inch dark green leaves & grows slowly. It could be attached to a small rock & placed on the substrate. It needs to have its "rhizome" (the sideways stem that both leaves & roots grow from) just a slight bit above the gravel.
We can discuss plants later after your tank is cycled
lol yea no more stress! I was thinking about this for my fish:
Be careful selecting gender ratios for the pearl gouramis, good choice, they're beautiful & peaceful! You'll want 1 male & 2 females. Same sorta thing with threadfins; 3 males & 5 females or similar ratio, 4M & 6 F.
Nerites I only have very limited experience with, they should be last in the tank. Try 1 before you get more.
See, wasn't that kinda fun to think ahead to fish? Ommm...tank is almost cycled...it is a fun hobby!
Nerites I only have very limited experience with, they should be last in the tank. Try 1 before you get more.
See, wasn't that kinda fun to think ahead to fish? Ommm...tank is almost cycled...it is a fun hobby!
yep tried to read up on them and T TwoTankAmin gave me some good articles. Originally was going to do two Pearl and two dwarfs but had several advise against it.
