Water parameters have not changed.
Day 32 (5/13):
Ammonia - 2 ppm
Nitrite - .3 ppm
Nitrate - 40 ppm
Day 32 (5/13):
Ammonia - 2 ppm
Nitrite - .3 ppm
Nitrate - 40 ppm
Newbie with Red Cherry Shrimps, need help asap!
- Thread starter boobiebutt
- Start date
Yes, the light bulb is about 18 inches long. It's labeled All-Glass aquarium at 15W. The exterior on the back says 20" light fixture 19W.
Hope that helps figuring out the specs of the light your asking for.
Hope that helps figuring out the specs of the light your asking for.
Okay, good and bad news.
Bad news. 1 more out of my original 8 cherry shrimp died.. =( I'm down to 6 now.
I've done 2 water changes this week a 20-30% one and a 50-60% one yesterday and I found the dead body when I got home today. Water parameters seem normal. Ammonia, NO2 and NO3 all zero, pH 7.5. Cause of death unknown.
Day 33 (5/14):
Ammonia - 1 ppm
Nitrate - .3 ppm
Nitrate - 40 ppm
Semi-good news.
I think I've figured out why some plants are not doing so well. I think I've also figured out what has been causing the HUGE drop in pH in the cycling tank. I was trying to figure out how my pH can drop from 7.5 (tap water) to 5(in cycling tank) or below (since the chart only goes to 5) when all I've added was ammonia, Flourish, Excel.
Then it hit me. I've done a few papers this semester on ocean acidification and I think I've figured it out. CO2 mixing with ocean water causes carbonic acid which is slightly acidic. Increase amounts of CO2 in water causes a drop in pH. So far out of the 30+ days, I've only done maybe 3 water changes? I honestly don't even remember but I have been trying to fert at least once a week. I dose smaller amounts of Excel since I've read Vals tend to melt with the large doses of Excel.
I've asked but never got an answer if Excel since it's liquid and not gaseous, stays in the water column longer even with the use of an air pump powered sponge filter. The increase surface movement from the air stone should not be removing excess carbon from the water column, therefore decreasing the pH of my water. At the start of my cycle my tank's water was probably 7.5 which is my tap water. I tested a few days ago and my pH was 5 or below. I did a water change after that to remove some dead plant material and replaced about 25% of the water and my pH increased to about 6.0.
Can a drop in pH slow the growth or melt the plants in the tank? Would excess amounts of Nitrate cause an issue for plants?
Does this mean I should stop dosing Excel altogether because I lowers my pH? Or should I just increase water changes because I've been told I shouldn't during a fishless cycle?
Should I do a mass water change to stablize my pH (to try to save the plants) before I continue my fishless cycle or will a huge mass water change offset my progress with the fishless cycle so far?
Can anyone verify if Excel since it's in liquid form stays in the water column even with excess surface movement which normally releases CO2 out of the water?
Comon with over 1600 views, I'm sure some of you guys can answer the questions I've been asking while logging my cycle process....
EDIT: Upon further thought, I also cut down the 10-12 hours the lights were on to about 5 since I had a huge outbreak in hair algae. The lights being on only for about 5 hours a day might have cut down the productivity of the plants and reduce the amounts of excel, ferts, nutrient intake. That might be associated with the decrease in pH.
Bad news. 1 more out of my original 8 cherry shrimp died.. =( I'm down to 6 now.
I've done 2 water changes this week a 20-30% one and a 50-60% one yesterday and I found the dead body when I got home today. Water parameters seem normal. Ammonia, NO2 and NO3 all zero, pH 7.5. Cause of death unknown.
Day 33 (5/14):
Ammonia - 1 ppm
Nitrate - .3 ppm
Nitrate - 40 ppm
Semi-good news.
I think I've figured out why some plants are not doing so well. I think I've also figured out what has been causing the HUGE drop in pH in the cycling tank. I was trying to figure out how my pH can drop from 7.5 (tap water) to 5(in cycling tank) or below (since the chart only goes to 5) when all I've added was ammonia, Flourish, Excel.
Then it hit me. I've done a few papers this semester on ocean acidification and I think I've figured it out. CO2 mixing with ocean water causes carbonic acid which is slightly acidic. Increase amounts of CO2 in water causes a drop in pH. So far out of the 30+ days, I've only done maybe 3 water changes? I honestly don't even remember but I have been trying to fert at least once a week. I dose smaller amounts of Excel since I've read Vals tend to melt with the large doses of Excel.
I've asked but never got an answer if Excel since it's liquid and not gaseous, stays in the water column longer even with the use of an air pump powered sponge filter. The increase surface movement from the air stone should not be removing excess carbon from the water column, therefore decreasing the pH of my water. At the start of my cycle my tank's water was probably 7.5 which is my tap water. I tested a few days ago and my pH was 5 or below. I did a water change after that to remove some dead plant material and replaced about 25% of the water and my pH increased to about 6.0.
Can a drop in pH slow the growth or melt the plants in the tank? Would excess amounts of Nitrate cause an issue for plants?
Does this mean I should stop dosing Excel altogether because I lowers my pH? Or should I just increase water changes because I've been told I shouldn't during a fishless cycle?
Should I do a mass water change to stablize my pH (to try to save the plants) before I continue my fishless cycle or will a huge mass water change offset my progress with the fishless cycle so far?
Can anyone verify if Excel since it's in liquid form stays in the water column even with excess surface movement which normally releases CO2 out of the water?
Comon with over 1600 views, I'm sure some of you guys can answer the questions I've been asking while logging my cycle process....
EDIT: Upon further thought, I also cut down the 10-12 hours the lights were on to about 5 since I had a huge outbreak in hair algae. The lights being on only for about 5 hours a day might have cut down the productivity of the plants and reduce the amounts of excel, ferts, nutrient intake. That might be associated with the decrease in pH.
Last edited:
Okay. All but maybe 2 of my crypt plants are melted except 2 holding on for dear life. I'm going to do water changes all today until my pH is at 7.5 and then add for 2 ppm of ammonia. hopefully there is enough bacteria on the sand substrate and sponge filter that it won't throw off my fishless cycle process by much.
Water parameters before the test and after water changes will be coming in a bit. I just woke up. -_-
Water parameters before the test and after water changes will be coming in a bit. I just woke up. -_-
I forgot to test water parameters before the water changes.
But I did a 40% water change, filled it with new water, and then processed to do another 10% water change.
Day 34 (5/15):
Ammonia - .25 to .5 ppm
Nitrite - <0.3 ppm
Nitrate - 40 ppm (I find it really odd that the Nitrates do not change even with a huge water change)
The pH is now 7.0. I will do another decently size water change Sat. or Sun. and bring it back up to 7.5. Added a little ammonia to bring it to 1-2 ppm approximately.
I also stopped dosing ferts altogether to see if that improves the overall health of my plants. The Vals still are producing lots of new plants but the original plants that I got, a lot are melting. The Crypts are barely surviving. The Nana petites are growing REALLY fast no matter what the water parameters are.
2.5 gallon
After this tank got small amounts of planaria, I stopped feeding as much. Most of them disappeared and I rarely see anymore. I suppose the shrimp and snails can eat the shrimp that passed away last night and I would not feed for 2 days. There is about 1/4 of the shrimp left on the bottom of the tank.
But I did a 40% water change, filled it with new water, and then processed to do another 10% water change.
Day 34 (5/15):
Ammonia - .25 to .5 ppm
Nitrite - <0.3 ppm
Nitrate - 40 ppm (I find it really odd that the Nitrates do not change even with a huge water change)
The pH is now 7.0. I will do another decently size water change Sat. or Sun. and bring it back up to 7.5. Added a little ammonia to bring it to 1-2 ppm approximately.
I also stopped dosing ferts altogether to see if that improves the overall health of my plants. The Vals still are producing lots of new plants but the original plants that I got, a lot are melting. The Crypts are barely surviving. The Nana petites are growing REALLY fast no matter what the water parameters are.
2.5 gallon
After this tank got small amounts of planaria, I stopped feeding as much. Most of them disappeared and I rarely see anymore. I suppose the shrimp and snails can eat the shrimp that passed away last night and I would not feed for 2 days. There is about 1/4 of the shrimp left on the bottom of the tank.
Day 35 (5/16): N/A
Day 36 (5/17):
Ammonia - .25 to .5 ppm
Nitrite - .8 ppm
Nitrates - 40 ppm
I did a large 50% water change just moments ago. I'm attempting to balance out the pH of my water and save my plants since I have no idea what else can be causing them to wilt and melt. Also added 1 mL of ammonia and I'll update the post/thread with water parameters after the water change in about 1-2 hours after the ammonia distributes itself in the tank.
updates on 2.5 gallon:
It seems like I'm missing shrimp now. I count only 4 out of 6 that was left after the last previous death of a shrimp on 5/15. I do not see any dead bodies, skeletons, or any remains. I highly doubt 4 shrimp and a few baby snails could finish 2 adult shrimps in less then 1 day of me checking on my tank.
Did a quick 15% water change. I think I will do smaller water changes more often on this tank. It seems doing 25-50% water changes twice a week is not enough. I keep losing shrimp. =(
updating in 1-2 hours.
Day 36 (5/17):
Ammonia - .25 to .5 ppm
Nitrite - .8 ppm
Nitrates - 40 ppm
I did a large 50% water change just moments ago. I'm attempting to balance out the pH of my water and save my plants since I have no idea what else can be causing them to wilt and melt. Also added 1 mL of ammonia and I'll update the post/thread with water parameters after the water change in about 1-2 hours after the ammonia distributes itself in the tank.
updates on 2.5 gallon:
It seems like I'm missing shrimp now. I count only 4 out of 6 that was left after the last previous death of a shrimp on 5/15. I do not see any dead bodies, skeletons, or any remains. I highly doubt 4 shrimp and a few baby snails could finish 2 adult shrimps in less then 1 day of me checking on my tank.
Did a quick 15% water change. I think I will do smaller water changes more often on this tank. It seems doing 25-50% water changes twice a week is not enough. I keep losing shrimp. =(
updating in 1-2 hours.
Ammonia - 1 ppm
Nitrite - .3 ppm
Nitrate - 20 ppm
Another thing I noticed was I use a small white plastic sauce cup to feed the shrimp/snails so the clean up is easier. What I previously though to be unmature uncolored shrimp are actually clear blue shrimp. I've only noticed 1 of them being lightly colored blue. I wonder if the rest of the uncolored ones are blue.
If it does indeed color up to be a true blue pearl shrimp, do they interbreed with red cherry shrimp?
Nitrite - .3 ppm
Nitrate - 20 ppm
Another thing I noticed was I use a small white plastic sauce cup to feed the shrimp/snails so the clean up is easier. What I previously though to be unmature uncolored shrimp are actually clear blue shrimp. I've only noticed 1 of them being lightly colored blue. I wonder if the rest of the uncolored ones are blue.
If it does indeed color up to be a true blue pearl shrimp, do they interbreed with red cherry shrimp?
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Day 36 (5/18):
Ammonia - .5
Nitrite - N/A (liquid test kit ran out)
Nitrate - 20 ppm
I will need to buy a nitrite test kit tomorrow and continue testing.
After the massive amounts of water changes I've done recently, I've seem to stabilized the pH at 7.5 as of the 17th. But over a 24 hour period, it has dropped back to 7.0. I have not done anything to this tank but add enough ammonia to continue the cycle at about 1-2 ppm. I will do another decently large water change tomorrow and try to stabilize the pH once again and add enough ammonia for 1-2 ppm.
Ammonia - .5
Nitrite - N/A (liquid test kit ran out)
Nitrate - 20 ppm
I will need to buy a nitrite test kit tomorrow and continue testing.
After the massive amounts of water changes I've done recently, I've seem to stabilized the pH at 7.5 as of the 17th. But over a 24 hour period, it has dropped back to 7.0. I have not done anything to this tank but add enough ammonia to continue the cycle at about 1-2 ppm. I will do another decently large water change tomorrow and try to stabilize the pH once again and add enough ammonia for 1-2 ppm.
Update on 2.5 gallon.
I'm not sure if this is good or bad news but I counted 4 of the 6 shrimp that was left. Not 3.... =| I have no idea where they r disappearing to. Or if they die that the snails and shrimps are eating them at a crazy rate cause I did not see any body parts what so ever these past few days.
Day 37 (5/19):
Ammonia - .25 ppm
Nitrite - 1 ppm
Nitrate - 20 ppm
The pH was at 7.0 so I did a 25% water change just now. I will retest with new water parameters and pH in about 1-2 hours. I added about 2 mL of ammonia.
I'm not sure if this is good or bad news but I counted 4 of the 6 shrimp that was left. Not 3.... =| I have no idea where they r disappearing to. Or if they die that the snails and shrimps are eating them at a crazy rate cause I did not see any body parts what so ever these past few days.
Day 37 (5/19):
Ammonia - .25 ppm
Nitrite - 1 ppm
Nitrate - 20 ppm
The pH was at 7.0 so I did a 25% water change just now. I will retest with new water parameters and pH in about 1-2 hours. I added about 2 mL of ammonia.
