Returning to Fish keeping with Fluval Edge

The plants in question look like Bacopa to me. It's a pretty common big box store plant. (Ya might consider moving it to the back.) As for the white gunk on it, did you wash off all the root jelly? I have no other idea as to what it might be, how it happened, or how to remove it.
 
Thanks for the plant info Blob.

All decayed plants have been removed, and I'll be removing the rest of these Petco plants once my LFS gets it's fresh batch of live plants. Thinking a few java fern and that's it since I've had good luck with them in low light aquariums I've kept in the past.

Update:

I'm still stuck in nitrite mode. Brought ammonia up to 3ppm from 0 at about 11:30 this morning, and just ran a test (nearly 8 hours later) and the nitrites have already knocked ammonia back down to nonexistent. Just re-dosed the ammonia to 3ppm. I guess it's a see-saw game from here on out. C'mon nitrates.



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they taking the scenic journey.....
 
They sure are.

So, if and when the day comes where I have 0 nitrites, I can maintain this by keeping ammonia at 3ppm if I'm not able to get livestock right away, correct? Then when I have the opportunity, and the ammonia is back to 0, I'll do the 75% water change before I leave for my LFS for fish.

Sound right?




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Yep, I usually make sure that the ammonia can be processed completely (0 ppm ammonia and nitrite) overnight. The nitrite-to-nitrate bacteria seem to take the longest to establish, just a waiting game at this point.
 
Going through the same thing now on my 55. I have modified my stock plans at least five times over the last two weeks! If this thing would just cycle then I could stop spending hours in research and just fill the dang thing up with fish!


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Thanks for the reply Pappy and Brian.

I'm processing ammonia from 3-0ppm in approximately 8 hours. I'm usually having to dose the tank with ammonia each morning and each night. I'm going to have to throw a nitrate welcoming party when they finally decide to arrive. Hoping for this weekend


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Nothing to worry about..it will die off as the tank cycles.
 
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