55 Gallon, And All My Mistakes

[Squeegeatc]

Over 2 weeks of fighting, and this is the breakdown........every day, despite what I do, there is ammonia in the water.   It is rarely higher than .25ppm, but it also never reads lower.  Even with using Prime or ammonia remover.   When it seems to read higher than .25ppm I dose it, and it goes back to .25.  but NEVER do I get the yellow 0 reading on the API test. 
 
We ended up loosing all but 3 neons (originally 10) and my Red Wag platy.  But she was several years old, so I'm not sure what the actual COD was.  We went 2 weeks of no loss, and at this point I'm beginning to suspect that my ammonia test may be off.  On Friday I added 3 rasboras, to up my shoal to 6, and a water wysteria.   The other thing fell apart, so I trashed it.  The mossball is still in there. 
 
Husband was headed on a sort road trip, so I asked him to scope out a few LFS.  I'm looking for cherry shrimp and Kuhli loaches.   NOT right now, but just trying to find a decent place to purchase from.  True to from, he came home Saturday with a single cherry (that was all they had) and a Bamboo shrimp (Singapore Flower shrimp is another name)  Now I'm trying to do my research...sure enough...that poor bamboo shrimp probably isn't going to survive.  I have only seen him a handful of times, trying to fan the water.   I was going to head to the store and buy some sort of fry food for him, but I havnt' seen him in over 24 hours.   I'm hoping that he just isn't hungry, but it is much more likely that he climbed out of the tank.  And with cats, he was an expensive snack.  The cherry shrimp darted into cover the first moment and hasn't been seen since. 
 
Next step, continue to keep an eye on the water.  And I need some form of low growing, grass/carpet for the EVENTUAL cherry shrimp to live in. 
 
Summary.... 78 degrees  PH 8.2  ammonia 0.25 ppm, nitrite 0, nitrate trace.
                    Plants--moss ball and water wysteria
                    Stock--1 platy, 1 BlackSkirt Tetra, 1 guppy, 3 neons, 6 rasboras, possibly 1 RCS and 1 Bamboo Shrimp
                    55 gallon freshwater, gravel and sand substrate

 

[daizeUK]

I feel for you!  It sounds like you're doing your best.  I've sometimes been frustrated that my husband takes no interest in my fish but now I'm starting to feel grateful that he just lets me get on with it and doesn't interfere!
 
I think your suspicion that your API test may be off may be correct.  API tests are known for not being terribly accurate and they can often appear to give a low reading when there is actually nothing.  Prime itself can give a false ammonia reading.
 
Have you given any more thought to plants or decor in the tank?  What sort of look are you aiming for?

 

[Squeegeatc]

The key for me is LOW TECH.    Honestly, the 55 is already overwhelming with the death.   The thought of CO2 tanks, fluctuation of CO2 drops, etc is just daunting.  I am open to suggestions!   I saw a great video of a khuli loach swimming in a low grass, while cherry shrimp bounced around him.   That grass is the look I'd like.  2-3" tall, thick, great hiding places.
 
I really liked the Bamboo shrimp so I'd like to get another when the tank is established.  I am likely to grab more RCS this weekend, IF the LFS has them.   I have 2 fake patches of grass for them to hide in.   Eventually, I also want Kuhli's and more neons.   Both will wait until my tank is much better established.  I'm starting to get some brown algae on the glass and structures, so I'd like to get something that will nibble on that as well, but I think with the shrimp, it may be unnecessary.  So until then, I do my own cleaning.  LOL
 
I love the look of your Platy Jungle.    How often do you have babies in there?  With the removal of the Black Skirt Tetras, I have more room.  But I had an issue with mollies once....I'd rather not relive that nightmare.   Babies EVERYWHERE!!!

 

[Rak9378]

Over 2 weeks of fighting, and this is the breakdown........every day, despite what I do, there is ammonia in the water.   It is rarely higher than .25ppm, but it also never reads lower.  Even with using Prime or ammonia remover.   When it seems to read higher than .25ppm I dose it, and it goes back to .25.  but NEVER do I get the yellow 0 reading on the API test.

Have you ever gone more than two days without dosing Prime? If not it could be that you're getting a false positive. Products like Prime are known to give false ammonia readings.

From Seachem's website:

A salicylate based kit can be used, but with caution. Under the conditions of a salicylate kit the ammonia-Prime complex will be broken down eventually giving a false reading of ammonia (same as with other products like Prime®), so the key with a salicylate kit is to take the reading right away. However, the best solution ;-) is to use our MultiTest: Ammonia kit... it uses a gas exchange sensor system which is not affected by the presence of Prime® or other similar products. It also has the added advantage that it can detect the more dangerous free ammonia and distinguish it from total ammonia (which is both the free and ionized forms of ammonia (the ionized form is not toxic)).

http/www.seachem.com/support/FAQs/Prime.html

 

[Squeegeatc]

I'm pretty sure I have, but not positive.    I should really keep a journal over there.  I had hoped to do all that here, but coming back and remembering has been tough.

 

[Squeegeatc]

I have to add that I get a .25 reading with water straight from my tap, as well.

 

[daizeUK]

I love the look of your Platy Jungle.    How often do you have babies in there?  With the removal of the Black Skirt Tetras, I have more room.  But I had an issue with mollies once....I'd rather not relive that nightmare.   Babies EVERYWHERE!!!

 
Yep - it's terrible lol, so many babies in there it's crazy!  I've already separated the males and females and I'm just waiting for the flood of fry to slow down!
 
Low tech sounds like a great idea.  I love java fern, crypts and anubias and perhaps some decorative moss like Spiky moss, especially if you're planning on getting shrimp!  Some nice big bits of bogwood or twisty roots always looks nice with plants attached.

 

[Squeegeatc]

I'm looking at the java moss.    I have a very limited availability here.    I'm eventually going to order a few things.  I'll look up some of the others you mentioned.   Thank You!!

 

[Rak9378]

I have to add that I get a .25 reading with water straight from my tap, as well.

The .25 out of your tap is likely chloramine (a combination of chlorine and ammonia) which is added by your water company. This should not be an issue as Prime will dechlorinate the water and any ammonia will be converted to the non toxic form. This should then be easily handled by your bio filter assuming you have a fully cycled tank. If I were you I would go a few days without dosing prime and see if that .25 reading goes away. I would keep testing to make sure the ammonia reading isn't going up because at your pH and temp I wouldn't let total ammonia go over .5.

 

[Squeegeatc]

I actually got into a "fight" with the peon at the fish store about that.....He would not listen when I said chloramine was broken down into ammonia and chlorine.  I gave up.
 
If my levels EVER read 0, I'd be ok with the slightly elevated reading at waterchanges.   But they never ever read below the .25.  Another gentleman here has suggested that its a card problem...the colors are inaccurate.  I'm inclined to believe him, for the most part.  The only variable is that the fishstore reads the same amount of ammonia in my water, and they use dip strips. 

 

[Squeegeatc]

Today Good Eats the Bamboo shrimp made a reappearance.  YAY!!   I thought he had escaped.   But he is picking at stuff looking for food.   I tried to give him some powered yeast mixed in tank water....pretty sure all I did was foul the water.   He didn't even pretend to grab at the cloud.  ugh.  And I was JUST at the fish store today.   I could have bought some algaetabs to grind up for him.   really need to find a long pipette.  My siphon really didn't do a good job.
 
I called the LFS and was told they had java moss for the soon to be shrimp tank.   45 miles away, and they did NOT.   I did end up with 2 handfuls of "some other moss", and he accidentally gave me a free java fern.   i won't say no.  I also have some tiny snails that I'm pretty sure are pond snails.  Trying to decide if I'm going to risk adding them and hope the khuli loach will eat them, or try to rinse in tap water and hope the chlorine kills everything.  Until then, they sit in a bowl on my counter. 
 
He also said that his cherry shrimp, whenever he has some, are $5 each.   UMMM, back to internet shops for me!
 
In preparation of the shrimp tank, I moved over another blackskirt.  Eventually they all 6 will be back in the big tank, but I'm going SLOW, and watching for aggression.  That was a problem previously.  As well as ammonia.

 

[daizeUK]

Tap water won't kill pond snails, they are near invincible.  I quarantine plants in a tub for a couple of weeks if I suspect snails on them, crush the snails and feed them to my fish and wait for any snail eggs to hatch and do the same.  Not a fan of snails in my tank.  Some people use bleach but I think that sounds a bit harsh.
 
Isn't there an online plant shop in the US where you can order snail-free plants?  I buy most of my plants online because I know they will be good quality and snail-free and there's a better selection to choose from.  Often the portions are bigger too!
 
I wouldn't travel 5 miles to buy java moss let alone 45 miles better to order a nicer moss from an online store, something like Spiky or Taiwan moss, I got rid of all my Java moss after I realised I could grow other mosses that look much nicer.

 

[Squeegeatc]

The LFS options are small.   I thought this was a good way to get things.   Guess I need to do more online shopping.   The problem is most of the other awesome plants need CO2 and fertilizers.  I don't want to deal with that just yet.  I don't have a quarentine tank.  Guess I'll have to take my chances.   If they get too bad, I buy an assasin snail, right??!!!  lol

 

[daizeUK]

Plants will be fine in a bucket or any container for a couple of weeks if you want to quarantine them for snails.
I actually prefer online shopping because they have a greater selection of low-tech plants.  For example if I want to buy anubias there are 5 LFS within 15 minutes drive of me who all sell your basic Anubias nana, but if I shop online I can choose from A. barteri, A. heterophylla, A. congensis, A. petite etc etc!

 

[Squeegeatc]

I threw the moss in the 10 gallon and put the anubis in the 55g.  I know I'm taking a risk, but the cats were playing with the plants in the bowl.  Namely the 6 month old kitten!!!  I also went back and bought a better looking, small foreground plant for the 55g.  I sure wish I could pronounce these names.  lol  Pretty sure it was Staurogyne Repens.  I need to search for the packaging.
 
I added an algae tab last night to the Bamboo Shrimp's fav spot.  I was hoping it would "melt" so he'd at least have something to scrape up.  I hate seeing him eat off the substrate.  The fish got to it first.   So today I crushed up another one and used a turkey baster to deliver it to him when he came out.  Nothing.   Still kept scraping.  I'm going to end up fouling my tank trying to keep Bamboo alive. 
 
I used aqua bids and just ordered some cherry shrimp.  Should be here Thursday at the latest!  Now, to go research better foreground plants for the 55g.  I do NOT like the look of this mystery moss in the 10g.  If I have to, I'll get more of whatever I just bought, anchor to a grid of some kind, and make a small carpet of sorts.