Corydoras unknown death

[Essjay]

Not sure about 'salt for nitrites'.

Salt can actually be used for nitrite but it's a complicated calculation. The chloride half of sodium chloride blocks nitrite from entering the gills.

Rescuing A Fish In Cycle Gone Wild - Part Il

Part II SO YOU STILL WANT TO KEEP CYCLING WITH FISH? If you are determined to ignore the above advice in Part I and still think you want to proceed with a fish in cycle, then you need to be aware of the information presented below. SOME IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT AMMONIA Ammonia in water exists...

www.fishforums.net

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Salt can actually be used for nitrite but it's a complicated calculation. The chloride half of sodium chloride blocks nitrite from entering the gills.

Rescuing A Fish In Cycle Gone Wild - Part Il

Part II SO YOU STILL WANT TO KEEP CYCLING WITH FISH? If you are determined to ignore the above advice in Part I and still think you want to proceed with a fish in cycle, then you need to be aware of the information presented below. SOME IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT AMMONIA Ammonia in water exists...

www.fishforums.net

Yes...I'd read that and forgotten it as just another complication associated with a fish-in cycle.

 

[Essjay]

It is said to be the reason why decades ago, fishkeepers always added salt to the water even with those fish which do not tolerate salt well. It was just the lesser of two evils - nitrite poisoning being worse than salt intolerance. How true this is I don't know.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

It is said to be the reason why decades ago, fishkeepers always added salt to the water even with those fish which do not tolerate salt well. It was just the lesser of two evils - nitrite poisoning being worse than salt intolerance. How true this is I don't know.

My favouring of some salt in the water is simply biology-based and a once-acute awareness of just how 'pure' our tap water was and free from a variety of salts, these salts being basically essential to life in water, to some degree or another.

 

[Essjay]

Common salt is just sodium chloride though. Do you use sodium chloride or something else?

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Common salt is just sodium chloride though. Do you use sodium chloride or something else?

I use API Aquarium Salt, because I know exactly what's in it. Different table salts have different additives and the really 'clean', 'pure' or organic salts, intended for higher cuisine, are silly prices when compared to the API stuff.

 

[coriesinhawaii]

I’m not sure if I just missed it but I never saw if you added an ammonia source in while you were “cycling” the tank with the plants (e.g. fish food, prawn, or liquid ammonia). Just making sure because if no ammonia source was added no cycling would take place.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Hey Bruce, thanks for the feedback.

I'm glad that there is someone who is used to plant cycling. Since everybody was telling me that the plants didn't help with the cycle, i started thinking that it was the truth. I'm pretty sure rhe the tank cycled a bit, since there were 1ppm nitrites before i did the water change today. As for the bacteria, i'm not trying to rush anything, i'm listening to the instructions on the bottle. The idea that salt helps with nitrites was written on this forum on the post related to in-fish cycling.

It's tricky, because they're both right! Plants can and do help with cycling/absorbing the ammonia, and if you got those ones from an established tank, there would likely have been some beneficial bacteria on them, helping to kick start your colony.

But you said in the OP that you only had a few plants, and it's true that it might not have been enough plants, or enough transferred bacteria - to handle the bioload of the betta and two cories. It depends on the amount of plants you have, what kind, how fast are they growing and taking up the ammonia - a few different things. And since this is a brand new tank and only started with a few plants, that is why people were saying it probably wasn't enough plants this time to handle it yet.

Do you have a photo of the tank so we can see the planting level?

Sounds as though you've been doing a lot of research, and you really want to give them the best! I'm sorry for the loss of your cory. A lot of us find it tough when first starting the hobby, it's a steep learning curve. But you'll pick it up

 

[itiwhetu]

To cycle with plants you need to aim to have 30-50% of the volume of your tank in plants once the plants start growing you can then add fish a few at a time. There is no trick to it. Usually your tank will be able to begin being stocked in about 10 days.

 

[coriesinhawaii]

To cycle with plants you need to aim to have 30-50% of the volume of your tank in plants once the plants start growing you can then add fish a few at a time. There is no trick to it. Usually your tank will be able to begin being stocked in about 10 days.

I think the tricky part for me would be knowing how many fish I could add without overwhelming the plants’ ability to break down the ammonia they produce but I guess you get a feel for that after a while. You would have to be experienced with growing aquarium plants too. The last thing I would want to do is put fish in an aquarium that is dependent on the success of the plants for sufficient filtration because I don’t have such a green thumb If your plants go downhill so does your “cycle” and you would be in the dreaded situation of having fish in an uncycled tank.

 

[itiwhetu]

I think the tricky part for me would be knowing how many fish I could add without overwhelming the plants’ ability to break down the ammonia they produce but I guess you get a feel for that after a while. You would have to be experienced with growing aquarium plants too. The last thing I would want to do is put fish in an aquarium that is dependent on the success of the plants for sufficient filtration because I don’t have such a green thumb If your plants go downhill so does your “cycle” and you would be in the dreaded situation of having fish in an uncycled tank.

The tank still cycles. But with plants. Remember that aquatic plants are just weeds and it takes a lot to kill them, as long as you give them water and light. The stemmed plants are always the easiest to grow.

 

[Byron]

I use API Aquarium Salt, because I know exactly what's in it. Different table salts have different additives and the really 'clean', 'pure' or organic salts, intended for higher cuisine, are silly prices when compared to the API stuff.

Want to be sure I'm understanding this...you add API Aquarium Salt to your aquarium...why? Salt (sodium chloride) is detrimental to all freshwater fish, with very few exceptions. As a treatment for specific diseases, fine, but not permanently as some sort of tonic or preventative, because it is not either of those. I have an article on the Wet Web Media that covers the issue, and there are others there by Neale Monks.

Salt FW Aq Art Hosking

 

[Byron]

I think the tricky part for me would be knowing how many fish I could add without overwhelming the plants’ ability to break down the ammonia they produce but I guess you get a feel for that after a while. You would have to be experienced with growing aquarium plants too. The last thing I would want to do is put fish in an aquarium that is dependent on the success of the plants for sufficient filtration because I don’t have such a green thumb If your plants go downhill so does your “cycle” and you would be in the dreaded situation of having fish in an uncycled tank.

This is why those of us who favour (and only use) the live plant "silent" cycle method are careful to emphasize that you need fast-growing plants that clearly are growing. And floating plants is the best for this, as they are easiest to grow and they are very fast growers. If you have a cover of floating plants, and some lower plants, it is practically impossible to add too many fish to an aquarium, assuming one is within the basic biological balance and not overstocking.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Want to be sure I'm understanding this...you add API Aquarium Salt to your aquarium...why?

Because.

Salt (sodium chloride) is detrimental to all freshwater fish, with very few exceptions.

That's like saying sugar is toxic to all humans...it's a matter of degree.

As a treatment for specific diseases, fine, but not permanently as some sort of tonic or preventative, because it is not either of those. I have an article on the Wet Web Media that covers the issue, and there are others there by Neale Monks.

Salt FW Aq Art Hosking

Seen it.
I also researched this and found papers in support of the practice. Research further and you'll find them.
I only need to convince myself.
(Although, perhaps strangely, many of the quality aquarist You-tubers also support the practice. They have access to the same research as your good self).

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I think the tricky part for me would be knowing how many fish I could add without overwhelming the plants’ ability to break down the ammonia they produce but I guess you get a feel for that after a while. You would have to be experienced with growing aquarium plants too. The last thing I would want to do is put fish in an aquarium that is dependent on the success of the plants for sufficient filtration because I don’t have such a green thumb If your plants go downhill so does your “cycle” and you would be in the dreaded situation of having fish in an uncycled tank.

During cycling, you get into the habit of testing the waters and you get a 'feel' for it. This habit should continue when you add fish.
The problem usually occurs when,at last free to add those much-desired fish, we can rush ahead and completely stock in the one go.
Yay!
It's even written in many otherwise esteemed places that you can 'now add all your fish'.
This is just asking for trouble and forgets the concept of the balanced ecosystem you've just taken the time to create.
In many instances, you might be able to add all your fish and everything is hunky dory...but why risk it? For sure, you can start again and 'cycle' a bit longer, but you've gone and damaged, if not killed, fish in the process.

If you have a planted tank and all of the plants die, then something is seriously amiss. If we took half as much care with our plants as we do our fish, then plants would survive longer and might even 'thrive'. @Byron 's point about floating plants is well made and these are great, not only for what they do to the water chemistry, but for the security they give the wildlife in the tank.