New to the forum

[777james777]

So just to confirm,

- add the plants now
- tomorrow morning add 2.5ml of ammonia
- test on Tuesday morning for nitrite and nitrate

What about the pH level? As this has dropped a few times and seems to potentially be slowing it down..?

@Essjay

 

[777james777]

Oh man. I thought 0.25 nitrite was a result as well!

James did you ever add that second dose of the Tetra Safe start?

I know lol

No only added it once at the start

 

[AlexT]

It's of no significance now and there are doubts it would have even made a difference anyway. It's just good to know the small details thanks.

 

[777james777]

At least something has gone in! it looks so much more colourful
(I know I need something for the Java to connect to il be sorting that shortly)

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I would put fish in personally with a load more plants the plants will suck up that extra ammonia...talking of plants...the java fern on the right, you'll have to take that out the substrate matey, if you bury it's rhizome it will rot. Java fern are epiphyte which means they attach themselves to rocks and wood and take what they need from the water column.

 

[Essjay]

I had forgotten about the plants and ammonia

What she says ^


As long as you get nitrite down to zero before putting fish in the tank, they should be fine.

 

[777james777]

I would put fish in personally with a load more plants the plants will suck up that extra ammonia...talking of plants...the java fern on the right, you'll have to take that out the substrate matey, if you bury it's rhizome it will rot. Java fern are epiphyte which means they attach themselves to rocks and wood and take what they need from the water column.

Yeh I’m going to get some ornaments tomorrow.
Can it grow around anything (just so long as the roots arnt burried)
Will it be ok we’re it is for a day

 

[777james777]

I had forgotten about the plants and ammonia

What she says ^


As long as you get nitrite down to zero before putting fish in the tank, they should be fine.

So I need to take the plants out?

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

So I need to take the plants out?

No leave them in and go buy some more!

 

[Essjay]

Java fern will cling to anything. I've had it growing on a terracotta plant pot (cut in half and laid on its side for a cave), on plastic ornaments, on a rock and on wood. It does take a few weeks to attach itself but one it has removing it is like peeling ivy off a wall.



No you don't need to take the plants out. If you want to get fish today, just a water change to get nitrite down. Or wait till next weekend for fish and just don't add more ammonia and let the bacteria remove the nitrite there now.
There may not be quite enough plants yet to remove all the ammonia the fish will make, but they will remove a lot. Even if the plants can only take up half the ammonia, you have enough bacteria to remove more than that theoretical half. And you already have enough nitrite eaters to remove most of the nitrite made from 3 ppm ammonia, so if there's less nitrite being made, you have enough nitrite eaters now.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Fish time! Ooh yeah!

 

[AlexT]

Maybe live stream putting the fish in?

 

[777james777]

@Essjay @CaptainBarnicles

Fish will be Saturday morning now as due to work and the time now that’s the next available point.

When I tested for nitrite at 2am this morning there was still some there (as you saw) I re tested at about 8am when I woke up and it had all gone.

So as I’m so close to the end of what will have been 50 days since I started till this coming Saturday I want to make sure I get this last part correct.

Today is Sunday and fish will be being added this coming Saturday. So to confirm…

- Shall I add more plants? If so how many?
- Do I add any more ammonia if so how much and when? Or is that it now?
- when do I do the big water change

 

[Essjay]

Plants - as many as you want, the sky's the limit. Well actually the available tank space is the limit I can't tell from the photo, but if you haven't got any, some floating plants. These do 2 things - they give the fish a 'ceiling' so those predators lurking around the tank can't see them; and floating plants remove a lot of fish-made ammonia. They are at the surface so they can get more carbon dioxide as there's more in air than in water, and they are close to the lights so they grow fast.

 

[777james777]

Plants - as many as you want, the sky's the limit. Well actually the available tank space is the limit I can't tell from the photo, but if you haven't got any, some floating plants. These do 2 things - they give the fish a 'ceiling' so those predators lurking around the tank can't see them; and floating plants remove a lot of fish-made ammonia. They are at the surface so they can get more carbon dioxide as there's more in air than in water, and they are close to the lights so they grow fast.

Yeh I will have a look at some floating plants, I did plan on having lots of plants from the beginning.

What about more ammonia and the water change ^ ?