Preparing first tank

[Iona4]

Hi there

I am brand new to the idea of keeping fish and it definitely seems likely I am destined to learn everything the hard way, but since finding this forum, I hope that you may have some advice.

I have bought a 40l tropical tank from pets at home and I am on my second attempt of setting it up.

My first attempt went horribly wrong as I thought I had rinsed the tropica substrate enough, but it turns out I hadn't and I also poured the water on too fast so I ended up with a really muddy tank that didn't clear. I cleared the entire tank to start again.

I tried again yesterday morning with only gravel and no substrate; I had crystal clear water and added the tap safe and filter boost. I then purchased 3no. Moss balls and 2no. Egeria Densa from the tanks at pets at home and popped them in my tank and have encountered the following...

Problem 1: I didn't rinse the moss balls first and my water is now cloudy. I have subsequently removed the balls, rinsed and squeezed them out in clean water (which ended up a brown colour) and have placed them back in the tank. I have changed 20% of the water and popped in the stated amounts of tap safe and filter boost.

Problem 2: I now seem to have a lot of tiny snails in my tank. Does cucumber really work?

Are the water and plants salvageable or should I cut my loses and try again for a third time?

Just to confirm, I have no fish yet.

Thank you,

 

[Retired Viking]

I have 15 moss balls and really like them. I would clean them again and put them in water inside a clear container like a jar. So you can isolate them for awhile. Not sure on the other plant but I would wash it and isolate it too in water. Since you have a smaller tank it may be best to do a full water change and rinse the gavel to be sure. If your worried about the snails maybe replace the gravel with new gravel would be easier. The snails came from some where so watch if any show up in those jars. Do you know about cycling your tank?

 

[Iona4]

I have 15 moss balls and really like them. I would clean them again and put them in water inside a clear container like a jar. So you can isolate them for awhile. Not sure on the other plant but I would wash it and isolate it too in water. Since you have a smaller tank it may be best to do a full water change and rinse the gavel to be sure. If your worried about the snails maybe replace the gravel with new gravel would be easier. The snails came from some where so watch if any show up in those jars. Do you know about cycling your tank?

Thank you for your reply. I have attached a picture of the tank this morning. I don't know whether the cloudiness is looking white because of the led's. From what I understand, it seems soon for the bacteria bloom (but I'm guessing the moss balls contained ammonia or similar). I am in the process of reading up about the cycling and am watching the first time fish keeper videos by maidenhead aquatics.

I am thinking about popping to pets at home for water testing before I empty the entire tank again.

Your suggestion to isolate the plants seems very logical and I am happy to do that. I am still trying to decide about the snails as I have already replaced all items in the tank following the muddy water situation I had. I am considering the assassin snails but I am unsure whether I will have enough pest snails to sustain them.

 

[MelodyYup]

Hi there my tanks look cloudy like that if I change out too much water .....also if you first fill up a tank it will look like that for a while until it is cycled. I would put in some drops of snail zap while you're waiting a week or so for the cloudiness to dissipate. Don't add any fish while waiting but plants are good. I always put new plants in a bucket or jar and add snail zap and wait a couple days before adding to my aquariums to avoid unwanted guests. Also assassin snails are great and they just munch on the glass sludge and such after all the other snails are killed so don't worry about them running out of food unless you have many many.

 

[xlinkinparkx]

I think you are just a bit to excited lol. It's normal for water to be white and cloudy when first filling and also when doing big water changes. Let it settle and let your filter work.

The snails probably hitched a ride with your plants, honestly snails are not that big of an issue as long as you don't overfeed your fish, they will die off. You can try researching putting copper in your aquarium, I know they don't like that. Cucumber will 100% attract them, just be sure not to leave it and feed them or the population will EXPLODE. Let your tank cycle and they will probably die off before you add fish.

In the future do what MelodyYup suggested and treat your plants before adding them

 

[Iona4]

Hi there my tanks look cloudy like that if I change out too much water .....also if you first fill up a tank it will look like that for a while until it is cycled. I would put in some drops of snail zap while you're waiting a week or so for the cloudiness to dissipate. Don't add any fish while waiting but plants are good. I always put new plants in a bucket or jar and add snail zap and wait a couple days before adding to my aquariums to avoid unwanted guests. Also assassin snails are great and they just munch on the glass sludge and such after all the other snails are killed so don't worry about them running out of food unless you have many many.

Thank you, that is really reassuring

 

[Iona4]

I think you are just a bit to excited lol. It's normal for water to be white and cloudy when first filling and also when doing big water changes. Let it settle and let your filter work.

The snails probably hitched a ride with your plants, honestly snails are not that big of an issue as long as you don't overfeed your fish, they will die off. You can try researching putting copper in your aquarium, I know they don't like that. Cucumber will 100% attract them, just be sure not to leave it and feed them or the population will EXPLODE. Let your tank cycle and they will probably die off before you add fish.

In the future do what MelodyYup suggested and treat your plants before adding them

I most probably am too excited I am a natural overthinker with no patience so this will test me... I just want to make sure I get everything right. Thanks so much for your reply. I will definitely hold off fussing over it for a bit

 

[utahfish]

The snails will help cycle your tank, no need to kill them or add copper, especially if you dont have any fish so no food and no algae the snails will starve. Assasin snails will eat other snails but will also eat beneficial snails like nerites and assasins can also over populate your tank and dont eat much algae.
I never understood why people who dont want snails buy snails to get rid of snails???

 

[Iona4]

The snails will help cycle your tank, no need to kill them or add copper, especially if you dont have any fish so no food and no algae the snails will starve. Assasin snails will eat other snails but will also eat beneficial snails like nerites and assasins can also over populate your tank and dont eat much algae.
I never understood why people who dont want snails buy snails to get rid of snails???

Thanks for your message. I had always intended on getting some snails, but I was told that I need to remove all the pest snails. I am happy that's not the case and I will wait and see what they are and how many I have

 

[Retired Viking]

I have nerite snails in my tanks they do a good job cleaning the tank. I had a bad experience with apple/mystery snails they went after my plants and destroyed several. I agree with @utahfish

 

[Iona4]

Thank

I have nerite snails in my tanks they do a good job cleaning the tank. I had a bad experience with apple/mystery snails they went after my plants and destroyed several. I agree with @utahfish

Thank you. I like the look of the nerite snails and that is handy to know about the apple/ mystery snails. Having live plants is definitely a priority to me and I am hoping to keep them in good condition.

 

[JxsPxxle]

Thank


Thank you. I like the look of the nerite snails and that is handy to know about the apple/ mystery snails. Having live plants is definitely a priority to me and I am hoping to keep them in good condition.

You may already know this but just in case you don’t , be sure to purchase a kit from your lfs so you are able to monitor the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels. Also depending on how your stocking your tank, those little snails may be helpful, I have 4 dwarf puffers in a 60L tank and they will eat the snails instantly!

 

[Sylvan]

Pets at home sell the tropica plants that cultivated from a cell culture so don't bring snails etc into your tank.

 

[Iona4]

You may already know this but just in case you don’t , be sure to purchase a kit from your lfs so you are able to monitor the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels. Also depending on how your stocking your tank, those little snails may be helpful, I have 4 dwarf puffers in a 60L tank and they will eat the snails instantly!

Thank you for your reply. I have picked up a testing kit. The dwarf puffers look lovely but I only have a 40l and am thinking of some harlequin rasboras, guppies and otocinclis at the moment (with my hitchhiker snails )

 

[Iona4]

Pets at home sell the tropica plants that cultivated from a cell culture so don't bring snails etc into your tank.

That's a great tip, thank you I will have a proper look next time I go in