Those Who Don't Use Filters

[ellena]

Not recently, but up until 2 weeks ago I also had a tank in a fishless cycle and that was showing 0 after 24 hrs ok?

 

[Geoff1991]

How about planting the tank with fast growing stems, they could easily use up 0.25ppm of ammonia...

 

[loraxchick]

How about planting the tank with fast growing stems, they could easily use up 0.25ppm of ammonia...

i agree with above...plants would help tremendously.
good that yu cut back feeding. do you have nitrate readings yet? if so then ur almost there. check tap water as suggested above to makes sure there are no ammonia readings(that would then be the culprit and nothing you could do short of NOT doing water changes)
id suspect at this point your cycled and testing some other anomaly...how old is the test kit? seems terribly odd to have been going thru this for 3 months. i raise my eyebrows.
other than that, how is the fish acting? normally? signs of fingrowth?
as always, glad to help. keep on keepin on
CHEERS!

 

[lilacamy931]

Yeah that is odd hon, do check the kit, one of mine was out of date and the readings were all over the place! The new kit showed much better results!

 

[ellena]

Hi guys The kit is the third one I've had since Easter, so not old at all. (I bought my 4th yesterday as I'm almost out!) Tap water is 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, about 10 nitrates, pH7. I have an amazon sword, a crypt and a java fern in there, none of which are doing too well.
What sort of plants would you call fast growing?
Levi looks fine. He did have a period of fin chewing which has all but stopped and his tail has grown back nicely. He eats normally and swims around. He rests quite a bit, but always perks up if you open the hatch as he's thinks he's getting fed!

 

[ellena]

Any thoughts on the fast growing stems? I'd like to try that.

 

[loraxchick]

some easy fast growers to look for
Elodea(aka anacharis), camboba, wisteria, hornwort. get a load of them! plant at least 50% of the substrate. when they get too tall(touch the surface) just pinch off the tops to desired height and replant the tops. might need to get ferts for them depending on lighting...but these plants are easy to look after and grow like mad!
best of luck with your tank troubles. it is really odd?!
cheers

 

[ellena]

Thanks I might try some cabomba again. I really like it, but I killed loads in my cycling tank!

 

[loraxchick]

elodea grows REALLY fast and if it were to start dying off, it wouldnt leave the enormous amount of leafy material that camboba would given the same situation. although camboba is pretty hardy in its own right. also elodea can grow floating around or planted. and grows and grows....for an "ammonia sucker" id suggest getting at least a few stems of elodea along with the camboba.
good luck in all the stat stuff. hopefully youll be able to ENJOY the fish soon and not think of them as a chore
cheers

just a thought as i was going to send the message, have you added any meds at ALL to that tank. it is really making me scratch my head as to why the stupid thing isnt cycled yet. or any other reason for the bacs to be so little (change filter pads/media, etc.). it just doesnt make sense!!!! *rips her hair out* <----but surely not as much as yourself
cheers again

 

[ellena]

Only meds I've added is melafix when he was shredding his tail. I'll get some plants at the weekend

 

[loraxchick]

nope..wouldnt have been melafix that made the filter crash. hmmmmmmmmmm