A few questions...

[fishwatcher]

I just set up my new 10-gal, used a filter insert from my old tank, about 7 plants, a rock and a large cave/ornament thing. I also added a handful of sand from the old tank. I have the filter running, added a few mystery snails and pond snails from my old tank, a couple of shrimp pellets for them to eat and added about 6-8 drops of ammonia. I'm trying to do a fishless cycle, but am wondering how long it should be before I start seeing ammonia spike/fall, nitrite spike/fall. Do I still need to add ammonia daily with the snails? When and how often should I test the amm,nitrite, nitrates?
Thanks for all the help!

 

[mlee0332]

I'm not sure, but I dont think you should have added NH4 to the tank with snails in there...

But asny way, the ammonia spike should fall after maybe a week on ave. and the nitrites may fall in 1-2-3 weeks on ave. Mine on the other hand has been cycling for almost 2 months now, and I STILL have an ammonia reading... No one will tell me how to fix it... Oh well

 

[fishwatcher]

oh no... should I do a water change? Or remove the snails?

 

[mlee0332]

What's the reading in ppm?

If its more than 1, I would put them some where else for time being. If you can't rehome, then maybe do a 50% wc to bring it down a bit...

 

[fishwatcher]

I just did this about 15 minutes ago. I'll go test now and see what it reads.

 

[mlee0332]

okay... just stir the water real good before testing... Chances are your fine with only 6-8 drops...

 

[fishwatcher]

It's at .25 right now. How high should I get it to go by adding ammonia?

 

[mlee0332]

well if you wanna leave the snails in there then leave it alone and they are perfectly fine at that level Just keep it below 1-2ppm.

If you are going to remove them, then add ammonia until it reachs 4-6ppm, and don't add anything except decor until it is done with the cycle. Here is a link to a thread that talks about fishless cycling and here is a link to another thread about it on a diff. site...

 

[fishwatcher]

Do you think the snails would do enough to make it cycle? I will be adding 3-4 fish to it as soon as it's done and I don't want to overstock it and make it minicycle, you know?

 

[mlee0332]

well its gonna mini cycle no matter what, so I wouldn't worry. Umm how many are there...

 

[Karah's_Mommy]

Using just the snails, it would be like cycling with fish which could take 4-6 weeks or more to cycle the tank. Not to mention that you'll most likely harm the snails, maybe not kill them, but you'll damage them. Fishless cycling can be done in 7-14 days and no fish/snails are harmed.

 

[fishwatcher]

well, I am dividing it to house 2 male bettas, a couple of ADFs and maybe an oto or 2. But only the bettas and frogs will go in pretty much at once.

 

[fishwatcher]

[quote name='Karah's_Mommy' date='Jun 23 2005, 03:28 AM'] Using just the snails, it would be like cycling with fish which could take 4-6 weeks or more to cycle the tank. Not to mention that you'll most likely harm the snails, maybe not kill them, but you'll damage them. Fishless cycling can be done in 7-14 days and no fish/snails are harmed. [/quote]
So it's best if I remove all the snail and just do it with ammonia? By the way, I only had lemon scented ammonia, will that be ok or should I go buy plain?

 

[mlee0332]

Nope... SOrry, they scent stuff will harm the fish after the cycle is done. if you live near a piggly wiggly, they'll have some. Just make sure it doesn';t say great for cleaning glass, and that it does so clear and/or pure.

Didn't know snails were so sensitive...

Actually, my fishless took 2 months... And its now 2 months into my fish cycle and i dont have a nitrite reading yet

 

[fishwatcher]

I'll get that tomorrow then. I'll put my snails in my other tank for the night, too. Since I've added a few drops of the scented kind, do I need to remove all the water, or will that little bit get filtered out?
Thanks for all the help!