Cycling a new 70L tank. First planted tank. Set it up 3 weeks ago with half of an old filter sponge, a pinch of fish food every few days and been testing the water. Just a few plants. They're on liquid ferts with root tabs ordered for the future. About 6 hours of light a day (alternative is leave the light on while I'm at work but that'd be 11 hours). Got an ammonia spike of 1.5ppm in the first week. Seen no nitrite but forgot to test for it the second week so I guess it could have spiked then. Since then 0 on both tests. I'm assuming I have no cycle and plan to buy some ammonia and bacteria starter this week. However today I discovered 5 teeny snails which must have hitchhiked on a plant. Some questions:
1. How sure can I be that the snail population will eventually self balance – will I be culling forever. I have no strong feelings about these snails as long as they don't ruin my tank environment
2. Are the snails a sign the tank may actually be cycling or are they a neutral factor? I've read you shouldn't deliberately add snails to a cycling tank for the same reasons as fish
3. Could I just leave a few of the plant melting leaves to become an ammonia source? Do I neeeed to buy ammonia and bacteria?
4. I'm not in a rush to add fish as I'm traveling over Christmas and won't be looking to add fish until end of Jan – could I just wait and keep testing and assume the tank will cycle eventually in the next 8 weeks?
Thanks for any advice!
Posted by AdCalm6470
4 Comments
To clarify: the old filter sponge was from a tank at work so should have bacteria in it
Usually snails only overpopulate if they’re overfed, but if you decide there are too many you can put a piece of lettuce or cucumber or something in the tank, wait for them to climb all over it, and then take them out that way
And I’ve actually heard at least one person using snails to cycle a tank since I think they’re usually able to survive it a lot better (and admittedly people usually don’t care about them as much)
You could get pea puffers and they’ll keep the snails down. lol
Not really an answer to your questions but like you dont have to really bother with buying good bacteria products it doesnt hurt your tank but like I feel like it is a waste of money and a way for companies to make loads of money of with their so called essential products.
Probably could have explained it better, anyway I recommend buying more plants cuz its pretty 🙂 and low maintenance you can start with monte carlo plant as carpet its really nice. Also maybe buy a heater if you need one.
By the way snails are goood keep them its good for algae control.
Hope this helps