Bruh my tank started out pretty and as its been cycling for about 2 weeks its getting uglier and uglier every dayđ itâs my first time cycling a tank but I know itâs normal i guess but itâs discouraging. Are my plants dying? Im using fluval stratum under my sand and put in root tabs like 4 days ago. I used Flourish fertilizer (ive heard its meh) – i want clear water but my wood is leaking tannins ofc đ and its got the biofilm all over it, so damn ugly im annoyedđ
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1pcm56h
Posted by Potential-Noise-8317
3 Comments
It’s not ugly – it’s beautiful. It’s normal for plants to go through a melt after replanting (they’re throwing a temper tantrum). As for the tannins that’s a good thing. For the biofilm, you could get a nerite snail and ramshorn to keep it clean. Also, keep in mind this is an ecosystem, not a decoration. It’s alive and beautiful <3
It looks good, plants will occasionally die when they are first planted before springing back. If you want to remove the biofilm and other unsightly benefits to the tank, get a cleaning crew! (Shrimp, snails, corys, etc.)
The melt is normal and plants will come back. You may want to cut back the leaves off the ones showing signs of melt to help the process along. The new leaves will grow back adapted to your tank.
I really recommend a dark start method to cycle largely for this reason. No plants to get stressed out and struggle, no water changes. Just staring at a box for a month for so.