Hard water deposits

[Arctic Mama 3,625]

Looks like little detritus worms to me   They’re harmless.

[titch 104]

43 minutes ago, Arctic Mama said:

Looks like little detritus worms to me   They’re harmless.

 Thanks Taryl

1 hour ago, DawnMichele said:

 Hi Amy. Have you figured out what the worm's are?

I have now!!

How exactly do they get into the tank? Are they as a result of a fly/midge laying eggs? The tank is completely bare (apart from hardware that is - airstones, airline, filter in/outlets) so I was just wondering.

[koko 14,335]

27 minutes ago, titch said:

 Thanks Taryl

I have now!!

How exactly do they get into the tank? Are they as a result of a fly/midge laying eggs? The tank is completely bare (apart from hardware that is - airstones, airline, filter in/outlets) so I was just wondering.

Me too  

[titch 104]

8 minutes ago, koko said:

Me too  

Weird huh?

What do you think about the water tests? Should I keep off of the ammonia for a bit?

[koko 14,335]

7 minutes ago, titch said:

Weird huh?

What do you think about the water tests? Should I keep off of the ammonia for a bit?

It looks really close there. I would go another round of no ammonia, and test it.  

[titch 104]

1 minute ago, koko said:

It looks really close there. I would go another round of no ammonia, and test it.  

Really, even though the addition of ammonia still makes the nitrites rocket? 

 

[titch 104]

4 minutes ago, koko said:

It looks really close there. I would go another round of no ammonia, and test it.  

1 minute ago, titch said:

Really, even though the addition of ammonia still makes the nitrites rocket? 

And just to clarify, am I doing a WC tonight regardless of test results or just leave as is (assuming nitrite <2.0)?

 

 

Edited October 12, 2017 by titch

[koko 14,335]

18 minutes ago, titch said:

Really, even though the addition of ammonia still makes the nitrites rocket? 

 

Well we need to get those guys under control. When they go above 2ppms it stalls the cycle.

16 minutes ago, titch said:

And just to clarify, am I doing a WC tonight regardless of test results or just leave as is (assuming nitrite <2.0)?

 

 

If your nitrites are 2.0 and above do a water change. If they are 1.0 I would let the tank be for the night. Let it do its thing  still test  

[titch 104]

 

1 hour ago, koko said:

Well we need to get those guys under control. When they go above 2ppms it stalls the cycle.

If your nitrites are 2.0 and above do a water change. If they are 1.0 I would let the tank be for the night. Let it do its thing  still test  

Let me know what I should do to get the nitrites in check. 

Tonight’s test results. No WC for me!!!! 

[titch 104]

Where should I go from here? Ammonia or no?

Is there something I can do to get the nitrites under control, or is it a case of they'll do what they do and be gone when they're good & ready?

[fantailfan1 26,742]

I would add ammonia but not a lot.   Shoot between 0.25 and 0.50.

The worms didn't mind the nitrite.

[koko 14,335]

1 hour ago, fantailfan1 said:

I would add ammonia but not a lot.   Shoot between 0.25 and 0.50.

The worms didn't mind the nitrite.

[titch 104]

2 hours ago, fantailfan1 said:

I would add ammonia but not a lot.   Shoot between 0.25 and 0.50.

The worms didn't mind the nitrite.

Gotta feeling Piggy might though.

Currently draining the tank ready to refill & dose the ammonia. Pre-WC test below. Note the nitrite has been rising steadily even though I haven’t dosed. Nitrate too, very slightly.

Edited October 13, 2017 by titch

[titch 104]

Large WcC done. Test results after the WC below along with ammonia comparison before & after dosing.

[fantailfan1 26,742]

OK don't add ammonia  

[titch 104]

21 minutes ago, fantailfan1 said:

OK don't add ammonia  

I ALREADY DID!! That last image was comparing ammonia 2 tests - before adding (left) & after (right). Aimed for 0.25

What are you seeing? What’s wrong?

Edited October 13, 2017 by titch

[fantailfan1 26,742]

Ooooohhh!!!!!  That makes more sense then.    I was wondering why there was ammonia in that last pic.   No, perfect!!  Now let's wait and see . . . .

[titch 104]

33 minutes ago, fantailfan1 said:

Ooooohhh!!!!!  That makes more sense then.    I was wondering why there was ammonia in that last pic.   No, perfect!!  Now let's wait and see . . . .

 Don’t do that!

I’ll test in the morning (12 hour mark) & see where we’re at. 

Would you normally see nitrates rocket off the chart before the cycle completes (i.e. deepest darkest red)? Should I see nitrates increase dramatically before nitrites drop?

[koko 14,335]

37 minutes ago, titch said:

 Don’t do that!

I’ll test in the morning (12 hour mark) & see where we’re at. 

Would you normally see nitrates rocket off the chart before the cycle completes (i.e. deepest darkest red)? Should I see nitrates increase dramatically before nitrites drop?

When you have nitrates in the water your using for a water change. Yes  Now we need to get those nitrites down.  

[titch 104]

15 hours ago, fantailfan1 said:

Ooooohhh!!!!!  That makes more sense then.    I was wondering why there was ammonia in that last pic.   No, perfect!!  Now let's wait and see . . . .

Ok so not quite 12 hours later (I had a lie-in). This is approx 16 hours later.

Not too sure on the nitrite, so took 2 pics - one with lower end of chart and another using higher end. Maybe 1.0?

 

[titch 104]

Today’s results.

Before WC...

 

After WC...

 

And the ammonia comparison before & after dosing. Aimed for 0.25 again.

The ammonia tests look much greener in the photos than in ‘real life’.

Edited October 15, 2017 by titch

[koko 14,335]

How is it going. Sorry didn't get back to you had a sick little one  

[titch 104]

17 hours ago, koko said:

How is it going. Sorry didn't get back to you had a sick little one  

Sorry to hear Justine has been poorly. Hope she's doing better now.

I'm doing OK, I think. The nitrites are still climbing, but not at the rate they were. Managed to get away with not doing a WC on Monday.

Monday results were Am - 0.0, Ni - 1.0, Na - 40

Last night, nitrites were at 2.0, so I did a large WC to bring them down to 0.25 then raised ammonia back up to 0.25 (nitrates were at 80 before WC).

When I turned the filters back on after the WC, I had lots of worms in the water column...

On 10/12/2017 at 3:16 PM, Arctic Mama said:

Looks like little detritus worms to me   They’re harmless.

On 10/12/2017 at 4:01 PM, titch said:

 Thanks Taryl

How exactly do they get into the tank? Are they as a result of a fly/midge laying eggs? The tank is completely bare (apart from hardware that is - airstones, airline, filter in/outlets) so I was just wondering.

On 10/12/2017 at 4:29 PM, koko said:

Me too  

@Arctic Mama - how did they get in the tank? I have no plants and no substrate so can't see how they were introduced. I've tried searching the web for the lifecycle of detritus worms, but can't find anything helpful. Just concerned that they might be something else a little less harmless. I don't want to be back at square one when the cycle is complete & Piggy is reintroduced 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2017 by titch

[Arctic Mama 3,625]

Possibly from a food source or substrate, or equipment from a previous tank.  They could also be the larva of something else, you’re absolutely right.  Just because they look like detritus worms in a picture doesn’t mean they are!

[titch 104]

Thanks Taryl.

Not sure what to do now. I don't believe they've come from equipment used in a previous setup, as everything is either new or been bleached/nuked. There's no substrate (I removed all the sand prior to nuking) and I'm using household ammonia for my cycle, not food.

Kinda hoping they're a larva of some kind that's completely harmless, cos if that's not the case, then I'm back to nuking all over again and restarting this (already never-ending) cycle.