Vimmer Posted December 31, 2014 Report Share Posted December 31, 2014 Ok still having issues with nitrate levels creeping up faster than I like even after cutting feedings in half in 36 gallon tank. This is a tetra tank mainly and apparently the half rations were not enough as they killed a snail that was growing too fast for its shell to keep up when tried to skip feeding for one day. Poor little apple snail couldn't pull himself fully into his shell, always left 1/4 inch or so sticking out when he rested. Anyway I went out this weekend and purchased a couple more plants. Picked up some mondo grass (have since researched the error of that purchase) and a small but rhizome loaded java fern at a LFS. I know no one likes buying plants from these places but not a lot of options out here. Because the java was so loaded with rhizomes I decided to pick up a piece of driftwood as well and separate the fern to cover the foot long driftwood. Tied leaves that were covered in zomes to the wood as well as the main rhizome. Had to also tie weights to it to keep it from floating. When I came home from work last night I noticed parts of the wood had a white algae/moss like bloom forming on it. Left it alone to see what happened. Tonight, 48 hours+/- later, the growth is still there. It doesn't seem to have grown or if it did not much. The ghost shrimp and snails I still have in the tank don't seem at all interested in this stuff although the Otto cats are. Should I be worried about this white stuff or just leave it and see if ottos can keep it in check? At the moment this is a low light tank with no CO2 system at all; just dosing API liquid CO2 every other morning. The java seems to have recovered the shock of transplant and is already showing signs of new growth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishclubgirl Posted December 31, 2014 Report Share Posted December 31, 2014 Vimmer, I have all kinds of low light plants and can ship. Would love to help you out!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimmer Posted December 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2014 Thanks for the offer FCG. I may take you up on it as well. Been working at trying to get things in balance slowly but think I've overstocked the critters for plants in tank right now. To me it is looking crowded not so much because of too many critters but more not enough plants/hiding spots for the ones that are in there. I've been trying to hold off buying much out here in the Hat as selection is limited and quality is not greatest. I'll be back in Calgary again in March but needed to do something with nitrates going from 10ppm after a WC to between 30 and 40 ppm in two days. I don't mind up to a 20% WC once a week but having to do that every 2 days is sign tank is not balanced to me. It is and like most always will be a work in progress. I've never seen this white algae/moss stuff before but have never put store bought driftwood in a tank before. Have used real driftwood collected from river and boiled the heck out of it to remove tannins and sterilize. Was a little surprised after attaching java and putting it in tank that it wanted to float. Any I had collected was stuff that had waterlogged and been exposed by low water line so did not expect store bought for aquarium trade to not be same. Wouldn't have been surprised at neutral buoyancy but this shot to surface so hard and fast i have hard time believing it had ever seen water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimmer Posted December 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2014 Ok little more time to research and I think I've found my answer. From what I can find it turns out is just plain ugly. It seems this is a common bacterial fungus that will disappear given time even without the ottos munching away on it and is not harmful whatsoever to tank inhabitants. Whew because like I said the ottos are really enjoying it even if the mystery snails and shrimp won't touch it. Caused by reaction of the bacteria in the tank to newly introduced organic materials. From what I can find the only reason I haven't had this before is because in past I used salvaged wood which I boiled the $h!t out of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogfish Posted December 31, 2014 Report Share Posted December 31, 2014 I have had that white slimy film growing on a new piece of driftwood purchased at the lfs before. Kind of looks like jelly if I remember correctly. I researched the heck out of it and for the life of me can't remember if it was fungus or bacteria growing on it. Anyway it went away after a few weeks, the ottos and bristlenose plecos seemed to enjoy grazing on it and it hasn't come back. If your timing is right I think the CAS spring auction is sometime in March if you're still in the market for locally owned and grown plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimmer Posted December 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2014 Ooo ooo ooo March you say? Dang if I'm lucky it will fall on or near day of daughter's appointment up there. There's quite a few items that I see through this forum as readily available in Calgary that I know I will never see out here. To corner all of you in one building would be Christmas for me. Let's see work still owe me for 2 1/2 weeks vacation from 2014 and by march I'll have another 5 days racked up = honey you know that tank rack I've been talking about..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted December 31, 2014 Report Share Posted December 31, 2014 I agree that your nitrates do seem to be rising too fast. Make sure there isn't a dead fish/critter stuck, rotting somewhere; if there's a tonne of mulm in the filter (canister, HOB?) dump most of it out (don't clean/rinse the biofilter, tho). Has the increase in nitrates coincided with the addition of the wood? Tho, it shouldn't increase the bioload in the tank, if it wasn't totally clean, it might add to the nutrient load. Try a LARGE floating plant for a bit, if you can find one - frogbit or salvinia would be good. Duckweed is nearly impossible to get rid of once you introduce it, so maybe stay away from it, but it's a great nutrient sponge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishclubgirl Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Fyi, the Calgary Aquarium Society is March 8th, well worth the trip... and there will be lots of plants including.... duckweed!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimmer Posted January 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Did a massive deep gravel vacuum and slowed nitrate climb to get four to five days now. Think other part of the problem was me chopping down my wysteria to propagate; better long term but spiked an already imbalanced tank short term. Added the wood to have something to tie java to to help bring nitrates down. Been looking for salvinia Natans for a while and will definitely be interested if I can find some. Duckweed is 24d resistant isn't it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimmer Posted January 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Nice march 8th is a Sunday one of my days off. Count me in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishclubgirl Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Nice march 8th is a Sunday one of my days off. Count me in.See you then! You can also put bamboo roots in the tank and let the plant grow out of your tank. Live bamboo is easy to find and very inexpensive at oriental supermarkets(got mine for a dollar a stem..) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimmer Posted January 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Considered bamboo and know it's not very high light demand but lighting in room itself is almost zero. Daughter's bedroom with lights rarely on throughout the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cainechow Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Vimmer, if you are in Calgary I can hook you up with some Amazon Frogbit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimmer Posted January 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Unfortunately in Medicine Hat not calgary. Was unfamiliar with frogbit. Nice plant structure. Would be interested in some next time we get up there. Still want salvinia Natans as like its structure as well for floating plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cainechow Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Just send me a message when you are over this way and we'll see if we can connect up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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