Nightmare fishless cycle

[Tetra27]

I may be exaggerating when I call this a nightmare, but I'm very new to this hobby and this is my first ever tank. I decided to do a fishless cycle method that I was shown by my LFS and well... Things have gone a bit pear shaped. I'm 14 days into the cycle and the following has happened. I would be grateful if anyone could tell me how big the following problems are and which ones need to be sorted and how. Thank you.

1. There seems to be quite a few planaria worms in the tank

2. Hydra worms have started to appear in the tank

3. Ammonia is stuck at 4ppm whilst nitrites are now at 2ppm as of today.

4. Some weird white fluffy stuff is all over the glass of the tank (could be algae)

5. Found a weird brown cocoon in the tank which I removed today to stop whatever it was hatching.

 

[Frank the Fish guy]

Oh dear.

What is your pH? Need to figure if your cycle is stuck because of your water.

What is your source water parameters?

These are predatory worms and you are going to need to poison this tank with worm killer, and start over again.

What do you think brought these worms into your tank? They had to come from something you added. Unless, they are in your water!>!!>! Are you on a well?

You need to figure where they came from, so you don't do whatever you did, next time.

 

[Tetra27]

Oh dear.

What is your pH? Need to figure if your cycle is stuck because of your water.

What is your source water parameters?

These are predatory worms and you are going to need to poison this tank with worm killer, and start over again.

What do you think brought these worms into your tank? They had to come from something you added. Unless, they are in your water!>!!>! Are you on a well?

You need to figure where they came from, so you don't do whatever you did, next time.

My PH has stayed consistent at 6.8

The worms either came from amazon frogbit or bogwood which I have since removed from the tank. I already have a delivery of no planaria on the way to deal with the worm issue.

 

[Trenzalore]

What method of fishless cycling did your lfs teach you?

 

[Tetra27]

What method of fishless cycling did your lfs teach you?

Dose ammonia to 3-4ppm. Then do nothing and wait for ammonia to drop to 0.75ppm and nitrites to go over 2ppm and then all the full dose again. Then dose 1/3 of the original dosage when you test every 2 days and get 2 test results in a row that show ammonia at 0.

 

[Trenzalore]

That sounds alright, although ususally you'd wait for ammonia to drop lower than that, and not reduce the amount of dosage that much before adding fish, unless you are adding fish with like zero bioload like guppies and shrimp.

 

[vinay021]

What is the substrate that you have used in the tank ?

 

[Tetra27]

That sounds alright, although ususally you'd wait for ammonia to drop lower than that, and not reduce the amount of dosage that much before adding fish, unless you are adding fish with like zero bioload like guppies and shrimp.

It took about 12 days for nitrites to show up at about 0.50ppm. the next day (yesterday) it was at 2ppm but the ammonia is still the same. I'll test it again this afternoon and see what happens.

What is the substrate that you have used in the tank ?

I've used quite fine sand.

Will using no planaria effect the cycle?

 

[vinay021]

It took about 12 days for nitrites to show up at about 0.50ppm. the next day (yesterday) it was at 2ppm but the ammonia is still the same. I'll test it again this afternoon and see what happens.




I've used quite fine sand.

Will using no planaria effect the cycle?

Not sure about effects of No planaria. But I'm afraid of what other things are lurking in the tank.

If your set up is not complex and labour intensive, pull everything out, sterilize and re setup.

Boiling hot water bath for the wood and sand
H2O2 for tank and plants

 

[Tetra27]

Not sure about effects of No planaria. But I'm afraid of what other things are lurking in the tank.

If your set up is not complex and labour intensive, pull everything out, sterilize and re setup.

Boiling hot water bath for the wood and sand
H2O2 for tank and plants

There seem to be little dead flies on the water surface.

 

[vinay021]

There seem to be little dead flies on the water surface.

Better to sterilize everything and re setup the tank instead of dropping chemical bombs one after another

 

[NotSoAggressiveAquatics]

I may be exaggerating when I call this a nightmare, but I'm very new to this hobby and this is my first ever tank. I decided to do a fishless cycle method that I was shown by my LFS and well... Things have gone a bit pear shaped. I'm 14 days into the cycle and the following has happened. I would be grateful if anyone could tell me how big the following problems are and which ones need to be sorted and how. Thank you.

1. There seems to be quite a few planaria worms in the tank

2. Hydra worms have started to appear in the tank

3. Ammonia is stuck at 4ppm whilst nitrites are now at 2ppm as of today.

4. Some weird white fluffy stuff is all over the glass of the tank (could be algae)

5. Found a weird brown cocoon in the tank which I removed today to stop whatever it was hatching.

After finding that cocoon I would light the tank on fire and launch it into space

 

[Tetra27]

Better to sterilize everything and re setup the tank instead of dropping chemical bombs one after another

Soooo I take it it's something that has to be done and that there's no other way around this. I've had quite the introduction to fishkeeping.

After finding that cocoon I would light the tank on fire and launch it into space

My first thought too especially because I have the tank in my bedroom. Although my bedroom seems to be free of any flying things. I've read other stories where people have had midgies on their walls behind the tank etc.

Also what did you suggest I do about my filter media? Just wash it and start over?

 

[vinay021]

Also, what did you suggest I do about my filter media? Just wash it and start over?

Yes, thoroughly with H2O2. You have to start the cycle all over again. Also, I suggest you try Fish in Cycle with some hardy fish like guppies. Just one or 2 will suffice. What fish do you intend to house in that tank anyway?

 

[Tetra27]

I have slightly acidic water so I'm not sure guppies would cope, I'm wanting to have some cherry barbs, some honey gourami and then a group of small Cory catfish at the bottom

 

[tomiyama]

I'm a gentle soul and vote for the fishless cycle....

 

[vinay021]

I have slightly acidic water so I'm not sure guppies would cope, I'm wanting to have some cherry barbs, some honey gourami and then a group of small Cory catfish at the bottom

Whatever works for you. Fish-in or Fishless.

I'm a gentle soul and vote for the fishless cycle....

I do the Fish-in cycle mostly to avoid breeding Mosquitos.

Recently I built an outdoor tank for goldfish. I filled the tank and left it be for a week. The cycle had already started because I had dirt and lotus plants in the tank. Then came the mosquito larvae. Did a partial water change and added 6 guppies. They happily munched on all the larvae. Added goldfish after 2 weeks. All is well now and not a single loss in the whole process.

In case you want to go through my journey log.
Construction of Outdoor Thermocol Fish Tank. Fish Stocking Ideas Plz... | Freshwater Aquarium Builds Forum | 471515

 

[Tetra27]

Whatever works for you. Fish-in or Fishless.


I do the Fish-in cycle mostly to avoid breeding Mosquitos.

Recently I built an outdoor tank for goldfish. I filled the tank and left it be for a week. The cycle had already started because I had dirt and lotus plants in the tank. Then came the mosquito larvae. Did a partial water change and added 6 guppies. They happily munched on all the larvae. Added goldfish after 2 weeks. All is well now and not a single loss in the whole process.

In case you want to go through my journey log.
Construction of Outdoor Thermocol Fish Tank. Fish Stocking Ideas Plz... | Freshwater Aquarium Builds Forum | 471515

We don't mosquitoes over here so at least I don't have to worry about that. Your journey seems cool! If what I have in my tank is midgie larvae would the fish just munch on that too?

 

[vinay021]

We don't mosquitoes over here so at least I don't have to worry about that. Your journey seems cool! If what I have in my tank is midgie larvae would the fish just munch on that too?

Fish will munch on anything that moves and fits its mouth.

 

[Tetra27]

That's why I'm hesitant to strip everything down. Won't the fish just clear these up once they're in?

 

[altwitch]

Many varied opinions in response and I won't discredit any, just share my own thoughts. I consistently hear from folks on this forum about nightmares with fishless cycling. I believe in caretaking fish and responsibly looking after them but am a fan of fish in cycle if you don't have access to established media. I would completely purge the tank based on what you describe as pests will linger for weeks and even months. Recommend restart from scratch. If you can get a filter run in an established tank for a couple weeks that works best. Loan it to a friend or LFS and just ask them to run it for you in an established and populated tank. Restart with hardy fish in small numbers while you wait for bacteria to take hold and keep monitoring water quality. Mitigate with water changes as needed tho not too aggressive as you need some ammonia, nitrite, etc. to keep the cycle going.

I started with 8 Celebes Rainbows in a 120g and slowly added other residents as the cycle took hold. It looked pretty silly with 8 tiny fish in a giant tank but patience is the key. Take things incrementally and I predict success.

Best of luck and can be frustrating; hope something here helps.

 

[Tetra27]

Many varied opinions in response and I won't discredit any, just share my own thoughts. I consistently hear from folks on this forum about nightmares with fishless cycling. I believe in caretaking fish and responsibly looking after them but am a fan of fish in cycle if you don't have access to established media. I would completely purge the tank based on what you describe as pests will linger for weeks and even months. Recommend restart from scratch. If you can get a filter run in an established tank for a couple weeks that works best. Loan it to a friend or LFS and just ask them to run it for you in an established and populated tank. Restart with hardy fish in small numbers while you wait for bacteria to take hold and keep monitoring water quality. Mitigate with water changes as needed tho not too aggressive as you need some ammonia, nitrite, etc. to keep the cycle going.

I started with 8 Celebes Rainbows in a 120g and slowly added other residents as the cycle took hold. It looked pretty silly with 8 tiny fish in a giant tank but patience is the key. Take things incrementally and I predict success.

Best of luck and can be frustrating; hope something here helps.

Well I thank you for your advice, after speaking to various people and having a few thoughts I'm going to wait and see if the No planaria powder will eradicate these as well as the hydras before trying to take everything apart and start all over again. If not then I might just leave them for the fish to eat depending on their numbers. Thank you again for your advice

 

[Flyfisha]

I started to write a reply to this thread a couple of days ago when you first posted Tetra27.
I stopped short of posting because my suggestion was so different from #2 reply.
Having been away up the mountains chasing trout in nature for a few hours today I am glad you have found your own solution to what you originally thought to be a problem.

I am also of the opinion that you have nothing to worry about. You have an ecosystem developing in the tank. Let it continue, at some stage kill the hydra if you want to keep only shrimp in the tank or let the fish eat a few. The planaria you have the powder for .
From my experience I have never killed ALL the bacteria when killing planaria or hydra. As far as I can tell the bacteria were not damaged in any way.

Enjoy your slice of nature in a glass box .

 

[Tetra27]

I started to write a reply to this thread a couple of days ago when you first posted Tetra27.
I stopped short of posting because my suggestion was so different from #2 reply.
Having been away up the mountains chasing trout in nature for a few hours today I am glad you have found your own solution to what you originally thought to be a problem.

I am also of the opinion that you have nothing to worry about. You have an ecosystem developing in the tank. Let it continue, at some stage kill the hydra if you want to keep only shrimp in the tank or let the fish eat a few. The planaria you have the powder for .
From my experience I have never killed ALL the bacteria when killing planaria or hydra. As far as I can tell the bacteria were not damaged in any way.

Enjoy your slice of nature in a glass box .

Turns out they weren't planaria but actually midgie larvae. But yes thank you for the reply! I can probably leave them for the fish to pick off too.

 

[Frank the Fish guy]

I have some tanks where I gather river water from my favorite fly fishing stream and let things grow. I end up with all sorts of creatures in there. The easiest way is to take home a rock that was sitting in the stream bed. The creatures are on the bottom. I put it in my 10 gallon tank that I grow fish food in. I have crustaceans like scuds in there, some little cray fish, and the midges from the rock will grow and sometimes hatch! Then my family complains of all the 'fruit flies' in the house. Oh dear!

Do you really want an insect hatch in your bedroom!

Could be fun though!

If they really are harmless, then your fish will just eat them all.

To keep them going, you have to have a refuge (refugium). That means a tank without fish or predators so that the little creatures can grow. That's what I have. I think you may have to get a second tank!!

 

[Tetra27]

I have some tanks where I gather river water from my favorite fly fishing stream and let things grow. I end up with all sorts of creatures in there. The easiest way is to take home a rock that was sitting in the stream bed. The creatures are on the bottom. I put it in my 10 gallon tank that I grow fish food in. I have crustaceans like scuds in there, some little cray fish, and the midges from the rock will grow and sometimes hatch! Then my family complains of all the 'fruit flies' in the house. Oh dear!

Do you really want an insect hatch in your bedroom!

Could be fun though!

If they really are harmless, then your fish will just eat them all.

To keep them going, you have to have a refuge (refugium). That means a tank without fish or predators so that the little creatures can grow. That's what I have. I think you may have to get a second tank!!

Those things have been in the tank for a while now and I haven't found a single fly or midgie in my room (I've searched a lot) there just seems to be small dead ones floating on the surface and that one cocoon in the tank which I removed. Once my cycle is done I'll just let the fish take care of them.