Tons of noob questions!

Hi! About a month ago I got a 5 gallon fish tank. It’s not planted but has a couple java ferns and 6 moss balls, I wish I had gotten a different substrate so I could have a planted tank but I just have gravel right now. I plan to stock it with 3 male guppies and 5-7 cherry shrimp. But before I do that I need to cycle my tank of course! The only problem is that my tank won’t start the cycle. For the past month I’ve been putting in a generous pinch of flake food. Just recently I got a test kit and finally tested the water (I hadn’t gotten one because I thought that if I just put in the fish food every day it would cycle and I could just bring it to Petco or PetSmart and get the water tested when I thought it was finished cycling, then go and buy the fish ) and the ammonia was at 2ppm and nitrites and nitrates were both at zero! I don’t know why it didn’t start so bought some tetra safestart to try to speed it up which will arrive on Friday.
so now for my tons of noob questions lol
1 why didn’t my cycle start? Everything in the tank was clean and i rinsed it all well when I got it. The water is conditioned and I have a filter and heater running 24/7

2 has anyone successfully done a fish less cycle with TSS? Please tell me how you did it! I don’t have pure ammonia so I’m using fish food. Also can I dump it in then wait a few weeks before I get the actual fish? I can’t get fish quite yet because I just don’t have the time to monitor new fish atm.

3 All around my heater and thermometer is white flaky stuff and I have no idea what it is, I just moved the thermometer to the other side of the tank and while I moved it most of it came off so it doesn’t show in the pictures. It came off in huge chunks and was so gross to look at I was able to get most of the big pieces out with a siphon,but a ton of tiny pieces were still floating around afterwards. It’s still on the heater.it was mostly on the suction cup of the thermometer and was really thick on it but it looks like a thinner film on the heater.

4 (last question) how much of the java fern can I bury and does it need something for the roots to attach to? I have it sitting on top of the substrate lol because I read that I shouldn’t bury it or it will rot.

Photos attached of full tank (don’t mind the decaying food on the bottom ) and the gunk on the heater.

thanks so much for your help, I Really appreciate it!!!!!

forgot to ask in original post, does the stocking sound ok to you? I’m not wanting to breed the guppies and even though they eat their babies there’s still a chance a couple will survive and I don’t want the tank to be overstocked at all. And I really don’t know much about how many cherry shrimp I should have, I’ve read that 10 for a 5 gal is fine so I wanted to slightly under stock in case they breed.

 

First, did you wash with soap? because you shouldn't do that or else it could poison your water for fish.

Also, I would recommend getting this https://www.acehardware.com/departments/home-and-decor/cleaning-and-disinfectants/all-purpose-cleaners/10183 instead of food as it will be more precise

I am actually doing a fishless cycle with TSS+ rn, I first had about 1ppm of ammonia in the tank from some snails and then i dumped the whole bottle for my 20gal so you wouldn't need the whole bottle. i kept it at 1 ppm until it started to decrease. Lucy gave me this link that helps with TSS+ and cycling https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/ammonia-instructions-when-cycling-with-tss-or-other-bacterial-starter.251982/

you should not bury the java ferns at all or they will die.

not sure about the stocking as the guppies could potentially harras the shrimp? but I'm unsure as I've never had guppies only shrimp. I would recommend starting with maybe 6 shrimp and go from there especially if they breed.

not sure what the white stuff is around the equipment tbh

 

First, did you wash with soap? because you shouldn't do that or else it could poison your water for fish.

Also, I would recommend getting this https://www.acehardware.com/departments/home-and-decor/cleaning-and-disinfectants/all-purpose-cleaners/10183 instead of food as it will be more precise

I am actually doing a fishless cycle with TSS+ rn, I first had about 1ppm of ammonia in the tank from some snails and then i dumped the whole bottle for my 20gal so you wouldn't need the whole bottle. i kept it at 1 ppm until it started to decrease. Lucy gave me this link that helps with TSS+ and cycling https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/ammonia-instructions-when-cycling-with-tss-or-other-bacterial-starter.251982/

you should not bury the java ferns at all or they will die.

not sure about the stocking as the guppies could potentially harras the shrimp? but I'm unsure as I've never had guppies only shrimp. I would recommend starting with maybe 6 shrimp and go from there especially if they breed.

not sure what the white stuff is around the equipment tbh

thank you so much!!! I didn’t wash with soap, I only used water and a sponge meant for aquariums (from the pet store and never used with soap or anything other than water) I’ve read that guppies and shrimp go together okay but I’m not 100% sure. I was going to put the shrimp in a week or so before adding the fish so that they can make it “their” tank, do you think that would help?

 

thank you so much!!! I didn’t wash with soap, I only used water and a sponge meant for aquariums (from the pet store and never used with soap or anything other than water) I’ve read that guppies and shrimp go together okay but I’m not 100% sure. I was going to put the shrimp in a week or so before adding the fish so that they can make it “their” tank, do you think that would help?

oh okay that's good then. after the tank has cycled completely you can put the shrimp in first so the guppies don't feel like they own the place lol. not sure if i am correct but i think endlers are more peaceful then guppies? not sure just a guess. but i think it is best for shrimp to go first so the fish don't own the territory or bring them in at the same time. for the shrimp i would make sure to drip acclimate for at LEAST one hour so they get used to your water before you put them in. just get some airline tubing and knot it lightly so it drips a couple drops every second or two have it directly coming from your tank water and make sure they get adjusted to your temperature as well.

 

oh okay that's good then. after the tank has cycled completely you can put the shrimp in first so the guppies don't feel like they own the place lol. not sure if i am correct but i think endlers are more peaceful then guppies? not sure just a guess. but i think it is best for shrimp to go first so the fish don't own the territory or bring them in at the same time. for the shrimp i would make sure to drip acclimate for at LEAST one hour so they get used to your water before you put them in. just get some airline tubing and knot it lightly so it drips a couple drops every second or two have it directly coming from your tank water and make sure they get adjusted to your temperature as well.

Thanks so much again! I’m excited for my new shrimp and fish

 

Thanks so much again! I’m excited for my new shrimp and fish

No problem! I would recommend some more plants if you can for the shrimp so they can hide in between them!

 

this is what you want for starting your fishless cycle . a steady 3ppm

https://www.amazon.com/DrTims-Aquat...70954011&rps=1&sprefix=dr+tims,aps,227&sr=8-4

 

May i ask what is in your filter? Maybe some bio media in it would help.