NachoMom
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- Feb 8, 2011
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- Location
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Country
- Canada
- Display Name
- Amanda
Hey Guys,
So I am looking for a little advice - or maybe just reassurance lol. I set up a 40 gallon long (US gallons) for a little society of CFBN over the course of a month and a half. Using Great Stuff expanding foam I aquascaped a "hill" along the back of the tank incorporating some half-moon PVC pipe and flower pots on the side for hides, as well as carved out a large cave-like hide halfway up. After this dried completely I coated it with aquarium safe silicone, and pressed play sand into it for a complete covering. Play sand was then also used for substrate, and some fake plants set into the side of the hill for non-perishable fauna. A diffenbachia is planted in a terra-cotta pot that is also set in the Great Stuff above th water line, and I have a small ivy planted in another pot for additional coverage on the land mass. Java moss has been spread over the hill to grow into a nice living carpet for the newts, and I currently also have a banana plant in the tank. Now for the questions:
After being set up for a few days I woke up to an incredibly cloudy tank, so much so it's a little difficult to see through the back. In addition, there are see through, sorry of mucas like globules all over the bottom and conglomerated to the java moss
at first I panicked and thought immediately it was a fungus, and tried to turkey baster out all of the globs and do a 25% water change, but it did little and the next morning the mucus-y stuff was back, but to a lesser degree. After doing a ton of research I am fairly confident it is a bacterial bloom, as the plants are thriving and there seems to be no ill effect to those living in the cloudy tank. This seems to make sense since it is a new tank (although before I added the Great Stuff hill decoration the tank was half filled, java moss and banana plant thrown in, and allowed to cycle with an airstone for three weeks. This water was re-added after the hill cured since it had perfect readings). The terra-cotta hides I have in there also have acquired a slimy coating of bacteria, usually a good sign to algae growth and balancing the tank chemistry. I am planning to do another water change today, using bottled spring water to top it up, and retest afterwards. I was also going to add a few guppies to speed up the process.
If my readings are okay, is it safe to introduce newts while the cloudiness persists? I am asking because I am adopting 6 adult CFBN from someone who cannot take care of them anymore and just found out he has to drop them off this week (likely tomorrow). I had been planning on waiting a few more weeks if I could to let things take a natural course in the cycling of the tank, but time has become an issue. I read a few other posts on here of people having no problems with bacterial blooms and newts as long as added care is taken and more frequent water changes done. Will my guys be okay? Ay added advice or pointers would be GREATLY appreciated, I don't want anything bad to happen with the introduction! thanks so much!!!
Amanda
So I am looking for a little advice - or maybe just reassurance lol. I set up a 40 gallon long (US gallons) for a little society of CFBN over the course of a month and a half. Using Great Stuff expanding foam I aquascaped a "hill" along the back of the tank incorporating some half-moon PVC pipe and flower pots on the side for hides, as well as carved out a large cave-like hide halfway up. After this dried completely I coated it with aquarium safe silicone, and pressed play sand into it for a complete covering. Play sand was then also used for substrate, and some fake plants set into the side of the hill for non-perishable fauna. A diffenbachia is planted in a terra-cotta pot that is also set in the Great Stuff above th water line, and I have a small ivy planted in another pot for additional coverage on the land mass. Java moss has been spread over the hill to grow into a nice living carpet for the newts, and I currently also have a banana plant in the tank. Now for the questions:
After being set up for a few days I woke up to an incredibly cloudy tank, so much so it's a little difficult to see through the back. In addition, there are see through, sorry of mucas like globules all over the bottom and conglomerated to the java moss
at first I panicked and thought immediately it was a fungus, and tried to turkey baster out all of the globs and do a 25% water change, but it did little and the next morning the mucus-y stuff was back, but to a lesser degree. After doing a ton of research I am fairly confident it is a bacterial bloom, as the plants are thriving and there seems to be no ill effect to those living in the cloudy tank. This seems to make sense since it is a new tank (although before I added the Great Stuff hill decoration the tank was half filled, java moss and banana plant thrown in, and allowed to cycle with an airstone for three weeks. This water was re-added after the hill cured since it had perfect readings). The terra-cotta hides I have in there also have acquired a slimy coating of bacteria, usually a good sign to algae growth and balancing the tank chemistry. I am planning to do another water change today, using bottled spring water to top it up, and retest afterwards. I was also going to add a few guppies to speed up the process.If my readings are okay, is it safe to introduce newts while the cloudiness persists? I am asking because I am adopting 6 adult CFBN from someone who cannot take care of them anymore and just found out he has to drop them off this week (likely tomorrow). I had been planning on waiting a few more weeks if I could to let things take a natural course in the cycling of the tank, but time has become an issue. I read a few other posts on here of people having no problems with bacterial blooms and newts as long as added care is taken and more frequent water changes done. Will my guys be okay? Ay added advice or pointers would be GREATLY appreciated, I don't want anything bad to happen with the introduction! thanks so much!!!
Amanda