[JD3P]

I setup my 10 gallon on July 20th, so far my readings have been:
August 1st: Nitrate 160ppm, Nitrite 5.0ppm, Ammonia 0ppm? seemed lighter than the 0, pH 8.0ppm
Latest reading is today, August 4th: Nitrate 40-80 ppm can't tell which, Nitrite 0ppm, Ammonia 0ppm, pH 7.8ppm

Judging by these recent readings it appears my tank is ready, although it seems it went pretty quickly. My other tanks took about a month. I did seed this one with items from my other cycled tank though, so I know that sped things up. I am considering letting it sit for another week or so, without adding anymore food to the tank. I siphoned it out today, replaced 50% of the water, and set up the rest of the decorations. Does waiting another week seem like the right thing to do based on my readings? I also was wondering if ivy is safe. Just regular ivy you would see growing on the side of a house. I know it will eventually rot, but for the time being, say a few weeks is it safe? I'm not sure if it will release toxins to the fish, so just making sure ahead of time. Thanks for any help.

 

[PewPewPew]

I wouldnt add a terrestrial plant into an aquatic environment ever.. Just in case.

I would say the cycle is done. If you want to wait that's fine, though dont add the fish with that much nitrate.. Id knock it down to 5-10ppm.

 

[JD3P]

I wouldnt add a terrestrial plant into an aquatic environment ever.. Just in case.

I would say the cycle is done. If you want to wait that's fine, though dont add the fish with that much nitrate.. Id knock it down to 5-10ppm.

Okay, thank you. I was jw because I've read in a few other places of people using Ivy. I'm going to try to get some fake plants asap. I'm not sure how I can get the nitrates down, even in my other tanks it's usually at around 40ppm. Long after it's been cycled, and cleaned many times at 50% wc. I've read that as long as it's not above 40ppm that the tank is safe. Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[PewPewPew]

Hmm.. Ive usually gone by the rule 20ppm and under.

Doing a water change doesnt lower your nitrates? Huh. It should.
Consider getting a few live plants, like stem plants, etc which help use them up.

Ive never heard of the ivy thing, tbh, but would worry just in case it was toxic, you know?

Perhaps they mean pathos or pothos or whatever that plant is called... It can live partially submerged with fair results?

 

[dragonflie]

You can get the same sort of look of ivy with the fake vines from the dollar store (as long as they are fully plastic stems, no metal inside at all). I used one for my community tank. They are rather long, so you can cut them where you wish; then get the little suction cups they sell in the pet stores for the airlines and silicone them where you like if you wish. I made a canopy in this way to fill the upper portions of the larger tank.

Thought I had a good pic, but I do not. I do however have a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmKFgY2Y2fQ

It was slightly on the messy side when I made the video; since then I've been much more careful with the placement of the vines and it looks nicer.

I don't mean to get your thread too off track, but I wanted to share with you what I did to get that look since you mentioned ivy.

 

[JD3P]

I actually had the exact thought you did Dragonflie, after I came home from the store I saw your post, lol. I removed the real ivy and put the fake in. Except, now I'm having another issue...the tank was split by a divider, and I put in my two females. The water level had to be too high, and one of them jumped over during the night...the older female betta now has tears and large chunks of fin missing from the back and the top. The other one, who jumped, has a separation, and a little hole. I put something on the top so neither can jump, and lowered the water. I also put in 2 tbspns of aquarium salt, since it's a 10 gallon. I feel horrible, like I really messed up when it was so obvious it could have happened =[ Is there anything else I should be doing to speed up the healing? The tank is at 78 degrees, and I was thinking about getting them frozen worms for the extra protein.