Your thoughts on this series of events...

[DiscoFool]

Hey,

 

I have a 12 gallon aquapod going. I started by putting in about 18 pounds of rock and let it cycle for 5 weeks. Everything was at 0 and I had an algea bloom (green and brown on sand and rocks). next i put in about six hermit crabs. They went crazy eating the algea and had consumed all of it within a day or two. Next I placed a few small amounts of seaweed in the tank to feed them once the algea was completely out (starvation issue). The crabs had dropped poop droppings all over the sand. Next, the water starts to turn whitish and I notice a huge copepod explosion (little white bugs) and the crabs were eating them when they could. Finally, I do an amonia check and notice a decent spike (the crabs were all inside the rocks). With alarm, I mixed up some salt and gradually throughout the day I did a four gallon water change or about 40 % of the tank. Currently, the amonia is back down to undectable and my other water parameters read as follows:

 

Alk: 9.8 DK

Sal: .0025

Temp: 76

Nitrate: 15 ppm

Nitrite: 0

Cal: 410

PH: 7.90

 

There is still a decent white cloud hovering about and copepods are still present. I was hoping for some comments and whether or not i'm ok. I think that there was something like a second cycle going on as a result of the crab waste. I was thinking of doing some small daily one gallon water changes to have the second cycle be more of a "soft" cycle.

 

I have had reek tanks before (50g and 75 g), but this is my first nano-tank. I was shocked at how quickly things can change regarding water chemistry. the Monday morning quaterback in me was saying : "why weren't you doing more small water changes when you first introduced the crabs you idiot!" Anyways, I was wondering if someone has any thoughts on the matter.

 

 

thanks

 

 

Ill take a picture soon of the tank now

[S197]

6 hermits shouldnt cause much of a spike at all, its probably more in the fact that your feeding them as well. There very good at what they do, dont bother feeding them unless you tank is completly bare of algae for weeks at a time (which wont be the case in a new tank) Im guessing either one of your hermits died (would have been eaten anyways and wouldnt have time to decompose, or them stirring up the gravel may have released somthing in the water column. If you have white water its a nutrient issue, Just stop feeding the hermits and wait it out a few weeks, dont change to much of the water at a time or the tank isnt going to establish itself (if you do 40% a day over time its still a 100% water change over 2.5 days) I would do 10% every 2-3 days till your problem settles and let nature take care of itself.

 

BTW, you didnt mention your phosphate levels and what your water source is.

[TheUnfocusedOne]

stop feeding any leave it

the tank will work itself out probably

and if things get worse its not like you have anything that sensitive to water quality in there anyway

[DiscoFool]

Iv used nothing but DI water from the start. I wasn't planning on doing anymore big water changes, but when the amonia was spiking I had to. Anyways, thanks for the advice. ill do 1 gallon changes every other day and wait it out.

[reefone]

stop feeding the tank. no need to feed just hermits. maybe a pinch of food every couple of weeks if all u have is hermits. otherwise they will eat what ur fish dont.

 

it wont hurt ur tank to do big water changes. i would do a water change to get the nitrates down.

[The Propagator]

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