davidjp1982
Donating Member
- Messages
- 244
- Location
- UK
I recently removed the plants from my tank and rescaped the sand pushing it up into a corner and added some stones from a stream which I boiled and scrubbed and tested with vinegar and also added some dead oak branches which I scrubbed and poured boiling water over, also boiled oak leaves and alder cones and added to tank along with some of the boiled "blackwater extract" water.
2 days in and the branches are covered with a white snotty cobweb of what I have been told is a harmless fungus which is common on newly added wood and should clear on its own. However I tested the water to put my mind at rest and it showed a 0.25 reading for ammonia and a 0.5 reading for nitrites. This was 2 days ago and I have been doing 50% water changes daily since.
I'm aware that disturbing the substrate can kick up buried waste and this could be causing some problems but I just wanted to check to see if anyone has some experience or advice in this area.
I assume if it is as simple as disturbing the sand then daily water changes should help and this should settle soon enough? Fish seem fine but my black neons are breathing noticeably fast.
Any thoughts appreciated - should I just continue with the water changes and if the nitrites are still there assume the stones or branches are causing issues?
2 days in and the branches are covered with a white snotty cobweb of what I have been told is a harmless fungus which is common on newly added wood and should clear on its own. However I tested the water to put my mind at rest and it showed a 0.25 reading for ammonia and a 0.5 reading for nitrites. This was 2 days ago and I have been doing 50% water changes daily since.
I'm aware that disturbing the substrate can kick up buried waste and this could be causing some problems but I just wanted to check to see if anyone has some experience or advice in this area.
I assume if it is as simple as disturbing the sand then daily water changes should help and this should settle soon enough? Fish seem fine but my black neons are breathing noticeably fast.
Any thoughts appreciated - should I just continue with the water changes and if the nitrites are still there assume the stones or branches are causing issues?