help

[tigger1]

Not sure if this is in the right thread so you can move if need be.

Im trying to cycle a 10 gal tank fishless and for some reason the ammonia is increasing without me adding to it... it stayed pretty steady at 1.0 for a while then all of a sudden on its own its up to 4.0. What could be happening?

I just put a heater in and keep it around 82 and it has a small amount of java moss in it...I just increased the lighting to 18000k to see if java moss will turn green and that is about it for the tank.

sorry for all the questions but you guys are the best

[Lab_Rat]

Is there something dead in the tank?

[mommy1]

is the moss dying and rotting in the tank?

[tigger1]

not sure.. its brown but still has some green in it...

[mommy1]

rotting plants will add ammonia to your tank.

[Chrisinator]

It's definetely coming from the moss. That's the only thing that could decay in the tank, unless the gravel was used before and some old stuff was there, probably not in your case. You will probably have plantcycling now. LOL!

[tigger1]

should i do a water change or just leave it? I hope the moss doesnt die dang it ... thats why i put it there so i could get concentraited light.

[mommy1]

since you are doing a fishless cycle i would just leave it. it is making a nice ammonia source for you.

[mac]

Sounds odd that your Java Moss is dyeing. That stuff IME is impossible to kill. It grows all over the place, any place were there is water. I have found it dose not need any light. Just water.

As for your cycle, I would try a few other types of plants like Java Fern and some Anubis, and or Crypts. Just to help with the Cycle.

mac

[tigger1]

I agree on the java moss being pretty much indestructable from what i've read about it that's why i bought it.... but sure enough it started turning brown shortly after i put it in my tanks.... I have 2 patches of it sewed to a piece of screening and i left one in the 55 gal and put the other in the 10. I switched out the bulbs and put a 18000K bulb on the 10 gal and put the bulb that was with the 10 gal on the 55. the original 10 gal light is a 15 w marineland natural daylight bulb.. don't know how many K's it it tho but it makes my tank green.

So basically just leave it alone till i start to see the ammonia go down? and hope the moss doesn't die.

[rich311k]

The 18000K bulb is probably the problem with the moss. Try a 6400K bulb. As for the rest, yes just wait it out.

[mac]

I have grown the moss in much less than 10000k lighting and it worked out good.
IMO it sounds like a bad batch of plant.

[tigger1]

thanks guys :)