10 Gallon Paludarium

[ah_hup]

Hi there, I am currently doing a tank cycling for my Paludarium before introducing Vampire Crabs.

Filter medias: lava rocks, ceramic stones inside a small submersible filter.
Plants: Christmas moss
Livestocks: 3 Zebra snails

The tank size is a 10 Gallon and water volume is only about 1/3.

I am running 2 submersible filters, one which I DIY to make the water flow out like a waterfall. (Sponge)
The second filter is just running normally and I put ceramic stones inside the sponge compartment.

Am dosing Seachem Prime for water dechlorinator and Stability for bacteria.

How long estimate will it take for me to cycle the tank given the low volume of water?

Any advise will be much appreciated!

 

[ah_hup]

any advise would be greatly appreciated

 

[Something Fishy Here]

It's really hard to say, cycling a fish tank can take 2-3 months and every tank is slightly different with it's own variables. You essentially have a 3 gallon tank with high escape walls. I've never kept anything that small, but you also have a few snails as the livestock so far right? They're probably not putting off much ammonia which is what the bacteria feed on that you try to establish in a cycle. Also you have plants, which are awesome but can absorb some of the ammonia, nitrite nitrate etc and further make it unclear on how long it will take. I think you have a very interesting display and a cool idea, but afraid I can't give you any hint on how long it will take to establish the bacteria colonies.

 

[ah_hup]

Thanks for the response.

I have been dosing Prime and Seachem Stability almost everyday but my readings are still, Ammonia 1.0ppm, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, PH 6.8.

All my bacterias are really sleeping!!

 

[Something Fishy Here]

Do you have any other tanks or friends with tanks? If you could grab even a handful of used media or filter floss or substrate from an established tank it would likely have plenty of BB to seed a setup as small as yours.