Starter Shrimp Tnak
Hi everyone, I am a beginner to the hobby and finally have the time to start my tank and my journey to being a shrimper. I have set up my tank yesterday as pictured here, and was hoping to get all the advice I could off people already in the hobby.
The tank is 10 Gallons or 40L, I started off with some aqua soil at the bottom, about an inch at the front and deeper towards the back to about 2.5 inches. I then poured another inch of black aquarium gravel on top. Then got some driftwood from a pet store and three live plants of which I don't know what they are, other than the aquarium lady recommended them to me! Also some porous rock I scrubbed and placed inside.
I added water to the top and then used AQUA One Ammonia and chlorine neutraliser, I thought it was just for treating tap water but it also seems to be for tanks with fish or shrimp already inside. I then used a product called ESTABLISH, seems to be bacteria starter but it doesn't say how often to use it? I also used NITRO CYCLE nitrifting bacteria that said to dose once and leave it.
Lastly I used leaf zone to help the plants, I was worried they might die in such a new tank. Also a pinch of flakes food for starting ammonia from a guide I found.
I got a test kit from API and here are my day two readings which confused me:
Ammonia 0.5ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5.0ppm
From my limited cycle understanding, the nitrites should spike before the nitrates? I wasn't expecting anything to have happened yet.
My plants also I just kind of pushed them into the gravel to the soil underneath and left them, is this okay?
I did forget to clean out the empty tank also before I filled it with tap water, I was concerned and would like feedback.
Any other opinions or advice would be appreciated