sup with this amphipod?

i think i lost 1 of only 2 verified amphipod inhabitants! he's been laying out on his back for about 20min twitching a bit. i put API 5in1 strip in like OMG somethings going on. copepods are flowing out of every crevice, though. The top suction cup on my heater for some reason never wants to stay suctioned to the glass. it's a copepod party behind it! so weirdly enough my nitrites are 0 and nitrates (color scale has: 0, 20, 40, ...) i reckon are like 5. really really weak. i didn't expect this so soon. saturday: pH 8.5, NO2 10, NO3 80. sunday: pH 8.5, NO2 4, NO3 30. i've not yet mastered the color strips but i don't need precision to tell when a cycles done. pH showed a lil yellow dot at first but it bled out to the usual red, maybe it can be read as slightly below 8.5. definitely want to put hermits and snails in soon (tomorrow?!$#@) then and start running lights. i've not ran them yet... oh SP.. haven't done that regularly it just hit me. a hair over 1.025 @ 78.7F.

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