Advice On These Test Readings Pls ?

[SCORPIOCUPCAKE]

OK, I have a month old tank with 10 fish, its a 200l tank and have just done my readings and need some advice as to what/if any action may be required ? Thanks......

Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrite - 0.25
Nitrate - 0.0

Am I correct that all these should be zero? I know the ammonia and nitrite should be zero but itts the nitrate reading I am unsure of, should this also be zero ?

Do I need to do a partial water change yet ?

 

[gaz gun man]

did you cycle your tank?

Also what fish are they?

 

[SCORPIOCUPCAKE]

did you cycle your tank?

Also what fish are they?

I did cycle, yes and I have the following

1 silver shark
2 mollies
6 tiger barbs
1 platy
Thanks !

 

[Miss Wiggle]

have a read of the lin in my sig 'whats cycling' this should explain more and tell you what to do.

 

[gaz gun man]

are you using a liquid test kit? The test strips are very unreliable

Also if you have live plants they will eat some of the nitrates.

Try testing your tap water and see what results you get, I think some people do get trace ammonia in their tap water so IMO it wouldnt be worth a water change yet, however if it comes back clear it cant hurt to do water changes.

how often do you change your water?

I'm new to all this myself but i'll try to help out until the experienced guys get here

 

[SCORPIOCUPCAKE]

are you using a liquid test kit? The test strips are very unreliable

Also if you have live plants they will eat some of the nitrates.

Try testing your tap water and see what results you get, I think some people do get trace ammonia in their tap water so IMO it wouldnt be worth a water change yet, however if it comes back clear it cant hurt to do water changes.

how often do you change your water?

I'm new to all this myself but i'll try to help out until the experienced guys get here

Using the API test kit ( not strips), dont have real plants...............

 

[kj23502]

I believe the tank needs to be heavily planted to have a good effect on water parameters anyway.

 

[rabbut]

How did you cycle?
I ask as most newcommers belive that leaving the tank sitting there empty "cycling" water for length of time X, as specified by the LFS is cycling. It isn't Those readings are concerning, ammonia and nitrite should be zero, nitrate should be steadily rising in a cycled tank. Nitrate wants to be no highter than 40ppm above the tap water reading The fact that the levels aren't where they should be tells me that you either diden't cycle correctly, or you have done something to the filter since cycling, that killed the bacteria.

Have you cleaned the filter or done any waterchanges since compelting your cycle? If so, how?

All the best
Rabbut

 

[waterdrop]

Agreed. Exactly the right question rabbut!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[SCORPIOCUPCAKE]

I didnt do a fishless cycle, but waited till my readings were zero before introducing fish into the tank. Yesterday I did a 20% water change and my ammonia reading hasnt changed since then and I expected it to ?

I havent touched the filter at all.

What should I do now ?

Thanks so much for all advice. I thought I had done everything right so far and want my little fishies to be happy.

x

 

[rabbut]

You are fish-in cycling ATM. Have a read of [topic="224306"]this thread[/topic] that I wrote, to get to know what to do now

Have you tested your tap water? The fact that you had to wait for ammonia and nitrite to drop tells me there may be ammonia and or nitrite in the tap water supply. During a fish-in cycle you need to be aware of this ammonia or nitrite, so you don't waterchange when the stats drop below those of the tap water. In a mature tank, the filter will process the ammonia and nitrite added to the tank by the weekly waterchange, within the hour, but an imature tank with large waterchanges won't likely be able to process the added ammonia or nitrite. This makes weekly waterchanges safe in a cycled tank, but sometimes more dodgy than leaving a immature tank

All the best
Rabbut

 

[SCORPIOCUPCAKE]

You are fish-in cycling ATM. Have a read of [topic="224306"]this thread[/topic] that I wrote, to get to know what to do now

Have you tested your tap water? The fact that you had to wait for ammonia and nitrite to drop tells me there may be ammonia and or nitrite in the tap water supply. During a fish-in cycle you need to be aware of this ammonia or nitrite, so you don't waterchange when the stats drop below those of the tap water. In a mature tank, the filter will process the ammonia and nitrite added to the tank by the weekly waterchange, within the hour, but an imature tank with large waterchanges won't likely be able to process the added ammonia or nitrite. This makes weekly waterchanges safe in a cycled tank, but sometimes more dodgy than leaving a immature tank

All the best
Rabbut

Thanks Rabbut, am off to test my tap water and also tank water again and will post back on here as really dont want to harm my fishies. Thanks once again.

S
x