Api Test Results

[cocomonkey24k]

Hello Everyone (again)

I seem to have a problem with my test results yesterday i tested the water and the results were:

Ph 7
Ammonia 0.50
nitrite 0
nitrate 5

i done a 50% water change yesterday and tested the water again today and the results were all over the place. i also de-chlorinated the water.

Ph 7.6
ammonia 0-0.25ppm
nitrite 0.25-0.50ppm
nitrate 5-10ppm

Whats going on....................
I will be getting some plants tomorrow hopefully this will bring the Ph down a touch. I have 2 large pieces of bogwood in the tank would this effect results?

todays results.

thanks scott

 

[AstonN24vantage]

pH isn't your only problem, mate. you NEED to take down those nitrites. do you have fish?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

might be worth using the high range ph if your on the edge of low range

 

[cocomonkey24k]

i forgot to mention this is a fish in cycle. how do i go about taking the nitrite levels down ?

ill do the high range test now be right back

 

[AstonN24vantage]

oh, oh. more water changes. i thought this was an established tank. whew!

 

[JoshuaA]

Keep doing tests each day and do a water change if the results show any Nitrite or Ammonia. Your pH will drop due to the bog wood but depending on how soft your water is how much of an affect it will have.

Might I add, what an amazingly good quality camera you have there.

 

[cocomonkey24k]

high range Ph is 7.4

ill do another 50% water change now and test again tonight.

thanks for the advice it is much appreciated

camera is a Nikon D90

 

[JoshuaA]

Yeh your pH is probably 7.5 if you average the result between both tests.

I have found the most useful way for a situation like yours, rather than doing loads of small ones (50%) each day, if you do a 90% or even up to the point the fish in your tank can barely swim due to lack of vertical room then fill up your results will be much better.

If you have 0.5 Ammonia a 50% change will only drop you to 0.25 which is still deadly to a lot of fish. If you drop it by 90-95% it's going to be more like 0.025ppm which is much better and of course it is twice the amount of work but if you keep feeding to a minimum then it stay down for longer.

Considering you have Nitrite showing it does show you're going through the ammonia reducing stage, can't tell if you're reducing nitrites yet but with plants it definitely help the situation as long as they do not rot. If the plants rot you might make it worse!

 

[cocomonkey24k]

Ive just done a 50% water change hopefully it will help if the results tonight as still poor then first thing in the morning ill do a 90-95% water change and hope my fish will cope with the drop in temperature.

once again thanks for the help.

 

[fluttermoth]

... hope my fish will cope with the drop in temperature.

You should be temperature matching your new water to the old. You can use hot water from the tap or from the kettle, but you shouldn't do a 80-90% change with cold water; too much of a shock for the fish.

 

[cocomonkey24k]

Ahh I didn't realise you could use warm water from the tap. Learn something new everyday. 50% water change only reduces the temperature by 3-4 degrees. Im goin to test again soon to see what difference the 50% change has done.

 

[cocomonkey24k]

new test results:
ammonia 0
nitrite 0-0.25 not light blue but light purple either
nitrate 0-5
Ph 7.6
high range Ph 7.4

ill do a 75% water change tomorrow and see what the results show.

thanks again for all the advice I have taken it all on board.

 

[Tizer]

totally ignore the nitrate test, its not worth the worry until the tank is stable, key readings are ammonia and nitrite, keep them below 0.25 with a fish in cycle and its happy days. I cycled my tank for 5 weeks with fish and no losses. I had neons in there two which tend to drop dead instantly if the water is dangeous.

As for the PH, yes it will differ slightly from tap water, but again, not really a worry if you are doing regular water changes. i personally wouldnt bother testing it.

With nitrite being produced your tank could well be cycled soon. just make sure you dechlorinate new water or you will obliterate your filter bacteria and yes, use warm water to find a happy temperature every water change and you will soon be done with no fish loss.

 

[cocomonkey24k]

Hi tizer

Thanks for the input once again my fish all seem happy enough and I'm yet to loose any in this tank where as my small kitchen tank (30litres) I lost 2 guppies. Now the kitchen tank has 5 barbs in it until it's cycled.

My roma 200 has 10 guppies 3 silver sharks and 2 Plecos. I won't be adding anymore fish until it's cycled properly. I will however be adding plants as soon as my LFS is open. I also have 4 baby guppies in a breeding net. I seen them swimming around the tank and saved them lol they also seem quite happy.

Thanks scott

 

[Tizer]

Hi tizer

Thanks for the input once again my fish all seem happy enough and I'm yet to loose any in this tank where as my small kitchen tank (30litres) I lost 2 guppies. Now the kitchen tank has 5 barbs in it until it's cycled.

My roma 200 has 10 guppies 3 silver sharks and 2 Plecos. I won't be adding anymore fish until it's cycled properly. I will however be adding plants as soon as my LFS is open. I also have 4 baby guppies in a breeding net. I seen them swimming around the tank and saved them lol they also seem quite happy.

Thanks scott

Personally i wouldnt put barbs in a 30litre tank, they are very fast and active fish and will not feel at home in such a restricted tank. Not meaning to sound mean, but i consider it a little cruel. Perhaps you could move them to the 200 Litre and get another 5 of them where they will grow happily in a nice school you can enjoy a lot. Perhaps reconsider the 30Litre stocking as a new project which plenty of people would be happy to help suggest stocking ideas. You could also use it as a grow out tank for your babies.

Unfortunately i have another negative comment about keeping Silver Sharks in the Roma 200, its really not big enough and they will end up stunted/deformed. Again they are a very very fast fish and need their space. I cant comment further on the Plecos, you didnt mention what type they are, just be aware the commons can grow 18 inches plus.

Hope the tanks work themselves out, please do post if you want help and advice, lots of people here have the fishies best interest at heart so stocking threads/posts can often lead to a bit of flack from others but its good to discuss options

PS, consider some form of rubber matting to go under the kitchen tank, it will absorb shocks when people use the work surface and will help reduce the stress the fish will suffer.