Betta Water Conditions

[Jethro]

hey guys, i got a testing kit almost two weeks ago and did a partial water change (like around 30%) and did my first test. i didnt write the results down i just did the test. after about 4 days i did another test and started recording the results. so far i have 3 test records and i will post them and i would like to know if these water conditions are suitable for my single male betta in his 10 gallon tank. i am not sure if i did the first 2 tests correctly because i dont think i shook the testing fluid bottles, but im sure that the last test is correct. here is the data:

key: NO2 - nitrite (ppm), NO3- nitrate (ppm), AMM -ammonia (ppm)

November 9, 2008

• NO2 - .25
• NO3 - 0
• AMM - 1.0

November 11, 2008

• NO2 - .25
• NO3 - < 5
• AMM - 1.0 - 2.0 (between)

November 18, 2008 (before 50% water change)

• NO2 - 1.0
• NO3 - 10
• AMM - 1.0

are these conditions ok for my betta? the ph of the water has stayed at 7.6 and the temperature is 78 degrees F.

 

[modaz]

hey guys, i got a testing kit almost two weeks ago and did a partial water change (like around 30%) and did my first test. i didnt write the results down i just did the test. after about 4 days i did another test and started recording the results. so far i have 3 test records and i will post them and i would like to know if these water conditions are suitable for my single male betta in his 10 gallon tank. i am not sure if i did the first 2 tests correctly because i dont think i shook the testing fluid bottles, but im sure that the last test is correct. here is the data:

key: NO2 - nitrite (ppm), NO3- nitrate (ppm), AMM -ammonia (ppm)

November 9, 2008

• NO2 - .25
• NO3 - 0
• AMM - 1.0

November 11, 2008

• NO2 - .25
• NO3 - < 5
• AMM - 1.0 - 2.0 (between)

November 18, 2008 (before 50% water change)

• NO2 - 1.0
• NO3 - 10
• AMM - 1.0

are these conditions ok for my betta? the ph of the water has stayed at 7.6 and the temperature is 78 degrees F.

i would wait until the reading after this 50% and see what that says before i would consider adding a betta

 

[Honeythorn]

NO. ANY reading of ammonia is bad. The fact you have a consistent appearance of ammonia is very bad indeed. You should also have zero Nitrite and the appearance of that is also bad. In short, the water is not good at all.

Did you cycle the filter?
Do you have a filter?
How often and how much water do you change ?
Are there any other fish in the tank with him?

You seem to be going through an Ammonia spike if nothing else, which seems consistent with either an uncycled filter or recently started or re started cycle, too many extra fish added at once ( if you have added any tankmates that is ) or there may possibly be something going on with your tapwater ( test a sample of this also to check there is no background ammonia in it )

A single betta shouldn't cause those sort of readings on his own in a ten gallon.

 

[Jethro]

Did you cycle the filter?

no i didnt cycle the filter, i just plopped him in the tank. before that he lived in a one gallon tank with no filtration at all (i did weekly 100% water changes) so i just added him.

Do you have a filter?

yes i have the filter that came with the tank. its a 10-15 gallon power filter

How often and how much water do you change ?

i change about 2 gallons of water every other week.

Are there any other fish in the tank with him?

no he is alone in the tank.

-------------------------------------------

well i dont have anywhere to put him (i returned the one gallon), so what should i do? will the bacteria eventually stabilize and make the water condidions better for him?

i will do another test in the morning and post the results.

 

[newfishy]

he will be fine in the ten gallon....use the filter and every day do a small water change and test to make sure the ammonia stays at zero, in a few weeks the ammoina will rise then fall then the nitrItes will spike, keep changing the water daily until the A and NI are at zero and the nitrAte is steadly rising.

 

[ReMz]

i change about 2 gallons of water every other week.

that is very very very alarming.

I change 50-75% of my water weekly for my 10g with 1 betta and a couple otos. And the tank is cycled.

please read this in its entirety:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=175355

Should explain the cycling process for you. Putting him back into the 1 gallon is not going to solve anything. You need to do daily water changes of around 25% until the tank fully cycles. You are showing Nitrate, so you are almost there... and the water conditions will be better in the 10g tank than a 1 gallon bowl w/o a filter!

Also, that filter may be a bit too strong for the tank. You should consider limiting the current by placing pantyhose over the filter inlet. There are other methods to reduce the current if this does not work (let me know if you are interested)

 

[Jethro]

i change about 2 gallons of water every other week.

that is very very very alarming.

I change 50-75% of my water weekly for my 10g with 1 betta and a couple otos. And the tank is cycled.

please read this in its entirety:
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=175355"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=175355[/URL]

Should explain the cycling process for you. Putting him back into the 1 gallon is not going to solve anything. You need to do daily water changes of around 25% until the tank fully cycles. You are showing Nitrate, so you are almost there... and the water conditions will be better in the 10g tank than a 1 gallon bowl w/o a filter!

Also, that filter may be a bit too strong for the tank. You should consider limiting the current by placing pantyhose over the filter inlet. There are other methods to reduce the current if this does not work (let me know if you are interested)

thanks alot, that was very helpful information. i will continue to do the 25% daily water change and test everyday.

thanks again.

 

[ReMz]

i change about 2 gallons of water every other week.

that is very very very alarming.

I change 50-75% of my water weekly for my 10g with 1 betta and a couple otos. And the tank is cycled.

please read this in its entirety:
<a href="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=175355" target="_blank">http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=175355</a>

Should explain the cycling process for you. Putting him back into the 1 gallon is not going to solve anything. You need to do daily water changes of around 25% until the tank fully cycles. You are showing Nitrate, so you are almost there... and the water conditions will be better in the 10g tank than a 1 gallon bowl w/o a filter!

Also, that filter may be a bit too strong for the tank. You should consider limiting the current by placing pantyhose over the filter inlet. There are other methods to reduce the current if this does not work (let me know if you are interested)

thanks alot, that was very helpful information. i will continue to do the 25% daily water change and test everyday.

thanks again.

np. sorry if i came off a bit brash.... i was really late and i had been writing business case studies all night. wasn't being the most friendly of people at the time

always good to see someone willing and able to setup a great tank for their betta