Biorb Water Testing Advice

[Loobie]

Hi

I recently bought a Biorb30 for my daughter and set it up 5 days before putting the fish in. After a couple of days of putting the fish in (3 x Platies) I tested the water for all the variety of things and all seemed to be slightly high, but acceptable, apart from the Nitrate which was 75-100mg/l, and by reading the book this is a problem.

I've since tested the tap water to see what that is like and it's also is 75-100mg/l. What can I do to reduce the Nitrate in the tank? Also what do I do about water changes if the tap water is just as high?

Please help as I am concerned that these fish may not last the weekend, and they're a birthday present!!!

Thanks guys

 

[Bex]

Hi Loobie

I'm not an expert by any means but what you really should be looking out for is NitrItes, and Ammonia, these need to read 0 on your test kits as they are the most toxic to fish. NitrAte will always be in your tank but should be below 50.

You should do some small daily water changes about 25% (i don't really know how big your tank is?) and you also need to add Stress Coat to the tank to remove chlorine. Just do this until your readings come down and stay down.

 

[andywg]

if the tap water is that high then water changes won't help.

Could be a duff test kit.

If the water (and tap water) is that high then water changes with RO water will help bring it down (mix around 50-50 RO and tap water to save having to replace essential elements and minerals.

Nitrates are yet to prove detrimental to fish at levels below 100ppm (or mg/l), so while not ideal, your levels are not too bad.

As a point, slightly high but acceptable does not occur with ammonia and nitrites. These two should be 0 ppm and no higher.

 

[Loobie]

Hi

Thanks for your advice. I'm such a novice when it comes to fish!!! I've grown quite attached, but trying desparately to keep the little things alive!!!

When I said the test were slightly up but okay, this basically converts to PH9, Ammonia 0.1mg/l, Nirite between 0.0 and 0.1mg/l and the Nitrate was 75-100mg/l.

I spoke to the fish shop who said that these were ok as platies don't mind slightly alkaline water, but to keep an eye on it and test again in a week.

I'm just a little concerned that leaving it that long may kill them, it was them who suggested testing my tap water, and it came out the same colour as the tank water!!

Do you think I'm over reacting?

p.s Don't mean to be thick but what's RO water? and what is that fish??

 

[andywg]

the nitrate is not the problem, the ammonia is.

Water changes should keep that lower.

RO water is Reverse Osmosis water, it's run through various membranes and filters to help purify the water and remove dissolved solids (such as nitrates).

The fish is an Antennarius striatus or splitlure frogfish: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=147577&hl=

 

[Loobie]

Thanks for your help I'll have a go at a water change and see what that does.

By the way, I've just seen the vid on the frog fish, how cool is that!!! Not the prettiest fish but makes up in the feeding dept, it's great.

Hope it settles well

 

[dwarfgourami]

Thanks for your help I'll have a go at a water change and see what that does.

By the way, I've just seen the vid on the frog fish, how cool is that!!! Not the prettiest fish but makes up in the feeding dept, it's great.

Hope it settles well

Don't forget to dechlorinate the fresh water you put in when you do the water change.

As 3 platies is a fairly heavy load for a new 30 ltr tank, I would test the water daily for ammonia and nitrites. If either of those goes up to above 0.5 ppm, you'll need to do another water change straigthaway. If they go very high, I would make the water change bigger (anyhting up to 50%).

 

[Loobie]

Aaaahhh

Thanks for that, didn't realise, better go out and buy some stuff, what's the best stuff to put in? Not that I really am this thick, but I take for a tropical tank you have to add warm water?

I'm much better at looking after a dog!!

 

[dwarfgourami]

Aaaahhh

Thanks for that, didn't realise, better go out and buy some stuff, what's the best stuff to put in? Not that I really am this thick, but I take for a tropical tank you have to add warm water?

I'm much better at looking after a dog!!

You want to find a dechlorinator that neutralises both chlorines and chloramines- there'll be several brands in the pet shop. Warm water is not absolutely crucial (assuming you have a heater), but it can help; what I do is boil a kettle and then mix 9 parts of cold tap water to 1 part boiling water in a bucket, add the dechlorinator to that and then use a plastic jug to pour it into the tank.
Have you got a gravel vac (small plastic pipe+hose contraption) for sucking up the guck at the bottom of the tank when doing water changes? They are cheap, found in all lfs and are really good value.

 

[Loobie]

Not got a gravel vac, I will have a look at one when I go out this afto. I've just done another water check and my ammonia is 0.8 and Nitrite is 0.25 so think some attention is needed. I'm going to do a water change once I've got the stuff to put in it, and a new test kit maybe one a little more expensive than last time, as it may give me different readings!! It was a little cheap last time!

Should I wait til I do the water change before adding things such as ammonia and nitrate rectifier?!

Thanks for your help

 

[Bex]

you don't need to add stuff to take out the ammonia and nitrite. the water changes should reduce it enough until your filter is cycled and able to cope with it.

 

[andywg]

Most dechlorinators have sodium thiosulphate and as such will deal with chloramine. They will leave a small amount of ammonia behind, but nothing to worry about. The ST will break the bond to the ammonia and then deal with the chlorine in exactly the same way as it would if just chlorine was present.

Hot water is not at all necessary, unless you are doing very large water changes (in excess of 30%). I do 40% twice a week on my largest tank, though the length of time it takes to get all the water back in makes it easier than smaller tanks (though it should be noted there is no filter in the largest tank, only in the sumps).

There is some good news, you have nitrite which means some of the ammonia is being processed, it's just a matter of letting the bacteria colonies grow.

Gravel vacs can easily be improvised by just putting the hose or pipe you are taking water out with into the gravel (or swirling it above sand, dependding on substrate).

 

[Loobie]

Hi Guys

I appreciate all the advice your giving.

I've done a water change of approx 20% and put new tap water in (slightly warm!) with some Safe Water and Safe Guard, I do hope this will help the little things rather than hinder them. I'll wait and see.

It was a bit confusing in adding the Safe Guard/Water as on the instructions it said 1 pippet = 9litres, should I be calculating on the whole tank or just on the amount of water I'm re-introducing? I've done it on the whole tank, I really hope this is right.

Any ideas as to when I should re-test the new water? Give a few days to filter through perhaps?