Confused Api Test Results?

[techen]

So today I tested my tap and tank water and the results are as followed.


Bath tap water 20/11/2012

PH from tap light blue 7.6
High PH test from tap light brownish 7.4? Possible 7.8 to 8.0?
Nitrite NO2 0ppm
Nitrate NO3 0ppm
Ammonia NH3/NH4 0ppm

Fish tank water 20/11/2012

Ammonia NH3/NH4 0ppm Both clear water tests?
Nitrite NO2 0PPM
Nitrate NO3 0PPM? Could possible be 0-5.0ppm no bright yellow more moving to orange type of colour.

These seem rather ify resaults to me. There is fish in the fish tank and have been there for two days now. There only 5 tetras in a 200 L tank.

 

[JenCliBee]

The results seem ok to me?, the strange part would be no nitRAtes from the tap, but 0 is not unheard of.

No ammonia or nitrites is a good thing and a even a slight reading of nitrates is showing that ammonia is being processed as is nitrites.... especially if your tap is showing 0 nitrates.


Is the tank cycled?.... how did you cycle it?.

 

[techen]

Sorry, I did it bloody wrong. The resaults of the fishtank are.


Fish tank water 20/11/2012

Ammonia NH3/NH4 0.25PPM
Nitrite NO2 0PPM
Nitrate NO3 5.0PPM

 

[JenCliBee]

Sorry, I did it bloody wrong. The resaults of the fishtank are.


Fish tank water 20/11/2012

Ammonia NH3/NH4 0.25PPM
Nitrite NO2 0PPM
Nitrate NO3 5.0PPM

LOL.... if anything those results are better, they show a cycled or closed to cycled tank for the current inhabitants.... a level of .25 ammonia is actually quite common, although it isn't ideal, regular water changes will keep it in check.


Again though... is the tank actually cycled?.... and how did you cycle it.... from the results it showing as mentioned at least a cycling tank.

 

[techen]

I bought the fish tank from a friend, it had fish in it but he sold them and a day later he sold me the fish tank. While taking it to my place the filter kept its water in, but it was fishless for around 5 days until I could get a hold of some tetras. And yea, so it was fishless for maybe 6-7days at a push. Someone told me that the stuff dies off 10% every 24 hours so I thougt it was safe to put something small in to keep it going.

 

[snazy]

Sorry, I did it bloody wrong. The resaults of the fishtank are.


Fish tank water 20/11/2012

Ammonia NH3/NH4 0.25PPM
Nitrite NO2 0PPM
Nitrate NO3 5.0PPM

Your tank is not cycled yet, nothing strange about the test. Once bacteria establishes, ammonia and nitrite need to be 0 at all times, then nitrAte will start rising. The api nitrAte test needs a good shake of bottle #2 before dosing in order to show correct result.
If you have fish in there,, you need to do large daily water changes as much as it's needed to keep ammonia below 0.25 and nitrIte at 0 at all times otherwise you will end up with dead fish, eventually disease outbreaks and a few months down the remainder surviving can start dropping like flies from internal organ damage due to the ammonia and nitrIte they were previously exposed to.
As for the Ph, a picture of the high end range test is best to identify whether it's 7.4 or is 8 and over.
My ph is 7.4 which shows very blue on the low range test and 7.4ppm light brown on the high range, but the colour is different(more beige than brown/purplish than 8ppm and above I've seen.

 

[JenCliBee]

I bought the fish tank from a friend, it had fish in it but he sold them and a day later he sold me the fish tank. While taking it to my place the filter kept its water in, but it was fishless for around 5 days until I could get a hold of some tetras. And yea, so it was fishless for maybe 6-7days at a push. Someone told me that the stuff dies off 10% every 24 hours so I thougt it was safe to put something small in to keep it going.

Ahh....That's probably why you have a slight ammonia reading, tbh the waste actually built up within the tank and filter would have been keeping the filter bacteria alive... in a cycled mature filter.... it doesn't necessarily need fish to keep the bacteria alive... as mentioned, the waste already accumulated still degrades and keeps whatever bacteria it can feed alive

, so aslong as the filter was actually still running, this is usually enough to keep the tank ticking over.

Just keep monitoring and do the necessary water changes and i'm sure it wont take long for the filter to catch up for the fish load

 

[MBOU]

I wouldn't personally worry about a reading of .25 on the API test, lots of people keep getting .25 reading and panicking and doing far more damage by over reacting to it. I spoke to our rep who did say it was common to get a reading of .25 depending on when you test (how soon after water change etc) and also because it is showing up Ammonium on the test which accounts for the reading of .25 and is harmless.

 

[techen]

Updated.

Fish tank water 20/11/2012

Ammonia NH3/NH4 0.25PPM
Nitrite NO2 0PPM
Nitrate NO3 5.0PPM

Fish tank water 20/11/2012 20% change

Ammonia NH3/NH4 0.00PPM
Nitrite NO2 0PPM
Nitrate NO3 5.0PPM

 

[techen]

Thanks you.