Fishy Questions

[jayjay]

What type of test was it? I only use the liquid drop tests. Ammonia does matter aswel.

 

[Boxermom]

Ammonia generally doesn't effect freshwater fish because of the usual lower pH levels.

Nitrite is a little high for the neons. It will dissipate and be converted over time. Everything else is OK;
in short, do not follow their advice and add things to the water, especially the pH raiser. Many values in aquariums will be corrected naturally over time.

-Lynden

I hope I misunderstood what you said, otherwise, that's simply ridiculous. Ammonia doesn't generally effect freshwater fish? Ammonia is toxic to most freshwater fish, even in low pH. Which is why we advocate fishless cycling as opposed to cycling with live fish, as it will either kill them or can cause health issues over time. ANY nitrite is high for ANY fish. Read the above re fishless cycling. Nitrites are also poisonous to freshwater fish. You can use a product such as Prime, which will detoxify the ammonia and nitrites while not removing them so that they are available for the biofilter.

The only thing I do agree with is not using chemicals to change the pH. A specific pH is less important than a STABLE pH, and using chemicals to change them will only cause rapid swings and will kill the fish.

 

[iroc]

What type of test was it? I only use the liquid drop tests. Ammonia does matter aswel.

It was a 5 in 1 test made by mardel the ammonina test was a seprate test

 

[wodesorel]

I switched from strips to a liquid test after I retested within ten minutes and got two separate results.

Not only that, but the likelihood of your alkalinity being zero is hard to believe. Though with abolutely no buffering capacity your pH may well have dropped that low. How much time was ther between tests? (I had that problem with pH, kH, and gH until I switched to Prime water conditioner.)

And as for companies trying to sell you something - think of it this way. Once a tank is set up, decorated, cycled, and fish and plants are bought, all that needs to be bought for the life of that tank is fish food and water conditioner. Not a great business to try and make money in.

 

[iroc]

I switched from strips to a liquid test after I retested within ten minutes and got two separate results.

Not only that, but the likelihood of your alkalinity being zero is hard to believe. Though with abolutely no buffering capacity your pH may well have dropped that low. How much time was ther between tests? (I had that problem with pH, kH, and gH until I switched to Prime water conditioner.)

And as for companies trying to sell you something - think of it this way. Once a tank is set up, decorated, cycled, and fish and plants are bought, all that needs to be bought for the life of that tank is fish food and water conditioner. Not a great business to try and make money in.

the time between ph test was 2 mins the independent liqued test read 7.4 the 5 in 1 strip test read 6.4

and the reason I said the make ppl buy things was becuase right under where you get your read out they have the product that company makes to fix the problem you have just found that you have from using the 5 in 1



What I am going to do is take a sample of the water to the lfs where I got the test, and have them test it, then I will test it right there in front of them if the results are not very close they just need to give me a refund and I will buy a liquad test for nitrite ( being I already have one for ammonia and ph)

 

[Kris]

Ammonia generally doesn't effect freshwater fish because of the usual lower pH levels.

Nitrite is a little high for the neons. It will dissipate and be converted over time. Everything else is OK;
in short, do not follow their advice and add things to the water, especially the pH raiser. Many values in aquariums will be corrected naturally over time.
-Lynden

Sorry to be a pain, but we should make sure we're not giving off the wrong impression here. Time can sometimes compound value problems i.e. ammonia. The best way to address wacked out levels in a tank is more frequent and higher percentage pf water changes.

 

[iroc]

Ammonia generally doesn't effect freshwater fish because of the usual lower pH levels.

Nitrite is a little high for the neons. It will dissipate and be converted over time. Everything else is OK;
in short, do not follow their advice and add things to the water, especially the pH raiser. Many values in aquariums will be corrected naturally over time.
-Lynden

Sorry to be a pain, but we should make sure we're not giving off the wrong impression here. Time can sometimes compound value problems i.e. ammonia. The best way to address wacked out levels in a tank is more frequent and higher percentage pf water changes.

Sooooooooooooooo is 0.25 ppm of ammonia to much? I am highly confused at this point so I took out another 10% of the water and exchanged it, tomorrow I will take some to the lfs and have them test it.

 

[wodesorel]

If the ammonia and nitrite isn't 0ppm, it's a danger and a stress to the fish. Unfortunately, it can't be avoided when cycling with fish, which is why fishless cycling is so heavily talked about here.

Both my tanks were cycled with fish, becuase I didn't know about fishless cycling at the time. Ammonia at .25 needs a large water change - at least 50% every day. Anything more, do a larger water change. If it's rising up too fast - do two water changes a day, and so on.

Same for nitrites, though ANY nitrates in water can be very harmful, so water changes are expecially needed until the bacteria grow enough to take care of it themselves.

Mind you - the water changes do slow down the cycle - thus stressing the fish out longer. But if you don't do water changes, it'll kill the fish outright.

It's a catch 22 situation.

 

[iroc]

If the ammonia and nitrite isn't 0ppm, it's a danger and a stress to the fish. Unfortunately, it can't be avoided when cycling with fish, which is why fishless cycling is so heavily talked about here.

Both my tanks were cycled with fish, becuase I didn't know about fishless cycling at the time. Ammonia at .25 needs a large water change - at least 50% every day. Anything more, do a larger water change. If it's rising up too fast - do two water changes a day, and so on.

Same for nitrites, though ANY nitrates in water can be very harmful, so water changes are expecially needed until the bacteria grow enough to take care of it themselves.

Mind you - the water changes do slow down the cycle - thus stressing the fish out longer. But if you don't do water changes, it'll kill the fish outright.

It's a catch 22 situation.

Thanks, well I am gonna take a sample to the lfs tonight, and see what type of levels they come up with becuase I really don't trust the levels I got.

 

[iroc]

Ok a quick update ( and some new facts)

I took my water in and the readings were as follows:
Ammonia - 0
Chlorine - 0
Nitrate - 20
Nitrite - .5
Hard - 75
Alkine - 0
ph - 6.9

Sooooooooooooooo these levels should be fine ( needless to say i returned that kit, and got a ammonia tester and nitrite tester both liqued), I did a 15% water change yesterday, and I think things are coming along, now for the questions

I understood from ppl here that platies should only be stocked 2 females to every male, and I discovered that out of my 3 I had 2 males and 1 female, so I got 3 more females today to even things out.

Thanks to everyone for their help I really needed it

 

[Underwurlde]

Way to go mate!