Help

[zoe_sam666]

^^ Agreed, there is no way that the ammonia readings at this satge in time could be 0.

thats the confusing part we dont understand. he finding it hard to find the date on the kit.

 

[aly_starh]

where are the test kits stored? Too much heat will make them lose the effectivness, ( experience )

 

[zoe_sam666]

can you please read the post i did say that kit it is, i cant keep repeating my self sorry.
my fingers hurt.

 

[Curiosity101]

Hmm, I have an idea...it's a shot in the dark. But does he have anything in the house that's high in ammonia...
I can think of one way of getting ammonia...if he was willing. He could then transfer a bit of the ammonia source into the test tube, top up with water and then test with the ammonia kit.

If you get an ammonia reading then you know the test kit (and the way you're doing the test) is fine.

Oh by the way, is it a stingray filter on the tank?

 

[zoe_sam666]

the test kit is sorted under the cabnet so away from heat and i have used it 3 times no problem coz ive set-up my tank and it has been working coz it been showing different like i had amoina in my tank 5 days ago. but my tank is tiny. i can understand my tank taking less time it took mine about 3 weeks to cycle and its a 20 gallon i think thats 5L? but his is a massive tank and took under 2 weeks i think not 100% sure. coz he was expecting over 5 weeks.

 

[loraxchick]

just to add, and it might sound like a silly question, but are you taking the water samples from the tank BEFORE you change the water?? just a thought, which may be giving incorrect results.
do you know anyone who has an established tank? you could take some of their media and put it in your filter to help with cycling...just another thought.
also, do NOT touch(ie clean) the filter. doubtful there is enough muck to slow the flow if it has only been set up for a short time. ONLY clean the filter media when you notice that the water from the output is reduced. fooling with the filter too much right now surely wont be good when trying to establish the bac. colonies. there honestly is no need UNLESS the flow from the output is reduced.
cheers

 

[zoe_sam666]

Hmm, I have an idea...it's a shot in the dark. But does he have anything in the house that's high in ammonia...
I can think of one way of getting ammonia...if he was willing. He could then transfer a bit of the ammonia source into the test tube, top up with water and then test with the ammonia kit.

If you get an ammonia reading then you know the test kit (and the way you're doing the test) is fine.

Oh by the way, is it a stingray filter on the tank?

i dont know what filter he got but he got a part for it 2day to make the water move on top to sort the gases or chemical on top i dont get it but he knew what he was saying he has done soo much reseach i didnt belive him.

please reply im poping to the doctors wont be long any ideas would be great thanks.

just to add, and it might sound like a silly question, but are you taking the water samples from the tank BEFORE you change the water?? just a thought, which may be giving incorrect results.
do you know anyone who has an established tank? you could take some of their media and put it in your filter to help with cycling...just another thought.
also, do NOT touch(ie clean) the filter. doubtful there is enough muck to slow the flow if it has only been set up for a short time. ONLY clean the filter media when you notice that the water from the output is reduced. fooling with the filter too much right now surely wont be good when trying to establish the bac. colonies. there honestly is no need UNLESS the flow from the output is reduced.
cheers

we been doing the test before water changed and after and no change mine has his hasnt also we was told to clean filter he has done so now but i didnt ask if it was messy, i need to clean mine then coz the bubbles are slowing down.

 

[aly_starh]

ok and to just add my 2p worth into ^^ statement, when cleaning the filter. Do a water change, and the 'old water' you take out, clean the sponge in that. Just a light clean, dont scrub it too hard.
If the media is cleaned with ordianry tap water all the beneficial bacteria will die.

If the bubbles slow down that does not matter as long as you have an airstone, its just if you feel the flow slowing down.

 

[Curiosity101]

20gal is 80l

And a 125l tank isn't big. It's still at the small end of tanks.
I would expect 6-8weeks for it to cycle if he'd done a fishless cycle, with a fish in cycle it can take any random length of time.

Also if you've tested you tank with the exact same kit, then the ammonia test must be working I guess.
So that leaves 2 possibilities,
He has a stingray filter with Zeo-lite in it (this explains no ammonia, but doesn't explain fish deaths)
or
It has somehow cycled in 2 weeks, but the fish they went through the cycle are now dying due to being poisoned during the process.

 

[zoe_sam666]

ok and to just add my 2p worth into ^^ statement, when cleaning the filter. Do a water change, and the 'old water' you take out, clean the sponge in that. Just a light clean, dont scrub it too hard.
If the media is cleaned with ordianry tap water all the beneficial bacteria will die.

If the bubbles slow down that does not matter as long as you have an airstone, its just if you feel the flow slowing down.

no i dont know how much he cleaned but this is his 1st time cleaning the fliter and he washed in it the old water.

20gal is 80l

And a 125l tank isn't big. It's still at the small end of tanks.
I would expect 6-8weeks for it to cycle if he'd done a fishless cycle, with a fish in cycle it can take any random length of time.

Also if you've tested you tank with the exact same kit, then the ammonia test must be working I guess.
So that leaves 2 possibilities,
He has a stingray filter with Zeo-lite in it (this explains no ammonia, but doesn't explain fish deaths)
or
It has somehow cycled in 2 weeks, but the fish they went through the cycle are now dying due to being poisoned during the process.

im sorry i havnt made this clear im typeing tooo much,
my tank is a 5 gallon its tiny and his is a jewel 125 something it 2ft.

oh and he had 4 danios to thingy his tank for 2 weeks before adding another 5.

 

[Curiosity101]

Thing is he shouldn't really have added anything for at least a month after the first few fish. Also you said he did alot of reading...did he not come across fishless cycling?

Also if you knew just how overstocked it is at the moment...It has almost double the number of fish it should have full stop.
Nevermind considering the fact it's only been set up for 6weeks!

 

[zoe_sam666]

Thing is he shouldn't really have added anything for at least a month after the first few fish. Also you said he did alot of reading...did he not come across fishless cycling?

Also if you knew just how overstocked it is at the moment...It has almost double the number of fish it should have full stop.
Nevermind considering the fact it's only been set up for 6weeks!

the thing is im in to rodents and reptiles i never though of fish and went he wanted them why not, well we went by the reserch we found and the shop also we are going to go by what people advice if we know any less. any way we both though it was qiuck and wierd how it took 2 weeks for 4 fish in a large tank to do its job he knew about the fish less cycle but was told the fish in cycle is better, we went by what people sed coz we knew less.

 

[drobbyb]

Unfortunately, LFS don't give the best advice. The collection of knowledge from users on this forum is staggering. Thousands of users vs. randon LFS employee, no contest.

 

[OldMan47]

I only partly agree with DRobbyB. Lots of experienced people on a forum can really help a lot but some forums I have been on just have lots of people repeating something they have read somewhere else. Those places are not very helpful IMO.

If you are at least 2 weeks into the cycle with fish in the tank, you may well have managed to get enough ammonia processing bacteria to remove any trace of ammonia. Unless you have a used filter or something of the kind to get things going, you do have nitrites and they are at very high levels. As others have said, very high levels of nitrites can look like none at all unless you watch carefully while testing. I would suggest that you use the nitrate test and find out if your nitrates are also low. Be very careful to shake the bottles of nitrate test material at least as much as it says on the instruction sheet or even more. I personally double the shaking time to make sure the chemicals get mixed well. If nitrates are low you are not converting nitrites efficiently and it is nitrites that are killing your fish. In the event that you find you have high nitrites, do a large water change, not a wimpy 30%.

On a bottle made by API, the date is in a code on the bottle. As an example the lot number on my nitrite bottle is 26B0407. The 26B refers to what the product is but the 0407 means it was made in April of 2007. As it turns out, all of the chemicals in my kit were bottled in 0407. Since the chemicals are good for 3 to 4 years, depending on the particular test, I must consider replacing my kit next year.

 

[drobbyb]

Fair enough. I should have stated the more experienced members, and not all members.