How much prime do I add to 55 litres

[Essjay]

You don't need to test with dechlorinator added.

I recommend that you get your own liquid reagent test kits, or at the very least liquid testers for ammonia and nitrite. If the fish start to behave unusually you need to test for those two immediately, and the shops may not be open when you need to test.

 

[Byron]

Agree. Your best and most economical test kit is the API (brand) Master Combo; it has tests for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. These you want to do for the tap water on its own, and for the tank water. Then once the tank is running, you will need to test each of these for a few days or periodically, and for the future as essjay said.

Your water is soft/very soft, so the pH can be expected to lower on the acidic side. No problem, suited to most soft water fish species. Avoid livebearers (guppy, Endler, platy, molly, swordtail) and some others, we can go into all this later.

 

[Spookiskeletman]

Agree. Your best and most economical test kit is the API (brand) Master Combo; it has tests for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. These you want to do for the tap water on its own, and for the tank water. Then once the tank is running, you will need to test each of these for a few days or periodically, and for the future as essjay said.

Your water is soft/very soft, so the pH can be expected to lower on the acidic side. No problem, suited to most soft water fish species. Avoid livebearers (guppy, Endler, platy, molly, swordtail) and some others, we can go into all this later.

I will

You don't need to test with dechlorinator added.

I recommend that you get your own liquid reagent test kits, or at the very least liquid testers for ammonia and nitrite. If the fish start to behave unusually you need to test for those two immediately, and the shops may not be open when you need to test.

I will buy my own ammonia test kits when im there, currently doing a partial water change everyday. Do you reckon its possibility that the guy at the stores readings are bogus, ammonia was definitely in the tank before I did the huge clean and the fish were acting sickly before I did that but now they seem fine but im still getting readings

 

[Byron]

Do you reckon its possibility that the guy at the stores readings are bogus, ammonia was definitely in the tank before I did the huge clean and the fish were acting sickly before I did that but now they seem fine but im still getting readings

This could be what I explained previously, about how Prime changes ammonia to ammonium, but it still shows as "ammonia" with tests. But the "ammonia" or "ammonium" is still there and it can change back to the toxic ammonia.

The API Master Combo kit I mentioned is the liquid tests, not strips; liquid are more reliable.

 

[Spookiskeletman]

This could be what I explained previously, about how Prime changes ammonia to ammonium, but it still shows as "ammonia" with tests. But the "ammonia" or "ammonium" is still there and it can change back to the toxic ammonia.

The API Master Combo kit I mentioned is the liquid tests, not strips; liquid are more reliable.

Okay, I will see if they have the liquid tests at the store and if not I will order online, how long does it take for ammonium to return to a toxic state or does it at all?

 

[Byron]

Okay, I will see if they have the liquid tests at the store and if not I will order online, how long does it take for ammonium to return to a toxic state or does it at all?

I covered that in post #3. To repeat, Prime binds ammonia into ammonium, and this lasts 24 to 36 hours. If "ammonium" is still present, and if the pH is basic (above 7.0), the ammonium changes back into toxic ammonia.

At an acidic pH (below 7.0) ammonia is primarily ammonium and thus basically harmless.

 

[seangee]

At the risk of asking the obvious...
How lang has the tank been running and is it definitely cycled? If your source water is high in ammonia it would be unusual for nitrates in the tank to have the same reading as the water in your tap (would expect them to be higher).