I'm Done, Now What?

[unknowntbeast]

Ok from the looks of it ammonia is being processed quickly and nitrites very quickly. I've taken out all but 1/2 inch of water and about to put fresh water in. I just want to know around what temp should I keep these fish at. Are there any extra info that could help with these fish?

2 Black Mollies - both female
5 female platies (Maybe 1M and 4F)
5 guppies - 1 Male 4 female

 

[unknowntbeast]

Fresh water readings are pH is at 7.4, Nitrite is a 1 ppm and Nitrate is at 10 ppm. What levels are deadly for Nitrites? What is the best pH for these fish too?

 

[coldcazzie]

nitrite and ammonia are both bad in any ammount over 0ppm. If you get a reading over 0.25 it's time for a large water change to dilute it.

If you're reading 1ppm of nitrite AFTER a very large water change then it must have been REALLY high before, and you need to do another water change as large as the one you've just done to try to get that reading down to 0.

At the moment, the pH is the least of your concerns - getting the nitrite level down before your fish snuff it is much more important

 

[unknowntbeast]

That's the think nitrite straight from the tap is at 1 ppm

 

[coldcazzie]

Ah. That's something out of my experience or knowledge - you'll have to wait for one of the more experienced posters to help with that.

Really though, any level of nitrite, like any level of ammonia, is bad for your fish...

 

[fatheadminnow]

That's the think nitrite straight from the tap is at 1 ppm

That is odd, I never heard of nitrite in tap water? I have heard of ammonia or nitrate in tap water.

What kind of test kit are you using?

-FHM

 

[unknowntbeast]

I am using the API Master Test Kit like everyone else uses. I am redoing the test on both tank and tap now, standby.........................................................................
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Ok back, Yes Nitrite is in the tap at 1 ppm, and now after comepletely filling the tank with new tap, only an hour and a half later it is down to .25 ppm. So those bacteria are really hunger or that's
just normal.

 

[fatheadminnow]

I am using the API Master Test Kit like everyone else uses. I am redoing the test on both tank and tap now, standby.........................................................................
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Ok back, Yes Nitrite is in the tap at 1 ppm, and now after comepletely filling the tank with new tap, only an hour and a half later it is down to .25 ppm. So those bacteria are really hunger or that's
just normal.

I think you will be fine.

As long as your tank is process 5 ppm of ammonia to zero at 12 hours, as well as nitrite, then you should be good.

-FHM

 

[unknowntbeast]

That is odd, I never heard of nitrite in tap water? I have heard of ammonia or nitrate in tap water.

This is from the EPA's website:

Why are Nitrates/Nitrites being regulated?

In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act. This law requires EPA to determine safe levels of chemicals in drinking water which do or may cause health problems. These non-enforceable levels, based solely on possible health risks and exposure, are called Maximum Contaminant Level Goals.

The MCLG for nitrates has been set at 10 parts per million (ppm), and for nitrites at 1 ppm, because EPA believes this level of protection would not cause any of the potential health problems described below.

Based on this MCLG, EPA has set an enforceable standard called a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as possible, considering the ability of public water systems to detect and remove contaminants using suitable treatment technologies.

The MCL for nitrates has been set at 10 ppm, and for nitrites at 1 ppm, because EPA believes, given present technology and resources, this is the lowest level to which water systems can reasonably be required to remove this contaminant should it occur in drinking water.

These drinking water standards and the regulations for ensuring these standards are met, are called National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. All public water supplies must abide by these regulations.


It also says on the site: "Once taken into the body, nitrates are converted into nitrites." Is this some weird voodoo making it go from rates to rites?

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, this is correct. Any time you get ammonia or nitrite from the tap (and I agree its almost unheard of to find NO2) your best choice is usually to let your cycled filter just handle it. When people tell you to do a 50% water change just mentally translate that into "Oh, two 25% changes with some time in between would be better for me so that the nitrite can dilute." That sort of thing. Smaller, more frequent water changes will be better for you.

~~waterdrop~~
ps. on the temp I'm not sure, think those livebearers often like it a little cooler than some of the others... (22 instead of 25?)

 

[fatheadminnow]

That is odd, I never heard of nitrite in tap water? I have heard of ammonia or nitrate in tap water.

This is from the EPA's website:

Why are Nitrates/Nitrites being regulated?

In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act. This law requires EPA to determine safe levels of chemicals in drinking water which do or may cause health problems. These non-enforceable levels, based solely on possible health risks and exposure, are called Maximum Contaminant Level Goals.

The MCLG for nitrates has been set at 10 parts per million (ppm), and for nitrites at 1 ppm, because EPA believes this level of protection would not cause any of the potential health problems described below.

Based on this MCLG, EPA has set an enforceable standard called a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as possible, considering the ability of public water systems to detect and remove contaminants using suitable treatment technologies.

The MCL for nitrates has been set at 10 ppm, and for nitrites at 1 ppm, because EPA believes, given present technology and resources, this is the lowest level to which water systems can reasonably be required to remove this contaminant should it occur in drinking water.

These drinking water standards and the regulations for ensuring these standards are met, are called National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. All public water supplies must abide by these regulations.


It also says on the site: "Once taken into the body, nitrates are converted into nitrites." Is this some weird voodoo making it go from rates to rites?

I never knew that?

Anyways, I don't have any nitrite or nitrate in my tap water, well, I do have well water so that is most likely the reason.

But none-the-less, you will be fine with your nitrite reading. As long as your tank is cycled, and you can process 5 ppm of ammonia to nitrite then to nitrate withing 12 hours.

-FHM

 

[unknowntbeast]

Well I am running one more test just to make sure, I put in exactly the right amount of ammonia to put it at 5 ppm and will wait and see if it works completely. All the nitrite is already cycled. The only problem is that I put the ammonia in around 5 PM so that would make it 5 AM, which I am not an early riser. I will have to test it around 10 AM.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Well I am running one more test just to make sure, I put in exactly the right amount of ammonia to put it at 5 ppm and will wait and see if it works completely. All the nitrite is already cycled. The only problem is that I put the ammonia in around 5 PM so that would make it 5 AM, which I am not an early riser. I will have to test it around 10 AM.

Testing at 10AM will be fine.

Just next time put the ammonia in at a little later time. lol

-FHM

 

[OldMan47]

As many have already said, nitrites from the tap are a bit unusual but are far from impossible. We have a local water supplier that regularly has nitrites in their water that is in excess of the regulatory standards. Thank goodness I am not on that system but it does happen to them. Their water source is a man made lake that collects water that would otherwise just run off in some creeks. The water starts out as rain but crosses farm fields before ending up in the lake. Even with the water treatment that they do, the nitrites from farm fertilizers end up in their water system along with some nitrates. If you have a functional filter that has been cycled, I would expect it to deal with nitrites in the water change water the way mine does with the ammonia in my water change. A couple of hours after a water change with the 1 ppm ammonia water from my tap, there is no ammonia detectable in my tanks.

 

[unknowntbeast]

OK, let me rename this to, I'm not done. It's been 30 hours and its hovering around 2 ppm.

Now here is a question about making the ammonia bacteria...The bacteria needs around 5 ppm to form and grow, and if more than 8 ppm(right?) it will die. But what about how much? Let's say if you take a 1 gallon tank and put a filter in it and enough ammonia to make it 5 ppm, which wouldn't be that much. Now take a 20 gallon tank with filter and you add the 3.8 mL of ammonia to make it 5 ppm, a considerably large amount needed for a bigger tank. Now will the 1 gallon tank produce less, the same, or more bacteria?