New Member 2 Tanks Water Test Results

[plectastic]

Hi all just registered here.

Got this 14L tank in my kitchen

I have a new Interpet PFmini filter on it with new foam carbon, and polishing felt running well and dumping into the water from a couple of cm's high and oxygenating nicely.
It's only been up and running 1 week today and has 2 zebra loach, a tiger barb, and albino and green barb in it so far.

Just been doing my checks today and they are as follows:

Ph 7.6
Nitrite 0.4
Nitrate 15
Total ammonia 1.5

the Ph is a little higher than I had hoped but that might be because it's a fresh start and it's a hard water area?

Also the ammonia is higher than I wanted but again, because of a new tank and settling down?

In my living room I've got this Aquael Bowl 45 tank which has been up and running 2 days now. It's a lovely tank and has just completely cleared up crystal after adding new washed sand and 2 live plants. I'll be adding fish shortly. Ph in here today is the same - 7.6

Any opinions or advice would be great cheers!

 

[SombreroBanana]

Did you cycle your tanks? If not, this is the reason for the high ammonia.

 

[Tuxyu3]

If tanks are not cycled that will cause the ammonia, which will kill the fish quickly. All the fish listed need shoals and much larger tanks.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news

 

[sebn]

please please please read the information in the beginners resource center about cycling your tanks. The 14l really isnt suitable for any fish most people would recommend shrimp/snails for a tank that small. It is imperitve you read up on the cycling process and the nitrogen cycle otherwise you will end up with lots of dead fish. Sorry.

 

[plectastic]

I have cycled the tanks.

The barbs and loach are all under an inch and will be moved to a bigger tank in due time.

Oh, and there's no fish in the Bowl yet. It's been cycling for 2 days.

 

[Tuxyu3]

To be brutally honest i hope 'due time' means a week or so or they will become stunted. Not the mention the Tiger will slaughter the other fish and become stressed, same problem with the loaches.

 

[sebn]

Cycling can take 4-6 weeks of feedingthe bacteria in your filter pure ammonia. Please, i cant stress this enough, visit http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/ if you want your fish to survive. This isnt an exaggeration.

 

[Tuxyu3]

Forgot about the ammonia, levels above 0.25ppm become lethal to fish and there should be no ammonia in a properly cycled tank.

 

[plectastic]

Ok I'm going to take the fish back and get the tanks right before the fish go in. I have read lots before but not enough obviously.

I'll see if I can get some mature media for the filter too.

 

[plectastic]

The 45 litre has just tested 0 nitrite and nitrate and 0 ammonia so the fish are in there now and seem happy.

I'll test it everyday. It had matured media in, been cycling 3 days, and had bacteria added to help.

The small tank is cycling empty now. I'll add a small amount of bacteria everyday and test the water regularly and them maybe get some shrimp when everything reads correct.

 

[NewBea]

I agree with Sebn's comments. I thought I read a lot about fish tanks as well before I joined this site. I "cycled" my tank for 2 months before getting the fish (so I thought it was cycling - I never knew that ammonia had to be added in order to achieve the cycle) I don't know what you mean by adding bacteria to the tank. As far as I know it really has to build up on it's own after the ammonia was added. And cycling does take weeks unless you have "mature" filter media from someone who has been running healthy fish tanks for a few months at least! And even then you have to make sure that the filter media was transported properly otherwise the bacteria dies during transport.
I learnt heaps and heaps of new stuff from the link Sebn mentioned even though I bought books and done loads of research online elsewhere as well.
When I went to get fish after 2 months of having the tank the fish shop told me that the water was fine - they never asked if I cycled it properly - they just wanted to sell fish. Unfortunately I joined this site a bit too late and now I have to do fish in cycling which is a lot more hard work.
Just a note my water was fine on about day 3-4 as well but then fish started to behave really strangely after about a week/week and a half - hiding, gasping for air at the top of the surface, didn't have any appetite etc - turned out that they were having ammonia poisoning.
So I hope you won't end up the same way!
Oh and I had a 100L tank where the water is a lot more stable than on a 14/45 litre tank.

 

[plectastic]

I've done away with the small tank after the advice on here. The fish have been in the 45 litre for a few days now and seem very happy. The water results for yesterday and today are as follows:

Ph 7.6
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 15
Total Ammonia 0

I'm feeding a tiny algae wafer and 1 small flake every other day for the 4 fish at the moment.

Should I carry on monitoring the water daily and feeding as I am? When should I do a partial change?

 

[phoenixgsd]

have a read of the fish in cycling bit in the link in my signature, it explains everything, are you using a liquid based test kit, the strips arent very acurate, but in answer to your question, yes, test and change water every day for a fish in cycle,

 

[plectastic]

Yes liquid based kits. Cheers.

 

[plectastic]

Do I need to change the water every day even when the readings are perfect? Shall I wait until the Nitrate actually starts to climb above 15 before I do?

Why do I need to change it everyday if the readings are good?