New tank

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Hi again I've just tested water seems alot better I wont feed for a couple of days and keep testing thank you again

It might be better, but it isn't safe. Looks as though you have a reading for nitrites, and nitrates are also still very high. You need to do a 75% water change asap.

@essjay?

 

[Garymc]

It might be better, but it isn't safe. Looks as though you have a reading for nitrites, and nitrates are also still very high. You need to do a 75% water change asap.

@essjay?

It might be better, but it isn't safe. Looks as though you have a reading for nitrites, and nitrates are also still very high. You need to do a 75% water change asap.

@essjay?
[/QUO ok but I've already changed maybe 85% this morning is it ok to do again thanks

 

[Garymc]

I've already changed about 85 % this morning is it ok to change another 75 in same day ? Thanks

 

[Garymc]

I've already changed about 85 % this morning is it ok to change another 75 in same day ? Thanks

I've just changed another 75% hope this will help this time will test again later

 

[Essjay]

You need to change as much water as necessary to get ammonia and/or nitrite down to zero. And do a water change every time ammonia or nitrite is above zero.

As Adorabelle has already mentioned, feeding less and live plants will help - plants use ammonia as fertiliser and they don't turn it into nitrite.


I know we need to concentrate on keeping your fish alive but I do not know how your nitrate level is so high with just a few fish and no bacteria to make it? When you do the test, do you shake nitrate bottle #2 and then the test tube as the instructions say?

 

[Garymc]

You need to change as much water as necessary to get ammonia and/or nitrite down to zero. And do a water change every time ammonia or nitrite is above zero.

As Adorabelle has already mentioned, feeding less and live plants will help - plants use ammonia as fertiliser and they don't turn it into nitrite.


I know we need to concentrate on keeping your fish alive but I do not know how your nitrate level is so high with just a few fish and no bacteria to make it? When you do the test, do you shake nitrate bottle #2 and then the test tube as the instructions say?

Yes I give it a good shake ,I've read about not given it a good shake , iam using api master test kit , when I tested water straight out of tap the nitrate was 20 when I tested water befor last water change in tank I'd say it read 30 on the scale also the nitrite was just a shade over 0ppm and ammonia was 0 ppm will test again after put kids to bed and thanks

 

[Garymc]

Yes I give it a good shake ,I've read about not given it a good shake , iam using api master test kit , when I tested water straight out of tap the nitrate was 20 when I tested water befor last water change in tank I'd say it read 30 on the scale also the nitrite was just a shade over 0ppm and ammonia was 0 ppm will test again after put kids to bed and thanks

I also used tetra safe start 2days before put fish in and have used tetra easy balance

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

To keep a fish tank, you need to have a good grasp on the nitrogen cycle. This video is the best I've found for explaining how it works to new hobbyists, he really breaks it down in a clear, easy to understand way


You're quite early on the cycling process, so as you've discovered since one passed away, it's crucial to keep on top of testing and water changes, because any reading of ammonia or nitrite, even a low reading, is harmful for the fish. You also have to bear in mind that even if a low reading is survivable - which it isn't always - that the reading will continue to climb without a water change.

I'm not sure what you should do regarding the 20ppm nitrates straight from the tap, essay will have better ideas. But if it were my tanks, I would get a lot of fast growing plants, ammonia consuming plants like swords, hornwort, elodea, water wisteria and sessiliflora, both to help cycle the tank, and to use as much of the ammonia as possible before it's turned to nitrites and then nitrates. 20ppm is about the max I'd want in my tanks, and that's the level you're at immediately after a water change. I think it's still considered 'safe' for fish up to 40ppm, so if you're stuck using the tapwater, I'd aim to prevent it going over 30ppm, and live plants are one of the best ways to do that.

 

[Essjay]

Safe Start will help but it doesn't work instantly as you have found.

Don't bother with the Easy Balance.
The only way to remove nitrate is by growing anaerobic bacteria which is unlikely in the average fish tank (there's too much oxygen), and it does not mean you can do fewer water changes. I notice that the website says "no need for partial monthly water changes" - we need to do weekly water changes, not monthly once the tank is cycled.
Even if it did remove nitrate, it doesn't remove the countless other things excreted and secreted by the fish so water changes are still needed. And water changes top up the minerals etc that the fish (and plants where there are any) use up.


As for nitrate, if you get live plants they will help to keep your nitrate level at the same as your tap water. Floating plants are really good for this, so even if you just have them it will help. Plants like water sprite or Amazon frogbit - or even elodea or hornwort floating on the surface.

 

[Garymc]

Safe Start will help but it doesn't work instantly as you have found.

Don't bother with the Easy Balance.
The only way to remove nitrate is by growing anaerobic bacteria which is unlikely in the average fish tank (there's too much oxygen), and it does not mean you can do fewer water changes. I notice that the website says "no need for partial monthly water changes" - we need to do weekly water changes, not monthly once the tank is cycled.
Even if it did remove nitrate, it doesn't remove the countless other things excreted and secreted by the fish so water changes are still needed. And water changes top up the minerals etc that the fish (and plants where there are any) use up.


As for nitrate, if you get live plants they will help to keep your nitrate level at the same as your tap water. Floating plants are really good for this, so even if you just have them it will help. Plants like water sprite or Amazon frogbit - or even elodea or hornwort floating on the surface.

Thank you for advice

 

[Garymc]

To keep a fish tank, you need to have a good grasp on the nitrogen cycle. This video is the best I've found for explaining how it works to new hobbyists, he really breaks it down in a clear, easy to understand way


You're quite early on the cycling process, so as you've discovered since one passed away, it's crucial to keep on top of testing and water changes, because any reading of ammonia or nitrite, even a low reading, is harmful for the fish. You also have to bear in mind that even if a low reading is survivable - which it isn't always - that the reading will continue to climb without a water change.

I'm not sure what you should do regarding the 20ppm nitrates straight from the tap, essay will have better ideas. But if it were my tanks, I would get a lot of fast growing plants, ammonia consuming plants like swords, hornwort, elodea, water wisteria and sessiliflora, both to help cycle the tank, and to use as much of the ammonia as possible before it's turned to nitrites and then nitrates. 20ppm is about the max I'd want in my tanks, and that's the level you're at immediately after a water change. I think it's still considered 'safe' for fish up to 40ppm, so if you're stuck using the tapwater, I'd aim to prevent it going over 30ppm, and live plants are one of the best ways to do that.

thanks and good and helpful watch

 

[Garymc]

thanks and good and helpful watch

Looks better again iam looking into the live plants

 

[ameliaturtle]

Hello all iam new to keeping tropical fish , I recently bought a 54l tank , I had it running for a week with no fish in it ,I now have 5 harlequin fish and have had for 8days yesterday I changed 20 % of the water and today done water tests ph 7.6 high range is 8.2 ,0 ammonia ,2.0ppm nitrite but off the scale nitrate reading iam worried about this can any one help thanks in advance

Hello, I posted a month or two ago that I've been cleaning my tank conscientiously every week for several years and my fish kept dying. Someone advised me to clean it less frequently (20-25% water changes every two weeks) as I was probably never letting the bacteria grow in the tank, and said to add bacteria to the water. I added Stability by Seachem per the directions and it seems to have made all the difference. I would suggest you keep cleaning the tank, use Seachem Neutral Regulator and Prime concentrated conditioner and add the Stability consistently per the directions, and I would think the conditions would improve. The clean tank and the bacteria are both essential components. If I had added the bacteria when I started keeping a tank I don't think I would have lost so many fish. I was also advised to put in a lot of plants, which I did, to help the tank naturally maintain a chemical balance, and to put in as many natural decorations as possible. I think this is excellent advice. I only have hardy fish since the delicate ones require a lot more skill than I have, and I would suggest you stick to strong, healthy fish like danios, gold barbs, and white clouds. I have had very poor success with serpae tetras but I'm hoping they'll do better now. I was told tetras are delicate. Good luck.

 

[Fish and coffee]

Keeping nitrates low in the tank when you have nitrates in your tapwater can make it difficult to keep nitrates low enough in your tank, yes, but that isn't your main problem at the moment.

Right now, your tank isn't yet cycled, but it has fish in it. You need to do large daily water changes, and test the water daily. Anytime ammonia or nitrites are anything other than zero, do a 70% water change. You're likely going to need to do water changes daily for a while.
We can deal with higher nitrates later, since nitrates are less toxic to fish, but ammonia and nitrites will kill fish quickly if they're not kept at zero. Like, overnight quickly, so it's very important to keep on top of testing and water changes, not put anything off until the next day.

Don't feed your fish for a couple of days - they'll be fine for a few days without food, and more food in the tank means more fish waste and more ammonia, which your tank isn't able to handle right now. What kind of filter do you have on the tank? Do you have any live plants?

Totally agree ....
It's all about the cycle, you must stick with cycle logic