Not Happy With My Tests

[thumper429]

Hi
i have done a test on one of my tanks and i am not happy with it i have 6 guppys and one redfin shark and one cat fish and 6 baby guppys and one live plant it is a 35 liter tank

NITRATE 80
NITRITE 5.0
AMMONIA 8.0
PH 6.6

I JUST FEEL ITS A BIT HIGH APART FROM THE PH
i have done a 25% water change and i have put 5ml off filter aid and 5ml of filter start is there anything eles that i need to do ??

all my other 2 tanks are fine well they are not as high as this one

plaese help thanks

 

[Colin_T]

if those results are correct then WOW, tough fish.

stop feeding for a few days and do a 75-80% water change and gravel clean each day until the ammonia and nitrite are 0.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine and has a similar temperature and PH to the tank.

Check the filter and make sure it is working correctly. If you clean the filter materials don't wash them under tap water. Don't change more than 1/2 the filter materials at any time and wait for at least 2 weeks before changing any more materials.

Don't raise the PH in the tank until the ammonia is 0.

 

[petertr]

So, that's your first post.


Im guessing you've just set up this tank in the last few weeks?


Have you heard of cycling? If not, read the links at the bottom of my sig - your fish will be dead in weeks if you don't.

 

[thumper429]

the only filter i have is a zipper i dont know if that would cause any prob i have done a 25 % water change and i have done a test
and the nitrite is 1.0 and the ammonia is at 2.0 and the nitrate 10
so i guess i will have to do another water change 2morrow

 

[petertr]

Still really really high.

I'd do another one tonight!

 

[Declan]

You will get plenty of advice about cycling on here from other people so I shant..

What I want to know, is what fish do you have!?

If you have any that is..

D.

 

[thumper429]

Hi Declan

if you read my post you will see that i have put in what fish are in the tank

 

[WILDER]

Your tanks way overstocked for a 35 litre.
You should only have about 6 guppys in there then the tanks to small as livebearers are active fish and need room.
Livebearers no less than a 10 gallon tank.
Red finned sharks need 40 gallons tanks so I would take him back.
What type of cat fish is it.
Also I would ring the local lfs to see if they would take the babies off your hands.

Immediate water change and increase aeration in the tank.

 

[thumper429]

Hi
the 6 baby guppys are in a breading tank in the tank and i am sorry to they are to younng to go to a pet shop and i have taken out the redfin shark last night a put him in a 60 litler tank i am not sure what kind off cat fish it is the 6 female guppys are preg thats the way i got them from the pet shop

 

[Schmill]

In your original post you say your other tanks aren't 'THAT HIGH', what readings do you get from the other tanks?

NO tank should have areading of ammonia or NitrIte above zero when it's 'running', if the others have high levels too then you need to be doing water changes on those as well, and as written above, don't delay, if you are getting readings of ammonia / NitrIte keep doing water changes until both are zero. Then repeat the tests at least twice a day and keep an eye on the levels. If they start to rise again you need to water change again.

I would think from the comments above that your toxic water 'quality' is due to the unfortunate overstocking you have, sorry