Tropical Fresh Water Test

[Nicky2]

Yesterday I purchased some new fish to add to my tank as i was down to 3 fish. I noticed today the water is not very cloudy but a little cloudy so i tested the levels and found the following

PH 7.8 - does this need lowering?
Nitrite 5.0 - shouldn't this be 0? what can I do?
Ammonia - 1.0 - im thinking if i do 25% water changes over the next few days this may sort it? should i water change?
Nitrate - 40 - I'm thinking this level is correct?

My tank contains
swordtail
silver shark
neon tetra
blue tetra
dwarf gourami
clown loach
kuhli loach
bleeding heart tetra
guppy

 

[Larissa]

A nitrite reading of 5 is EXREMELY dangerous and lethal to fish - ammonia and nitrite need to be below 0.25 to be 'safe' and should be 0 once your tank is cycled. How did you cycle your tank and have you done anything to the filter lately? You need to do some large water changes asap. I would start with a 50% water change then another 50% in 3-4 hours and then another 50% in 3-4 hours after that to try and get nitrite down to 0.25. I think your filter is unable to cope with the increased bioload after adding so many new fish so you will probably have to do multiple water changes every day untill your tank is cycled.

Edit: What size tank do you have and how many of each fish that you listed above?

 

[the biffster]

what size tank is it what type of filter is it and have you washed out the filter sponge in tap water
or tank water and how long as the tank been running

 

[Nicky2]

Thanks, Ive changed 50% of the water. Is the Ph level and nitrate level ok?

 

[geo7x]

pH and nitrate are ok, note that now you've done a water change ammonia, nitrite and nitrate will all be lower.

Don't touch the pH whatever you do, it is fine and messing with pH causes swings and a pH that is steady is better than it being too high or low.

 

[Nicky2]

should i check the nitrite and ammonia levels again or wait?

 

[Larissa]

It doesn't hurt to check. You could probably wait untill you do a few more water changes though.

 

[Nicky2]

the tank itself looks clearer and theres only one guppy staying at the top, the others all seem to be swimming around more happily, off to check the levels and will post back

 

[Nicky2]

nitrite level between 0.25 - 0.5
ammonia level now around 0.25 - 0.5

I am beginning to wonder if the levels changed because i added the water from the bagged fish into my aquarium. could it have been the place where i got my fish from, their levels high?

 

[JellyPi3]

unless you added half a shed of water, the aquarium water shouldnt have done that much damage to your water levels....however the correct procedure should be used when getting new fish, and the fish should be qt'd.

What is your tank size btw

 

[Nicky2]

Latest Nitrite & Ammonia levels

Is it worth trying some aquarium salt?

 

[geo7x]

Your filters are 'halfway' through their cycle, the tests show that the filter bacteria can process ammonia into nitrIte (whether it's 0 or not is hard to see with those test kits though) however there is currently not enough nitrifying bacteria to process the nitrItes into nitrAtes.

I would keep doing water changes to keep the nitrItes down until they stay at 0.

 

[Nicky2]

Latest Water Tests

 

[geo7x]

Have you done a water change since that one and the one before?

 

[Nicky2]

Have you done a water change since that one and the one before?

yes, did one before the last picture, going to do another water change tomorrow.