Water Test Results - Advice Please

[kittencapes]

Hi,

I have had my tank for about 3 weeks now, and wondered if someone could help me interpret my test results.

About 5 days ago my results were;
PH - 7.6
Ammonia - 0.5
Nitrite - 0.25
Nitrate - 40


Now they are;
PH - 8.4
Ammonica - 1
Nitrie - 0.25
Nitrate - 40

My tapwater is;
PH - 7.4
Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 40

With these results what would you advise I do? I have been doing big water changes every evening.

Thanks

 

[Gvilleguy]

Hi kittencapes,

Are there already fish in this tank? What type and how many?
How big is the tank?

Assuming you are doing a fish-in cycle with the nightly water changes, it can take a number of weeks to build up enough bacteria to keep the levels of ammonia and nitrites at zero.

 

[kittencapes]

Hi kittencapes,

Are there already fish in this tank? What type and how many?
How big is the tank?

Assuming you are doing a fish-in cycle with the nightly water changes, it can take a number of weeks to build up enough bacteria to keep the levels of ammonia and nitrites at zero.

I have two small fancy goldfish in a 38l tank.

Unfortunately I was not aware of the cycle a tank goes through before buying the fish, which is why I have since bought the kit and am now monitoring it closely. I have been doing the regular water changes as advised on this forum.

 

[Gvilleguy]

I have two small fancy goldfish in a 38l tank.

Unfortunately I was not aware of the cycle a tank goes through before buying the fish, which is why I have since bought the kit and am now monitoring it closely. I have been doing the regular water changes as advised on this forum.

I think you are doing okay so far. It can take quite some time, but I think you will start to see the numbers change. At least it's not too big a tank for the water change schedule!

 

[kittencapes]

I have two small fancy goldfish in a 38l tank.

Unfortunately I was not aware of the cycle a tank goes through before buying the fish, which is why I have since bought the kit and am now monitoring it closely. I have been doing the regular water changes as advised on this forum.

I think you are doing okay so far. It can take quite some time, but I think you will start to see the numbers change. At least it's not too big a tank for the water change schedule!

In an ideal world what should the readings be? Thanks

 

[Gvilleguy]

Do you mean during the cycle, or at the end? For a fish-in cycle I would think you would see ammonia and nitrite reading about what you are getting - in the 0.25 to 1 range - as the fish are constantly adding more waste to the tank and generating ammonia.

To review, there are two types of bacteria you are growing: (1) the ammonia eating bacs, and (2) the nitrite eating bacs. Type 1 grows much faster than type 2.

The fact that you do have nitrites above zero, and none in your tap water, does mean that you have grown some of the helpful ammonia eating bacteria. The ammonia is being eaten and processed into nitrites. So the second phase of growing the bacteria that eat nitrites is in process, but not progressed very much yet. You can tell it has not progressed because your base tap water nitrate level of 40 ppm has not gone up at all.

As you move forward you should start to see ammonia levels go to zero, and nitrite levels go higher than 0.25 before your daily water changes. And then eventually the nitrites will stay closer to zero and you'll see nitrates go up from 40 ppm.

 

[Skins]

Hello Kittencapes,
I just wanted to say you are doing really well. In time those water changes will get less frequent to the point where it will be once/twice a week.
How are your goldies doing?

Keith.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

I fell into the fish in cycle on my tank, i got it approx a week before the bad snow we had so call dec 15th only the last 2 weeks has the tank truly settled and can now cope with my snails,fish and shrimp.....R.I.P the 10 neons and 2 swords that helped. It just takes time mate longet then i would have thought. My other tank is almost ready to stock and was done fishless should be ready in under 30days total

 

[kittencapes]

Hello Kittencapes,
I just wanted to say you are doing really well. In time those water changes will get less frequent to the point where it will be once/twice a week.
How are your goldies doing?

Keith.

Thanks Keith The other two goldfish are doing fine, they seem happy as far as I can tell!

 

[Skins]

Hello Kittencapes,
I just wanted to say you are doing really well. In time those water changes will get less frequent to the point where it will be once/twice a week.
How are your goldies doing?

Keith.

Thanks Keith The other two goldfish are doing fine, they seem happy as far as I can tell!

 

[kittencapes]

Despite what I said yesterday, one of the fish now seems a bit unwell - he is in the corner of the tank with his head down touching the stones and his tail up, this is exactly what the fish we lost did before he died What do you think this is a sign of? They both also have a very tiny bit of black on the end of their fins?