Water Testing, Am I Doing It Wrong?

[Javious]

I have had my 26 gallon tank running for 3 days now with 2 Opaline Gouramis, doing a fish in cycle because I researched my fish much more than my tank prep. I purchased the API master kit based on the advice here and follow the directions exactly.

0 hours added fish to dechlorinated, temp stabilized tank along with approx 1 quart of water from LFS.
24 hours in I did a 40% water change, no testing prior.
48 hours the fish are much more lively, eating and not hiding all of the time.
Tested Ammonia (pale yellow), Nitrite (pale blue) and Nitrate (pale yellow, slightly darker than Ammonia test).
72 hours tested Ammonia (pale yellow) and Nitrite (pale blue).

The fish in cycling threads all indicate that I will need to be changing the water daily. But my ammonia reading looks to be 0 or very close to it, it's not quite as bright yellow as the card but there is no green tint at all. Is it too soon for the ammonia to be built up? Is the LFS 'mature tank' water dealing with what these 2 are putting/pooping out? Or am I testing the water wrong? The tests are not difficult. I was expecting to see ammonia go up, then nitrites and finally nitrates, not all in a day or anything, but at least something on the ammonia test. Should I be taking the water samples from deep in the tank? I have been taking them from the top thus far.

Any comments, tips, instructions, suggestions, butt chewing or reassurance appreciated.

 

[mark4785]

The bacteria that eats ammonia and nitrite doesn't exist in the water itself so the fact that you have some LFS water in your tank doesn't mean the ammonia and nitrite is being dealt with.

Fish food has to decay before you see ammonia concentrations so if you feed them quite a lot of flakes/pellets be sure that they are eating all of it otherwise you'll have a massive ammonia build up.

To do the test for ammonia using the API kit, you add 8 drops of reagant 1 followed by 8 drops of reagant 2 to a 5ml sample of aquarium water. You then cap the test tube and shake for about 5 seconds.

To do the test for nitrite, you simply add 5 drops of the nitrite reagant 1 to 5ml of aquarium water, cap the test tube, and then shake.

I don't know much about fish-in cycles but I strongly advise that you do large water changes in the next 3-4 days at which point the fish food that you are using will be decaying and producing ammonia.

edit: taking the water from the aquarium surface is fine so long as your water is circulating well.

 

[Gvilleguy]

I agree with Mark. Only 2 fish in 26 gallons are not going to produce much ammonia waste initially. I bet you will see the numbers go up in the next few days.

 

[Javious]

Thank You,

Mark, that is exactly what I have done for the tests. I will continue to test daily and do a partial water change when I start to get a green tint in my ammonia test. Obviously, the darker green the more water gets changed.

Nice on the water thing, my LFS said that would help. You all are probably not surprised. They also said to bring in some water after a week and they would test it and tell me if it was ok to add more fish.

Water circulation appears to be good. I have a HOB filter that cascades the filtered water into the tank. Based on the movement of the air bubbles from this and the movement of the flake food I'd say circulation is pretty good.

Is it too late to get some mature filter media from the LFS to help out the cycle? They offered when I bought the fish, but I didn't realize that I should at that point.

 

[mark4785]

I don't think its ever too late to add mature filter media. You will need to find some biological sponges that fit into your aquarium filter or are specifically designed for it. Some people say you shouldn't squeeze the filter media as you will lose the nitrosomonas (responsible for consuming ammonia) and nitrospira bacteria (responsible for consuming nitrite) which are colonized on them. You will inevitably have to do a bit of squeezing to get oversized filter media into a filtration system!

Is the LFS charging you when they test your aquarium water? If so, just stick to using your API master test kit and relay your test results to them. I'm not experienced when it comes to fish-in cycles, nor do I endorse it so I can't advise on when it would be suitable to add more fish.

 

[Javious]

The LFS I bought the fish from and offered the filter media will test water for free. I will go back soon and see if I can get some filter media. I will have to read more about how utilize it correctly, I am still very new at this.

I have read that over feeding is a big cause of fish loss, is that due to the ammonia release when it rots? I have kept feeding to a minimum thus far. A very small pinch about 6 hours in, it was ignored. At 24 hours they were picking up scraps off the gravel. I gave them a pinch and they consumed it in a few minutes. Fed again today, about 24 hours later, and they again ate virtually all of it in a few minutes.

Had I known then what I know now I would have cycled without fish and used the food sample that came in the tank kit to get the ammonia started. Live and learn.

Thank you again.