Water Testing

[ladygunn3r]

A new fish tank setup had it going now for about 4 weeks tested water this morning.

pH 7.6
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 5.0

With these results is my tank ready to put fish in.

 

[the_lock_man]

A new fish tank setup had it going now for about 4 weeks tested water this morning.

pH 7.6
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 5.0

With these results is my tank ready to put fish in.

No it's not, you need 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite, consistently for a week. How are you dosing ammonia?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

A new fish tank setup had it going now for about 4 weeks tested water this morning.

pH 7.6
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 5.0

With these results is my tank ready to put fish in.

By asking the question i assume you have not read fishless cycle please do so as it will provide alot of information.
Your tank needs to be able to process 4pmm Ammonia then Nitrite both down to 0ppm in 12 hours before its ready for fish

 

[ladygunn3r]

A new fish tank setup had it going now for about 4 weeks tested water this morning.

pH 7.6
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 5.0

With these results is my tank ready to put fish in.

No it's not, you need 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite, consistently for a week. How are you dosing ammonia?

I had a different filter in from a different tank and putting fish food in. It is a fishless cycle, my tank is a 65 litres, i have a fluval 2 plus filter, 1 100w heater.

I was thinking today to do a water change but not to sure how much.

 

[the_lock_man]

A new fish tank setup had it going now for about 4 weeks tested water this morning.

pH 7.6
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 5.0

With these results is my tank ready to put fish in.

No it's not, you need 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite, consistently for a week. How are you dosing ammonia?

i had a different filter from a different tank and putting fish food in.

Like Al said, the filter needs to be processing 4ppm ammonia, and its consequent nitrite, to 0ppm in 12 hours. Have a read of this article here. It gives detailed information on how to do it.

It's perfectly feasible to cycle a filter with fish food, but it's very very hard to control how much ammonia goes into the tank - too little, and you extend the time taken to complete - too much, and the wrong bacteria grow.

I'd recommend that you purchase some pure household ammonia, because it's so much easier (if rather smellier!). Whereabouts in the world are you?

Edit Having seen your edit, I wouldn't change the water today, because you'll take away the bacteria's food source (the ammonia and nitrite).

 

[ladygunn3r]

A new fish tank setup had it going now for about 4 weeks tested water this morning.

pH 7.6
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 5.0

With these results is my tank ready to put fish in.

No it's not, you need 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite, consistently for a week. How are you dosing ammonia?

i had a different filter from a different tank and putting fish food in.

Like Al said, the filter needs to be processing 4ppm ammonia, and its consequent nitrite, to 0ppm in 12 hours. Have a read of this article here. It gives detailed information on how to do it.

It's perfectly feasible to cycle a filter with fish food, but it's very very hard to control how much ammonia goes into the tank - too little, and you extend the time taken to complete - too much, and the wrong bacteria grow.

I'd recommend that you purchase some pure household ammonia, because it's so much easier (if rather smellier!). Whereabouts in the world are you?

Edit Having seen your edit, I wouldn't change the water today, because you'll take away the bacteria's food source (the ammonia and nitrite).

I am in Manchester UK

 

[the_lock_man]

Head off to your nearest Homebase, and get their Household Ammonia (plain white bottle). Use that, rather than fish food, and you'll find cycling so much easier. You can use the calculator at the bottom of this page to tell you how much ammonia to dose.

Since you have nitrite, you will be going into stage 2 of the process, so you want to dose to about 3ppm, until you see nitrite drop to 0ppm in 24hours. Then up the dose to 4-5ppm, and test after 12 hours. Once you see double-zeros after 12 hours, consistently for a week, you're there.

 

[ladygunn3r]

Head off to your nearest Homebase, and get their Household Ammonia (plain white bottle). Use that, rather than fish food, and you'll find cycling so much easier. You can use the calculator at the bottom of this page to tell you how much ammonia to dose.

Since you have nitrite, you will be going into stage 2 of the process, so you want to dose to about 3ppm, until you see nitrite drop to 0ppm in 24hours. Then up the dose to 4-5ppm, and test after 12 hours. Once you see double-zeros after 12 hours, consistently for a week, you're there.

I got some of NUTRAFIN CYCLE off a friend and told me to put some of this in.

 

[Aqua Tom]

Head off to your nearest Homebase, and get their Household Ammonia (plain white bottle). Use that, rather than fish food, and you'll find cycling so much easier. You can use the calculator at the bottom of this page to tell you how much ammonia to dose.

Since you have nitrite, you will be going into stage 2 of the process, so you want to dose to about 3ppm, until you see nitrite drop to 0ppm in 24hours. Then up the dose to 4-5ppm, and test after 12 hours. Once you see double-zeros after 12 hours, consistently for a week, you're there.

I got some of NUTRAFIN CYCLE off a friend and told me to put some of this in.

The common agrement here is that the cycle in a bottle just doesnt work. No harm in using it as its free though. Your best bet is to get some household ammonia & a medical syringe & cycle your tank scientificly. In doing this you will speed up your cycle & also get a lot of knowledge about water chemistry. If you cant find a Hombase that stocks Ammonia there is a link in my sig to Boots ammonia (you have to get it delivered to the store).


Tom

 

[ladygunn3r]

I have been to Homebase i have purchased "The Household Ammonia" i have used the calculator and it says.

Litres: 65
Desired Level: 3ppm
% 9.5
Solution required 2.05

So with this do i just add to the tank water and wait, and then 12 hours later test water.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Put a bit less ammonia in as i wont take the gravel heater and filter into account. Try put something like 1.7ml in wait 30 min and test for ammonia it should read 4ppm. Again please read the fish less cycle it will help you

 

[Aqua Tom]

Put a bit less ammonia in as i wont take the gravel heater and filter into account. Try put something like 1.7ml in wait 30 min and test for ammonia it should read 4ppm. Again please read the fish less cycle it will help you

+1 research is important

 

[ladygunn3r]

Today my water testing results are:

pH 7.6
Ammonia 0.25ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5.0


Do you think the tank is cycled now and ready for fish.

 

[the_lock_man]

Today my water testing results are:

pH 7.6
Ammonia 0.25ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5.0


Do you think the tank is cycled now and ready for fish.

Nope. As was said before, nothing other than 0ppm for ammonia and nitrite is "Cycled".

How long after you dosed ammonia did you take that reading?

 

[ladygunn3r]

Today my water testing results are:

pH 7.6
Ammonia 0.25ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5.0


Do you think the tank is cycled now and ready for fish.

Nope. As was said before, nothing other than 0ppm for ammonia and nitrite is "Cycled".

How long after you dosed ammonia did you take that reading?

I added some Friday night, then again Sunday day