What Are Best Values For Water Quality?

[ACQUAUOMO]

Greetings:

I'm running into problems testing my aquarium water. I have a 30 gal tank with a Fluval filter/pump system rated for 40 gal. The tank has 6 small plants a gravel bottom and several small rocks. There are no fish as of yet... I decided to go with fish-less cycling the tank and decided to run a 2 week cycle, I am on the beginning of week 2. I began water testing a few days ago but I have encountered erratic results. I have a test kit that was given to me and instructed that it was in good order. I'm beginning to suspect that maybe the kit is defective. What can I use as a standard to determine if my testing kit is the cause of all this? And, yes I could take a sample to the Pet Store but that is a last resort. Water testing is not new to me, I have done it many times having homes with swimming pools and spas. But, this aquarium water is stumping me pretty good. Any suggestions or tip's?

Ciao,

Don

 

[karin]

Don,

First welcome. You've come to the right place. Many people here to help

Second go to Beginner's Resources above and have a read about cycling and fish-less cycling of a tank. There is no such thing as a "2 week cycle" I'm afraid it usually takes longer than that and the cycle is determined to be done by testing. What you need is to have the filter processing ammonia and nitrites to zero consistently in 12 hours (after adding ammonia to a 4ppm level on a regular basis). You need these "double zeros" for a week and then your tank is cycled. The whole thing has to do with creating the conditions such that the right bacteria grows to process ammonia and nitrite, both killers of fish.

So have a read and then post your test results here and we will try to give you some guidance.

 

[Skins]

Don,

First welcome. You've come to the right place. Many people here to help

Second go to Beginner's Resources above and have a read about cycling and fish-less cycling of a tank. There is no such thing as a "2 week cycle" I'm afraid it usually takes longer than that and the cycle is determined to be done by testing. What you need is to have the filter processing ammonia and nitrites to zero consistently in 12 hours (after adding ammonia to a 4ppm level on a regular basis). You need these "double zeros" for a week and then your tank is cycled. The whole thing has to do with creating the conditions such that the right bacteria grows to process ammonia and nitrite, both killers of fish.

So have a read and then post your test results here and we will try to give you some guidance.

Agree with Karin,
You will find some links in my signature at the bottom of this post about the articles Karin is refering to.

Keith.

 

[Aqua Tom]

Don,

First welcome. You've come to the right place. Many people here to help

Second go to Beginner's Resources above and have a read about cycling and fish-less cycling of a tank. There is no such thing as a "2 week cycle" I'm afraid it usually takes longer than that and the cycle is determined to be done by testing. What you need is to have the filter processing ammonia and nitrites to zero consistently in 12 hours (after adding ammonia to a 4ppm level on a regular basis). You need these "double zeros" for a week and then your tank is cycled. The whole thing has to do with creating the conditions such that the right bacteria grows to process ammonia and nitrite, both killers of fish.

So have a read and then post your test results here and we will try to give you some guidance.

Agree with Karin,
You will find some links in my signature at the bottom of this post about the articles Karin is refering to.

Keith.

+2

 

[waterdrop]

+3 There are 3 phases to a fishless cycle and 2 weeks usually gets you through the first of these 3 phases. A good liquid-reagent based test kit is an important part of fishless cycling and of learning the overall core skill of creating, maintaining and troubleshooting biofilters. Most of us like and use the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. In the end, what we really care about a lot of the time are moments when the test results skyrocket or drop to zero, but it's the hands-on skill of understanding and timing that are the real value.

There is another recent thread in our section where member is wistful about finally reaching his full stocking of his new tank and feels a little bit sad. Once a tank is fully stocked then the steady maintenance stretches out for years and years of the same thing. Facing that, many look back and realize that the first few months of setting up a tank were really a valuable learning time about the art of -starting- these freshwater environments. It's wasteful, really, to pass up the opportunity, so I encourage you to take on the full challange! You won't regret it in the long run.

~~waterdrop~~
oh, and Welcome to TFF!