What Should My Levels Be?

[Wormvortex]

I have a 72l tank that a friend gave me. It came with what I think is a pump or might be a filter. It has what looks like wire mesh in it and sucks water in and out the top through a tube???

I also have a separate new filter in it. I'm not sure if it was cleaned or not by the last people who had 2 goldfish in it up until I aquired it.

Anyways 1week on I've tested for ammonia, couldn't before as I have only managed to get a test kit today and it's reading 0.25ppm. I've also tested for nitres and nitrates with the first being on 0mg/l and the latter on between 10-20mg/l these are on test strips which I know are not as accurate!

I've measured the nitres and nitrates most days and the nitres has slowly come down a little bit.

Though as I havnt tested for ammonia the first 6 days I don't know if it has lowered since the beginning or been going up. What should I be looking at 1 week in. I have been performing water changes each day and feeding them every other. I have two mollys in the tank and that's all. I also have an ornament from the old tank which has moss like stuff growing over it.

 

[Aqua Tom]

Have a read of this, it will hopefully answer most of your questions


http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/



Tom

 

[Wormvortex]

haven't changed the water for three days now and have these reading:

ammonia: 0
nitres: 0
nitrates: between 10-25 mg/l

surely it can't be cycled already??? Unless the pump that came with it had not be washed out and was still covered in bacteria?

 

[CezzaXV]

Have you added ammonia yourself?

A reading of double zeros doesn't mean anything if you haven't added any in the first place.

 

[Wormvortex]

No I haven't any any. I'm Cycling with fish.

 

[Gvilleguy]

What fish are in the tank? If you are cycling with fish in and ammonia and nitrites are staying at zero, then that is good! Just keep testing it and if they go up you will need to do water changes. Check the 'fish in cycle' thread in the beginner's resource center.

 

[the_lock_man]

haven't changed the water for three days now and have these reading:

ammonia: 0
nitres: 0
nitrates: between 10-25 mg/l

surely it can't be cycled already??? Unless the pump that came with it had not be washed out and was still covered in bacteria?

How long was the period in between them taking out the goldfish, and you putting in the mollies? And did the filter stay damp during that time?

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum Wormvortex.
Your first set of readings included a 0.25 ppm reading for ammonia. If that is still present in your tank, do a 50% water change to bring it down. With nitrites at zero and low nitrates, those tests are not a problem at this time.