Help with levels

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Dove

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
24
Location
Seattle, WA
Hi all,
Gots questions about the nitrite and nitrate gang.
I did a test after doing a water change in the 35g gobi tank, the nitrite level was 0.5, but the nitrate level was 40ppm.
Is this really bad or borderline....ive read both...and what about adding Nitroban to the tank?
Also what is the proper No2 and No3 for my puffers?
thanks
 
The ammonia and nitrIte should always be zero in a cycled tank. The fact you have nitrAtes shows your tank is either close to being cycled, or is experiencing a mini-cycle if it's been established for some significant amount of time. Do your best to keep your ammo and no2 at or below .25 at all times by doing however many water changes as it takes.

40ppm of no3 is considered the maximum safe level. Below 20 is ideal. There's no need to use chemicals to reduce them. Just develop a healthy water change schedule to keep them down.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html
 
Im converting from FW to brackish...can you explain in lamens terms what cycle means?
I hear it alot...and think about the 100 gal. of water being cycled through a filter every hour...
 
Dove said:
Im converting from FW to brackish...can you explain in lamens terms what cycle means?
I hear it alot...and think about the 100 gal. of water being cycled through a filter every hour...

Cycling involves growing beneficial bacteria to handle the toxins the fish produce in your tank, it has nothing to do with the actual circulation of the water, and the term "cycling" refers to the nitrogen cycle. Here's a few articles to read over. It's the single most important aspect of setting up a new tank.

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Nitrogen_Cycle.html

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html
 
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