I have cycled my 46 gallon tank for 5 weeks with two giant danios. Two days ago I added two corys and then today I found out my nitrate and ammonia levels are high. I did a 50% water change yesterday before I tested the water. This was the first time I have used the gravel vac. I have been treating the new water with prime. I think I still need to do another water change soon because there is some food and stuff in the bottom of the tank that you cant see unless the water gets stirred up. How soon can i safely do another water change and what else should i do to lower the levels. Shoud i rinse the filter? Should i not use tap water to do water changes. And anything else that I might be unaware of since this is my first tank.
high levels...??? HELP
- Thread starter TexasTech
- Start date
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eco23
Aquarium Advice Addict
TexasTech said:
Welcome to the site
There is no such thing as too many water changes as long as you are using temperature matched, conditioned water (tap water is fine for pwc's)
Only clean the filters in water you've removed from your tank so you don't harm the beneficial bacteria that lives there. Also try to keep the gravel as clean as possible so more ammonia isn't leeched into the water.
Try to keep toxins as low as possible, preferably at or below .25. Let your test kit dictate how often and how large of water changes to do.
Here's a great guide to follow-
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html
bruinsbro1997
Aquarium Advice Addict
Do you happen to have a cycling log that we can see? It's possible it hasn't finished cycling just quite yet. The usual guideline is when your tank can convert ammonia to nitrates in 24 hours or less.
You can rinse the filter, but rinse it in water from the tank. Test the tap water to see if it has any excess ammonia, nitrites or nitrates.
There are never too many water changes. You could do as many as you wanted.
Good luck!
You can rinse the filter, but rinse it in water from the tank. Test the tap water to see if it has any excess ammonia, nitrites or nitrates.
There are never too many water changes. You could do as many as you wanted.
Good luck!
tarpon
Aquarium Advice Addict
Two giant danios in a tank that big isnt that much of an ammonia source, so when you start adding fish you're goimg to have to do it painfully slow. Small amounts of fish each time with weeks in between. If you can get seeded media its a lifesaver
I do not have a cycling log. My log is I filled the aquarium with treated tap water and let the filter run for 24 hours. Then I added the two giant danios. About a week later I added a bunch of rocks that I boiled and a lava rock that I bought. After 5 weeks I bought a gravel vac and did a 50% water change. Then I took a sample of my water to the local fish store to have it tested in hopes that I could buy more fish. I am about to do another water change now.
tarpon
Aquarium Advice Addict
TexasTech said:
Stuff from the filter of an established tank. It already has the bacteria on it that you're trying to grow. I put some in in the middle of my fish-in and my tank was cycled
tulip55555
Aquarium Advice Freak
What is your ammonia level??
Most test kits measure "total" ammonia, which means they measure nh3 and nh4 (ammonium) If you treat with prime you turn chloramine into ammonium. So basically dechlorinating water can contribute a very small amount to your ammonia level.
One thing to keep in mind is that ammonia toxicity depends on temperature and Ph. So depending on those levels you might not have anything to worry about. Here's a good chart... Ammonia Toxicity
Most test kits measure "total" ammonia, which means they measure nh3 and nh4 (ammonium) If you treat with prime you turn chloramine into ammonium. So basically dechlorinating water can contribute a very small amount to your ammonia level.
One thing to keep in mind is that ammonia toxicity depends on temperature and Ph. So depending on those levels you might not have anything to worry about. Here's a good chart... Ammonia Toxicity
tulip55555
Aquarium Advice Freak
Try to take it somewhere that they use a liquid test kit. You will get more accurate results than with test strips.
bruinsbro1997
Aquarium Advice Addict
The general API Freshwater Master Test Kit is about 20-30 dollars, and though it sounds kind of pricey it can provide about 100 tests.
bruinsbro1997
Aquarium Advice Addict
Probably the one mentioned above. Occasionally they go on clearance. They're the one most people recommend. If you can't get it right now, you could always go to any LFS, they test water for free. Just make sure they're using the test kit and not the strips, we could basically be guessing with strips.
tarpon
Aquarium Advice Addict
The API is a great investment for your tank.
BE CAREFUL!! With the test tubes. I already broke two! Haha
BE CAREFUL!! With the test tubes. I already broke two! Haha
tulip55555
Aquarium Advice Freak
This is a good price IMO...
Amazon.com: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Aquarian Freshwater Master Test Kit: Kitchen & Dining
I found this one and was thinking about getting it. And shipping is only 97 cents. There are some pros and cons though. It's a pretty good deal since it comes with the GH and KH tests. BUT it doesn't have the nitrate test...you can get that for about $7 at the pet store. So all and all it would work out the same as the API kit, but you'd have the GH and KH tests as well.
Walmart.com: Tetra Laborett Master Aquarium Water Test Kit: Fish
Amazon.com: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Aquarian Freshwater Master Test Kit: Kitchen & Dining
I found this one and was thinking about getting it. And shipping is only 97 cents. There are some pros and cons though. It's a pretty good deal since it comes with the GH and KH tests. BUT it doesn't have the nitrate test...you can get that for about $7 at the pet store. So all and all it would work out the same as the API kit, but you'd have the GH and KH tests as well.
Walmart.com: Tetra Laborett Master Aquarium Water Test Kit: Fish
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