Testing/Cycle

[JoeDaniels]

Ok so here is where I'm at, I took a trip to my LFS today and picked up a Api master kit, whilst I was there I met a lovely lady (who believe it or not actually new her stuff) so I explained my predicament to her an she offered me some water and gravel from the healthiest tank in the store got home and ran a test and my test results read, Ammonia 0.25ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 10ppm and PH 7.6, so this is where I'm at at the moment it all sounds good apart from my ammonia being slightly high and my ph through the roof but that's not a problem as at the moment there are no fish in the tank and I haven't even added the LFS water and gravel so does anyone have any hints or tips for me and how to get the ph down as I'm picking up my siemese fighter tomorrow ? I'm going to add the LFS stuff and test again in a couple of hours
Thanks any help would be great

 

[JoeDaniels]

P.s am gonna take 15% of my water out for the mature stuff

 

[eco23]

How long has the tank been set up? With those results (showing nitrAtes) I assume you cycled the tank?

I, in 99% of cases recommend against altering the pH of your water. Fish prefer a constant pH level even if it is out of their ideal pH range. The problem is that during pwc's you're going to have a pH swing when adding new water.

If you did want to lower it, most people recommend adding peat to their filter.

 

[JoeDaniels]

How long has the tank been set up? With those results (showing nitrAtes) I assume you cycled the tank?

I, in 99% of cases recommend against altering the pH of your water. Fish prefer a constant pH level even if it is out of their ideal pH range. The problem is that during pwc's you're going to have a pH swing when adding new water.

If you did want to lower it, most people recommend adding peat to their filter.

It had been running for about a week+
To be honest I actually haven't done a "cycle" in the conventional sense I have no fish and I haven't added ammonia either I have just spent the last 3-4 days reading these forums and taking tips and doing them, the only thing I have changed is added a couple bits of fern and that's it the results look good to me, what do you think ? Ive just added the mature water and substrate and left it all running and will test again in a couple of hours. Isn't 7 the ideal ph level for most fish ? Will adding the mature water effect the ph maybe lower it ? Do you feel my tank is ready ? thankyou

 

[eco23]

It had been running for about a week+
To be honest I actually haven't done a "cycle" in the conventional sense I have no fish and I haven't added ammonia either I have just spent the last 3-4 days reading these forums and taking tips and doing them, the only thing I have changed is added a couple bits of fern and that's it the results look good to me, what do you think ? Ive just added the mature water and substrate and left it all running and will test again in a couple of hours. Isn't 7 the ideal ph level for most fish ? Will adding the mature water effect the ph maybe lower it ? Do you feel my tank is ready ? thankyou

The mature water will do virtually nothing to help establish the new tank because there is no beneficial bacteria in the water. I beg you to read the article in my thread and consider doing a fishless cycle to avoid yourself a lot of work with daily water changes. It will also avoid any of your fish dying or suffering from ammonia poisining. It is the single most important thing you will ever do with your tank.

All fish have different ideal pH levels, but most can adjust to what is out or your tap. As I said, they prefer constant pH as opposed to fluctuating levels that will be caused if you try and alter your waters pH level.

Again, please look over the article,nthe gravel will help you with a fishless cycle, but if you choose to add fish now...you're in for a lot of work, perseverance and potentially dead and suffering fish.

Feel free to shoot me any questions about cycling after you read over the article.

 

[EndlersEatGuppies]

How many gallons is the tank?

For short info. ammonia makes nitrite and it makes nitrate.

IMO ammonia needs to be at 0-0.1ppm, nitrite at 0ppm, and nitrate 0-20ppm.

 

[EndlersEatGuppies]

oh yeah and as far as ph mine is 7.6~ and i have mollies, swordtails, and tetras. They r all fine.

 

[JoeDaniels]

Thanks for the reply
I have previously read your article say 3 or 4 times haha and that was my plan after getting a testing kit but couldn't turn down the opportunity of getting some seed but after testing and seeing that my water conditions before I have added the substrate are almost perfect apart from a tiny bit of ammonia I thought it would be ok. Also I am very aware of the nitrogen cycle and from hours of reading thought that 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and <20 nitrate that your tank was ready for fish as this proved it has had ammonia and nitrite to create the nitrate therefore having enough "good" bacteria. Is this not true ?
Thanks for being patient and answering these questions

 

[eco23]

Thanks for the reply
I have previously read your article say 3 or 4 times haha and that was my plan after getting a testing kit but couldn't turn down the opportunity of getting some seed but after testing and seeing that my water conditions before I have added the substrate are almost perfect apart from a tiny bit of ammonia I thought it would be ok. Also I am very aware of the nitrogen cycle and from hours of reading thought that 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and <20 nitrate that your tank was ready for fish as this proved it has had ammonia and nitrite to create the nitrate therefore having enough "good" bacteria. Is this not true ?
Thanks for being patient and answering these questions

The nitrAte in no way means the tank is cycled or safe for fish. It is most likely coming from your water source. You need to grow a colony of beneficial bacteria in the tank for it to actually be cycled. Don't let the water results or the lfs fool you, you need your own colonies of beneficial bacteria in the tanks filter and surfaces...not just in the water you add. The gravel will somewhat help the cycle along, but in no way solves the fact the tank needs to be cycled before stocking.

 

[EndlersEatGuppies]

Can u give us your current reading. To this date 5/5/11. Which includes ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph!

 

[JoeDaniels]

The nitrAte in no way means the tank is cycled or safe for fish. It is most likely coming from your water source. You need to grow a colony of beneficial bacteria in the tank for it to actually be cycled. Don't let the water results or the lfs fool you, you need your own colonies of beneficial bacteria in the tanks filter and surfaces...not just in the water you add. The gravel will somewhat help the cycle along, but in no way solves the fact the tank needs to be cycled before stocking.

Oh right ok I just thought due to the fact that my tapewater originally put in the tank was dechlorinated using aquasafe and if your tapwater has chlorine originally in it ( which mine does very highly due to the area I live in) it would kill any previous nitrates and bacteria from the water so the build up of nitrates now (I thought was purely from the tank) also my test result fame back positive for ammonia which means there must be a source of bacteria somewhere right ???? Or not ,also tomorrow I am receiving an ornament from a mature and clean tank.
P.S my tank is roughly 8 us gallons and I added about 3 us gallons of mature water.

 

[JoeDaniels]

Can u give us your current reading. To this date 5/5/11. Which includes ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph!

My current readings as of 5/5/11 18.00 GMT are Ammonia 0.25ppm, nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 10ppm and PH 7.6.
I am going to test again at 20:30 GMT to see if anything has changed since adding the substrate

P.S how shall I clean out my testing tubes as I don't want to just empty them or clean them with tap water as this will effect results

Thanks

 

[EndlersEatGuppies]

My current readings as of 5/5/11 18.00 GMT are Ammonia 0.25ppm, nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 10ppm and PH 7.6.
I am going to test again at 20:30 GMT to see if anything has changed since adding the substrate

P.S how shall I clean out my testing tubes as I don't want to just empty them or clean them with tap water as this will effect results

Thanks

IMO your ammo is high but your nitrite and nitrate levels are fine. Test in like 3 days and if all the levels are fine u got it!

As far as cleaning them out i rinse in tap water and let it air dry.

 

[eco23]

Oh right ok I just thought due to the fact that my tapewater originally put in the tank was dechlorinated using aquasafe and if your tapwater has chlorine originally in it ( which mine does very highly due to the area I live in) it would kill any previous nitrates and bacteria from the water so the build up of nitrates now (I thought was purely from the tank) also my test result fame back positive for ammonia which means there must be a source of bacteria somewhere right ???? Or not ,also tomorrow I am receiving an ornament from a mature and clean tank.
P.S my tank is roughly 8 us gallons and I added about 3 us gallons of mature water.

The ammonia in the tap water is due to the chlorine/chloramines used by your municipality to sterilize the water to make it safe to drink....not caused by bacteria.

You want bacteria...that's what cycles your tank. Your fish produce ammonia in their waste...the first type of bacteria converts the ammo into nitrItes, then the second type of bacteria converts the nitrIte into nitrAtes which is much less toxic for your fish

Without your tank being cycled (preferably my guide method), you currently have none of the beneficial bacteria needed to convert their waste. Without the bacteria (grown during a fishless cycle), the ammonia the fish produce will continue to build up because there is not bacteria yet to convert it. The fish will slowly start dying in their own waste and their gills will literally burn and be scarred as the ammonia builds up.

 

[eco23]

IMO your ammo is high but your nitrite and nitrate levels are fine. Test in like 3 days and if all the levels are fine u got it!

As far as cleaning them out i rinse in tap water and let it air dry.

This is not correct. The tank is not cycled, and will not start cycling by leaving it sitting without an ammonia source, it is a sterile environment which will not help cycle the tank.

 

[EndlersEatGuppies]

This is not correct. The tank is not cycled, and will not start cycling by leaving it sitting without an ammonia source, it is a sterile environment which will not help cycle the tank.

I never said it was cycled!!!!!

And as far as ammonia just put in a pinch of fish flakes for the ammonia to process.

 

[eco23]

I never said it was cycled!!!!!

And as far as ammonia just put in a pinch of fish flakes for the ammonia to process.

Right, fish food works to add an ammo source...but I don't want the OP to think it's okay to sit for a few days, check levels and add fish. Cycling a tank takes weeks and sometimes months if you are doing a fish-in cycle. I think the lfs gave the old useless recommendation to set it up, let it run for a while then add fish. Without adding an ammo source that does absolutely nothing.

Regardless of what you decide, I obviously recommend taking advantage of the fact you have no fish and do a fishless cycle...if you decide to add fish, it's possible for them to survive, but takes a lot more work from you to get the tank cycled. I'll find the link for cycling with fish.

 

[eco23]

Here's the link for fish in cycling. I recommend reading it, learn what is involved with cycling with fish in the tank and hopefully decide fishless cycling is the best decision for you.

No matter what cycling method you choose...either my guide or the one I'm linking are the best sources to help you through it...good luck!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now-116287.html

 

[JoeDaniels]

Ok so at this point in time I have nothing to eat the waste so it won't help and also there isn't enough bacteria yet to eat that waste :/ so why do I have ammonia readings and nitrate readings :/ without this forum I would be no where and would house a lot of dead fish haha, the women in the shop said the stuff would help but didnt say it would definitely work haha so what I'm doing at the moment is sorta just a fish and fishless half cycle, man this stuff is confusing haha

 

[eco23]

Ok so at this point in time I have nothing to eat the waste so it won't help and also there isn't enough bacteria yet to eat that waste :/ so why do I have ammonia readings and nitrate readings :/ without this forum I would be no where and would house a lot of dead fish haha, the women in the shop said the stuff would help but didnt say it would definitely work haha so what I'm doing at the moment is sorta just a fish and fishless half cycle, man this stuff is confusing haha

It's complicated at first, but simple once you get the hang of it. The ammonia and no3 you're seeing in the test results are in your tap water...not because of beneficial bacteria in your tank.

The stuff the lady gave you will add a small amount of bacteria to the tank which will help, but not anywhere close to making the tank cycled. I know you checked out my guide before...but I'd recommend to start at the beginning and follow it step by step starting with going to buy pure ammonia. I'm happy to walk you all the way through it like I do with tons of people on that thread.

Whatever you decide, do it quickly because the bacteria on the stuff the lady gave you won't survive long without adding more of an ammonia source.