What Does Continuously Clean, Clear Water Mean at This Point?

[ArtesiaWells]

Jeez...

You had to give me a little while to get the readings together, D...I am also working some freelance assignments...

Here's what the API readings came back as:

Ammonia: Perhaps 0.25? It's a bit darker than the bright "yellow" of the "0ppm" reading...

NitrIte: 0ppm

NitrAte: Maybe 5.0ppm, maybe 10? Uncertain; it's an orange-y color, but not dark orange, like near 40...

This is why these results have always been difficult for me to test for; I am uncertain as to where certain colors "fall" when looking at the comparison chart...

Anyway, how does it look like I'm doing?

 

[Convict2161]

Post pics. I think that's what we were trying to get across.

 

[Convict2161]

Also in my opinion in a cycled tank and with such a small biogas even though its a gold fish. You shouldn't see ammonia especially if your doing numerous water changes. Everything would be in line and its not. NitrAtes are fine I'm always at 10-20. I haven't seem ammonia in forever though.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Post pics. I think that's what we were trying to get across.

I can't do that at the moment; gotta work off some of these posted results for now...

You're saying the ammonia is out of whack? Since the DAY I have been keeping goldfish, even with my old tank, I could NEVER keep a 0ppm reading no matter what I did or how many times I tested -- it never really climbed much, if any, above that 0.25 mark, but from what my eyes are telling me, it wasn't quite 0...

However -- this could be just how my eyes are "seeing" this yellow shade; it could very well be around 0ppm...

I'll get pics when I can...

So the Nitrate and Nitrite both look alright at least?

 

[Alyxx]

I can't do that at the moment; gotta work off some of these posted results for now...

You're saying the ammonia is out of whack? Since the DAY I have been keeping goldfish, even with my old tank, I could NEVER keep a 0ppm reading no matter what I did or how many times I tested -- it never really climbed much, if any, above that 0.25 mark, but from what my eyes are telling me, it wasn't quite 0...

However -- this could be just how my eyes are "seeing" this yellow shade; it could very well be around 0ppm...

I'll get pics when I can...

So the Nitrate and Nitrite both look alright at least?

Test some bottled water for ammonia. Compare the color you get to the color you are seeing with your tanks, and if it is the same, you can rest assured that what you are seeing is really zero. If they don't match, it is in fact higher than zero.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Do the other readings at least, Nitrite and Nitrate, look acceptable?

 

[Alyxx]

Do the other readings at least, Nitrite and Nitrate, look acceptable?

Zero nitrite is a good thing and your nitrates are low. However, since this is the first test you've done in a while, we can't be sure if the zero nitrites means you don't have any yet or that the nitrite phase is finished. Nitrates at 5-10 could be from the tap water. Just keep up the testing, at least for a few days, so we can get a better picture of where you are in the cycle. And did you test some bottled water yet? It would be good to know if you are seeing zero ammonia or not. I know a lot of people have trouble figuring out the colors on the low end of the ammonia scale. It never seems to look as pale yellow as it does on the card. So give it a try, maybe test the bottled water and tank water at the same time and hold the tubes up to one another for comparison.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Zero nitrite is a good thing and your nitrates are low. However, since this is the first test you've done in a while, we can't be sure if the zero nitrites means you don't have any yet or that the nitrite phase is finished. Nitrates at 5-10 could be from the tap water. Just keep up the testing, at least for a few days, so we can get a better picture of where you are in the cycle. And did you test some bottled water yet? It would be good to know if you are seeing zero ammonia or not. I know a lot of people have trouble figuring out the colors on the low end of the ammonia scale. It never seems to look as pale yellow as it does on the card. So give it a try, maybe test the bottled water and tank water at the same time and hold the tubes up to one another for comparison.

Thanks for your continued assistance, Al...

Just knowing that you assured me the Ammonia reading is indeed difficult to discern when comparing it to the yellow of the card is enough for me; indeed, I may in fact have zero Ammonia...

As for the testing, I think I see your point -- I'll continue running the test for the next week or so and check back in here with results...

 

[Alyxx]

Thanks for your continued assistance, Al...

Just knowing that you assured me the Ammonia reading is indeed difficult to discern when comparing it to the yellow of the card is enough for me; indeed, I may in fact have zero Ammonia...

As for the testing, I think I see your point -- I'll continue running the test for the next week or so and check back in here with results...

Good. Post pictures of the tubes when you can, and we can try to help you figure out the colors. And hey, it could be worse! My boyfriend is very nearly completely color blind. He can distinguish light colors from dark colors but that's about it, he's about a step away from seeing in black and white. So I get no help at home when it comes to figuring out those little tubes.

 

[shellieca]

I always have trouble with reading the ammo as zero as well so I lay the tube against something completely white like a paper towel in really good light.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Thanks Shelli and Alyxx...

I did the last small water change today to keep up with the regiment for my Black Moor who had the "pimple" symptom/growth on her body (wanted to keep the water SUPER clean incase this was bacterial -- it has since disappeared as quickly as it came) and will post test results later...

 

[ArtesiaWells]

UPDATE:

Ran a battery of API tests this morning on the 60 gallon; the results were pretty much the same as the last time I ran them -- that is, Approx. 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite and Low Nitrate...

Does this look like my tank is near completion of the cycle or perhaps has cycled? I can keep running tests, but if these results keep coming back like this, does it indicate a completed cycle and a somewhat stable tank?

 

[Alyxx]

UPDATE:

Ran a battery of API tests this morning on the 60 gallon; the results were pretty much the same as the last time I ran them -- that is, Approx. 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite and Low Nitrate...

Does this look like my tank is near completion of the cycle or perhaps has cycled? I can keep running tests, but if these results keep coming back like this, does it indicate a completed cycle and a somewhat stable tank?

Did you ever test some bottled water to confirm that you are seeing ammonia?

 

[Convict2161]

Just so I understand can just clarify for me something, this was a fish in cycle correct? Also how long did you cycle the tank? I've lost track bouncing around your threads/posts

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Did you ever test some bottled water to confirm that you are seeing ammonia?

No...

But what do you make of these numbers from water taken from the tank?

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Just so I understand can just clarify for me something, this was a fish in cycle correct? Also how long did you cycle the tank? I've lost track bouncing around your threads/posts

It was a fish-in cycle, but I used Seachem Stability to aid in the bacteria population -- I used the Stability for two days, then introduced the fish from a 10 gallon they were in and finished the Stability treatment after seven days (Seachem claims aquatic life can be safely introduced at ANY time so long as the seven day treatment is adhered to). After that, I simply kept up on water changes...

The fish have been fine.

 

[Convict2161]

It was a fish-in cycle, but I used Seachem Stability to aid in the bacteria population -- I used the Stability for two days, then introduced the fish from a 10 gallon they were in and finished the Stability treatment after seven days (Seachem claims aquatic life can be safely introduced at ANY time so long as the seven day treatment is adhered to). After that, I simply kept up on water changes...

The fish have been fine.

How long has the cycle been? How many fish?

 

[ArtesiaWells]

How long has the cycle been? How many fish?

The tank has been running somewhere in excess of about a month; there are four fancy goldfish, not too large, at all...

Filtration, as you should know, consists of an AquaClear 110 and an Aqueon QuietFlow 55, together turning over in excess of 800 gallons per hour...

 

[Convict2161]

IMO if your readings are constant then your cycled.

 

[Alyxx]

IMO if your readings are constant then your cycled.

I agree.