Confusing first test results

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

The Trooper

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Messages
419
Location
Scotland
I've just tested my water for the first time, the tank has had fish in it for 5 days now, and these are the test results, the water is really cloudy as well, i'm thinking the filter that it was provided with might not be good enough?

Anyway, what do you think?



 
Hi.

Those results are normal for the start of the cycle. Your bacteria is just colonising now and slowly multiplying. It will take at least a month to see any changes to those results. They will stay like that now so just monitor every couple of days.

It is important that you do not let ammonia exceed 0.25ppm it should stay a very slight green until that tank cycles. You will probably never see a change to the nitrite colour unless you test twice a day. It will be hard to catch.

It is also vital that you don't add anymore fish now and don't overfeed. Skip feeding for a day every couple of days and water change once a week 25%

You will be cycled when ammonia goes yellow (hold tubes flat in your hand to see colour more clearly) and your nitrate goes slightly brown 10-15ppm. This bit is the hardest because it require lots of patience and the temptation to add more fish can prove to much when setting up a new tank but just stick with it now.

Good luck
 
Thanks Caliban most helpful, is it cloudy because it is cycling or should i get a new filter? The one that i am using currently is the one that came with the tank. I am not really intending on getting any more fish any time soon, i was planning 2 weeks but i'll give it til the water tests are right. I currently have 3 mollies and 1 plec.

Please see the pics.



 
I had the same prob while doing a fish in cycle I bought aqua plus clear fast worked in hours
 
Sorry forgot to mention about that. The cloudiness is usually referred to as bacteria bloom. The filter is fine. In fact it looks like the same tank as mine. I have the 64 litre 15 uk gal 17 us gallon.

How big is the plec?
 
Sorry forgot to mention about that. The cloudiness is usually referred to as bacteria bloom. The filter is fine. In fact it looks like the same tank as mine. I have the 64 litre 15 uk gal 17 us gallon.

How big is the plec?

Its just small at the moment here's a photo.

It is a 64lt one, bought from pets at home.

ForumRunner_20130919_180856.jpg
 
Yeh it's the same as mine.

Ok just keep your eye in the plec as in not sure they are the most suitable fish to use for cycling, especially when young. The waste production of the plec won't be enough to affect the water quality so that's good.

I'm guessing as the tank is only 5 days old there will be no algae growth yet? That means you will have to put algae wafers in for it to feed on. Break small pieces off a wafer then wait till he has eaten it all. If it doesn't net it out. If there is algae growth it would be safe to add a wafer every few days.
 
I've got these disc things for him, think tetra make them, they are designed for plecs so should be ok. i put a couple in a night and they are gone by morning.

The guy who told me all these fish were suitable for a new tank needs shot.
 
Yeh it's the same as mine.

Ok just keep your eye in the plec as in not sure they are the most suitable fish to use for cycling, especially when young. The waste production of the plec won't be enough to affect the water quality so that's good.

I'm guessing as the tank is only 5 days old there will be no algae growth yet? That means you will have to put algae wafers in for it to feed on. Break small pieces off a wafer then wait till he has eaten it all. If it doesn't net it out. If there is algae growth it would be safe to add a wafer every few days.

Sadly plecos need a much bigger tank than the one that it is currently in. Approximately 113 liters is the minimum for the dwarf varieties of plecos with some of the larger varieties needing 300 liters minimum.

Plecos also produce more waste than almost any fish in the hobby so it can be hell trying to keep parameters in line in a cycling tank.

Finally, all plecos will need some supplementation in their diet. None of them can live solely off of algae growing in the tank no matter how much there is. It's a good rule of thumb to feed your plecos some bottom feeder wafers or pellets every other day.

I've got these disc things for him, think tetra make them, they are designed for plecs so should be ok. i put a couple in a night and they are gone by morning.

The guy who told me all these fish were suitable for a new tank needs shot.

Those discs are a good addition but be careful of overfeeding them. I usually break my algae wafers into pieces to feed my fish.

All in all, I would suggest returning the pleco, both for its safety from an undersized cycling tank and your own sanity in keeping water params in a happy place.

The mollies are also a pretty big fish that should be in a 113l tank. Take a look at Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums to check up on tank sizes for fish before buying them.
 
I have every intention of buying a bigger tank some time in the next few months.

I can't return the Plec either, it's outwith the time that they accept returns.
 
I have every intention of buying a bigger tank some time in the next few months.

I can't return the Plec either, it's outwith the time that they accept returns.

Well that's crap. My suggestion to you is to look for a privately owned lfs and give your business to them. They will be better at helping you, higher quality stock (usually), and will take trade ins without a single issue. At my LFS I traded my entire school of fancy guppies for some praecox rainbows a few months ago and I regularly sell extra fish and macro algae to them as well.
 
A one an a half inch plec in a 64 litre tank will not produce enough waste to affect the water. Especially if supplemented wafers are only added every few days. You bacteria is multiplying in proportion to the ammonia levels. It shouldnt exceed 0.25ppm ammonia now if if watch your feeding. It would be ok and safer for it to feed on algae in between and only for the duration of the cycle. Once the cycle is complete you can feed as normal.

My advice is a precautionary measure as you have already bought the plec now. You can remove it when it gets to big for you tank size and stocking level.
 
I am planning a 125lt tank at some point soon. The plec should be OK til then, I doubt he'll get too big yet.

So you suggest I keep using that filter? What about air to your tank did you have any issues?
 
I am planning a 125lt tank at some point soon. The plec should be OK til then, I doubt he'll get too big yet.

So you suggest I keep using that filter? What about air to your tank did you have any issues?

Nothing short of a UV sterilizer or antibiotics will work to get rid of that bacterial bloom you have. Just give it some time, it'll go away on its own. Your filter should be just fine to use.
 
No none at all. I added an extra sponge to mine so I could alternate cleaning or start a new tank when required. If you add another sponge you will have seeded media when you tank cycles then when you come to upgrade, the process will be considerably shorter.
 
Back
Top Bottom