graphicpunk said:
The 50 gallon is my inside tank and it has one fish in it. The fish has been in the tank since early summer without a filter. I would add new water as it evaporated but I never did any major water changes. Today I cleaned up the old filter and put it back on the tank to get it ready to cycle since the two 20 gallon tanks, out in the garage, are making progress.
After adding the filter, to my 50 gallon, I wanted to test the water to make sure it wasn't going to kill the one fish in the tank. My test results are listed above. My plan was to move the one fish to on of the cycled tanks when it was fully cycled then start on cycling the 50 gallon.
I added Prime directly to the bucket before I put water in it but maybe I didn't out enough? The directions have it measured out for 50 gallons at once but not 5 gallons at a time if that makes sense? So I would just put a very small amount for each 5 gallon bucket.
I will test the water again tomorrow and maybe my results were off a bit. My question is what to look for as I am still learning all this stuff.
Okay, first I assume I don't have to give you a hard time about the Goldfish, right? You learned the error of your ways?
. Water changes have a lot more to do than just lowering no3 and keeping things clean. Dissolved solids (google "old tank syndrome") play a huge part too. By "without a filter" I hope you mean like without an air stone...not just a fish in stagnant water.
Remember that Prime doesn't technically remove anything. What it does is neutralize the toxins, but technically they're still in there (just in a different form) so the water will test the same whether Prime has been added or not. I usually add like 1-2 drops per gallon. It doesn't take much.
Did you ever test directly from the tap? You seem to be getting some odd readings during pwc's. Are you on well water or city water?
As for what to look for...the tank with fish we want to see less than .25 ammonia and nitrIte at all times. Anything above requires a water change. The nitrAtes should also always be kept below 20 with water changes. A good, 25% weekly pwc schedule should be part of the routine once a tank is fully cycled and stocked.
For the fishless cycles (I'm sure you know), but basically you want to see the ammonia continually drop, no2 spike then drop on it's own while no3 steadily rises. Once the tank can convert 4ppm of ammonia > no2 > no3 in 24 hours...your cycled. It should read 0, 0, x number of nitrAtes in a cycled tank.