First API test results, now what?

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.

HaveQuestions

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
25
Hi friendly folks:

I will start with aquarium details:
- 10 gallon tank
- 15 W T8 bulb, on a timer for 10hr a day
- three guppies
- two smallish Anubias, one of which sprouted something that the guppies pecked at until it fell off
- one relatively large Java Fern, which has some blackened leaves and a couple leaves with something growing off the tip
- substrate is some sort of black sand
- oh and at least one little snail

I uploaded a photo in my first thread; is there a way to link the same attachment?

Fish and plants went into the aquarium together, about 17 days ago. In the first week, I performed four or five 20% water changes, and in the past seven days, we have performed two 20% water changes.

As per title, I just did my first freshwater tests with the following results:
- pH of 7.4 to 7.6, can't tell exactly (I did a normal and high range test)
- Ammonia seems to be at 0.25 ppm or slightly less
- Nitrite seems low, at a colour very close to 0ppm
- Nitrate looks to have a hint of orange, and definitely not nearly as dark as the 5ppm colour

So.... What do I do now?

What is the general condition of the aquarium? Should I cross post this to get advice specific to the plants?
 
How long has it been up?
How long have the fish been in there?
Is there a filter? (If so what kind)
Is there a heater?
 
Filled the tank with substrate and piece of wood Oct 29, ran it until plants and fish went in Nov 5.
 
Its a good idea to always test the tap water too so you have a base line...id do that for sure.

Also do you know what the Nitrogen Cycle os and how it relates to aquarium keeping?
 
Also do you know what the Nitrogen Cycle os and how it relates to aquarium keeping?

I think I understand the general concept, including the role of bacteria that breakdown the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates.

What I don't know is:
- what is a target pH for the plants and guppies, or how to influence it
- what the target concentrations of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates would be, or how to influence them, other than changing the water if they are too high.

Baseline measurements of the tap water seem kind of obvious, so I will do that after work. I was planning on daily measurements for the next little whike as well. I just don't know what my desired concentrations are.

Thanks.
 
I don't think there is a target value for pH. There may be an optimum value for specific fish and maybe some plants but most do fine in a general range (6-8?). There are additives that can influence pH but it is preferable to maintain a stable pH rather strive for a target pH.
In a cycled aquarium the ammonia and nitrite should be 0 (zero) ppm. The nitrate acceptable range can be anywhere from 5-40 ppm although this is subject to debate. Products such as Seachem Prime can temporarily make ammonia and nitrite less toxic but it does not eliminate them.
 
Plants and fish don't really care about pH. Only why it changes. Manipulating ph is unnecessary.

Nitrate toxicity levels are inconclusive with tropical fish because there is very little data on the subject. Best aquarium practices naturally keep them down. These include, sensible stocking, sensible feeding, ample water change quantity and frequency, removing decaying organics etc.

By following the above you also maximise oxygen levels which is one of the most important parameters for an aquatic ecosystem.

Sounds to me like your cycle is on course and doing well. Your water changes will ensure pollution is kept to a minimum and oxygen remains high.

Try not to get too bogged down with testing. Instead just continue with good tank husbandry and all should be well.
 
Ammonia and Nitrites should be 00 and water changes and plants help keep the Nitrates down.

PH is a whole other animal and i have only recently come to terms that its better that they are consistent vs. Some magical number.
Alot of that has to do with knowing your stock as well.

Was yer tank cycled before you added fish?
I ask because of the timeline
 
Ammonia and Nitrites should be 00 and water changes and plants help keep the Nitrates down.

PH is a whole other animal and i have only recently come to terms that its better that they are consistent vs. Some magical number.
Alot of that has to do with knowing your stock as well.

Was yer tank cycled before you added fish?
I ask because of the timeline

This is my concern - unless pre-cycled media was added, I highly doubt a tank was cycled in ~1 week. Then again, if it wasn't cycled and fish have been in there for ~2 weeks, I would expect the parameters to be more abnormal.
 
Thank you all for such great info.

As a bit of a nerd, I like the idea of collecting data, and I appreciate the notion of not getting hung up on specifics.

It was my understanding that there was a range of pH to stay within, so I am glad to hear there is a wide margin.

I did those measurements after a water change so I will monitor how it changes over a couple a days.

So, just just to make sure I understand: Ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates should be low, and if I see them increasing, I change the water, correct?
 
This is my concern - unless pre-cycled media was added, I highly doubt a tank was cycled in ~1 week. Then again, if it wasn't cycled and fish have been in there for ~2 weeks, I would expect the parameters to be more abnormal.

I don't think we had pre-cycled media, and I was not expecting it to be cycled in such a short period of time. I think that the fact that I did the measurements after a water change may have made the results low, does that make sense?

Thanks
 
Okay, 24hrs after my water change, I think I have the following results:
Ammonia: between 0 and 0.25ppm (looks closer to 0.25ppm)
Nitrite: looks like 0ppm
Nitrate: editing to state that I think this is non-zero, while not as dark as the 5ppm colour

My arm is tired from the vigorous shaking...
 
I just throw the whole kit down the front steps and kick it down driveway, usually works out


We bought paint recently and I was admiring that machine that shakes the cans, wondering if they have a home version for nitrate test solution shaking!!![emoji848]
 
Back
Top Bottom