How do my water conditions appear???

[flames9]

Ok, here is a brief over view of my tank setup. 10 gallons, started cycle March 13 2005 with Bio spira with 2 guppys (1 male, 1 female) At the time the water conditioner I was using was Aqua safe!! I am now using Amquel +. About 3 days later we added in 2 more female guppies and 2 corys. Added a bit more Bio Spira as well when we added in the extra fish. They gave birth. we had only 1 survive (rest ended up as lunch!! Sorry) We feed them twice a day with flakes. On average changing the water twice a week, about 40% at a time, plus cleaning the gravol.

Water reading the past few days:

DATE PH NITRITE AMMONIA NITRATE
11-Apr 7.2 0.2 0.25 15
12-Apr 7 0.5 0.5 20
12 APR 7 0 0. 2.0
(water change)
13-Apr 7 0.1 0.2 10
14-Apr 7.1 0.1 0.15 20
15 apr 7.1 .25 0 15


How does that look?? I'm thinking of doing another water change on saturday (last one done was on 12 Apr) Do you consider the Nitrates/nitrites high?? a bit high Any sugestions would be great!!
Scott

 

[Jchillin]

To be honest...it doesn't look quite normal. According to your chart, you had more NO3 when you started than you have right now. Also, I've never seen readings where all three (NH3, NO2 and NO3) were present.

Are you sure of your results and the way you posted them? What are you using for the tests (strips or re-agent drops)?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

JC, I have seen on occassion where the results showed Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates all at the same time. Actually, I've only seen it personally a couple times. So I don't think that it is common. Flames, same question as JC, what are you using to test your water? The numbers do seem a bit odd.

 

[BASSNMAN]

I would guess you have nitrates in your tap water, that is why the readings are higher after a water change. Let some tap water sit over night and test it.

 

[flames9]

Hello. Did the 24 hr water in bowl thing, here are the results:
Ph 7.6 Nitrate 0 Nitrite 0 Ammonia .7

Im using the Fresh water Master test kit. Someone else said I shouldnt be using Amquel + with Bio Spira?? Should I do a water change, or wait and see if the levels go down? Thanks
Scott

 

[Jchillin]

You right in the middle of your cycle so you really don't need to add anything. I'm still interested in knowing about your results posted in the beginning. Yes, you should continue to perform PWC's routinely to bring the levels down.

 

[patagonia]

isnt 0.7ppm ammonia a bit high for tap water??? just a thought....

 

[flames9]

I noticed my nitrates and nitrites were inching up again, so just did a 50% water change and now my readings are:
PH 7 Nitrite 0 Ammonia .1 (trace) nitrate 1.0 (trace)

So levels seem to be ok now, i check them pretty much every other day with my Freshwater Master test kit. Would there be a better water conditioner that i Should be using vice the Amquel +. I was using Aqua safe, but some one on another site to use Amquel+, another said to use Prime. Or should I use the stuff made by the same company as Bio Spira?? So many choice. Thanks. Scott

 

[Jchillin]

I personally prefer AquaPure. It has always worked for me.

 

[flames9]

I emailed the company that makes Bio Spira to see what they recomend. Im sure it will be one of their products. lol

 

[jsoong]

What ammonia test you are using? Amquel plus will interfere with the usual NH3 test & give false results - you need the salicylate tests to get true results.

0.7 of NH3 in tap is not unusual - The water Co add chloramines to the water as disinfectant, & that breaks down into chlorine & ammonia .... most water conditioner can handle that OK. In a mature tank (ie after cycle established), the NH3 will simply be converted to nitrates so nothing much needs to be done.

There was a bit of controversy regarding amquel plus. Prime & other NH3 binders during cycling. The product manufacturer stated that these products binds NH3 & NO2 reversibly, and will not interfer with cycling. I have used it during my initial cycling without problems ... although some people says they slow things down.

 

[flames9]

For the Ammonia tests, I'm using the freshwater MAster test kit. has the two seperate bottle where ya put in 8 drops of each. Just read the instructions, and they are salicylate based tests.

I was using Aqua safe before, but a few others said Amquel + or Prime would be better. So I switched to Amquel+. Im thinking maybe Bio coat or Bio Safe,the same people thatmake Bio Spira would be a better choice???

Thanks Scott

 

[dr_girlfriend]

I use amquel plus with no problems. I use it in new tanks all the time. My tapwater has ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, its quite normal depending on what your water treatment plant uses.
It really doesn't matter what brand of dechlorinator you use. As long as it binds up chlorine and chloramine it will work. They all use the same chemicals. Some others add heavy metal removers, aloe vera, etc. which are good to have, but not absolutley needed.
You might want to get a "back up" tester, like the strips. That way you can compare and see if you get similar results. Yes I know for some reason everyone hates the strips, but I use them all the time and theyre not always wrong! They need to be "fresh" and not expired or contaminated with moisture. We use them in medicine all the time and people don't seem to mind to use them to be tested for disease, just don't trust them for their fish tanks :?

 

[malkore]

Ok, first off, can you read your ammonia test kit instructions and see if it refers to it as a Nessler based ammonia test kit?
Otherwise, does the test kit have 1 reagent, and you can get the result immediately? Or is it 2 reagents, and you have to wait 5 mins?

One bottle and immedate results makes me suspect a nessler kit. Amquel will bind ammonia and convert to ammonium, which isn't as toxic to fish. However nessler test kits will read ammonium as ammonia. This could be why your tank is always showing a little ammonia.

however tap water with .7ppm of ammonia is very strange

 

[flames9]

Its 2 seperate bottle , 8 drips from each and wait 5 minutes! It states in the instructions that it is a salicylate based test. So I should be good to go!! I just want to ensure I'm doing stuff correctly. Thanks

 

[TomK2]

Sounds like you have chloramines in the tap water. Nothing you can do for this. Each time you do a PWC with a dechlorinator, you add a small amount of ammonia. Once your biofilter is established, the ammonia from the chloramine will be rapidly converted to nitrate. It is possible that some conditioners can make the chloramine derived ammonia not appear on the ammonia test, but it is still there and needs to be consumed by the bacteria.