PICS Confused! Water test results

[mockingjay]

So I posted a thread yesterday about my new 5 gallon tank. I didn't cycle it, but had fish. I've lost a few fish already.

I got the API Master Test Kit and I am perplexed by the results...(I haven't done the Nitrate or pH tests yet).

I haven't even had this tank for a week (it'll be a week on Saturday) and the results of the Nitrite and Ammonia were...Normal?

Here is the Ammonia test

It looks ALMOST a bit more green than yellow, but mostly it looks like its at 0


And the Nitrite....

Here I was thinking my water was going to be HORRIBLE but it seems fine. I've been doing 2 water changes (40-50%) for the past few days, but I wasn't expecting it to be cycled already.

Is it? Should I wait awhile longer? When can I add fish? I am leery about adding more fish, since in the first few days a few died. Is it because its such a small tank? Could the water be cycled already?

 

[mockingjay]

And...Nitrate appears normal as well.

 

[captaincritical]

I suppose it's possible your fish have helped to cycle the tank. It's hard to know without more details, however. What fish do/did you have in there? What is the exact nitrate reading?

 

[mockingjay]

Nitrate was yellow, so 0.

 

[mockingjay]

Oh and I had a few male guppies.

 

[captaincritical]

Zero nitrates would suggest to me that you probably aren't cycled. Did you shake the heck out of test solution #2 and the vial once it was added? In an established tank, there should be at least minimal nitrates.

 

[mockingjay]

Zero nitrates would suggest to me that you probably aren't cycled. Did you shake the heck out of test solution #2 and the vial once it was added? In an established tank, there should be at least minimal nitrates.

I did :/ I even timed how long I shook it. Should I continue with the water changes and recheck the levels tomorrow?

 

[captaincritical]

That's what I would suggest, yes. You're doing the best possible thing you can with your large water changes! Keep it up and eventually things will sort themselves out. How are your guppies doing now?

 

[Sk3lly]

I dont think your cycled at all. Its easy to get 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite if you change out the water faster than the fish are producing it. You mentioned youd done a couple of 50% water changes over the space of a couple days. Thats how i interpreted your question

 

[mockingjay]

I dont think your cycled at all. Its easy to get 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite if you change out the water faster than the fish are producing it. You mentioned youd done a couple of 50% water changes over the space of a couple days. Thats how i interpreted your question

Yeah, that's what I was told to do on my other thread here.

 

[mockingjay]

I had done 1 50% change yesterday when I tested the water....but it was done a good 7 hours before the water test. I'm aware that my tank probably isn't cycled yet, hence my confusion, hence my coming here to ask questions.

 

[Sk3lly]

I had done 1 50% change yesterday when I tested the water....but it was done a good 7 hours before the water test. I'm aware that my tank probably isn't cycled yet, hence my confusion, hence my coming here to ask questions.

Well test your water every day at the same time each day. If you get a reading of over .5 for ammonia or nitrite then do a 50% water change. You'll have your 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite. Next day you might get 0.25 ammonia. Let that be. Next day you might get 0.5 ammonia. The bacteria will use this to start your cycle but its just starting to become harmful to fish. So water change to lower it. Use prime as your water conditioner. It detoxifies ammonia and nitrite for up to 48hours, yet the bacteria can use it as a food source still. Then test again and see what your results are. If under 0.5 then leave it be. If over then water change. Eventually you'll start getting small nitrite readings. Now your at the second stage of the cycling process. Continue the exact same method for testing and water changing as i explained for ammonia. After weeks of this you should start seeing nitrate. This is only harmful when up above 40ish ppm. Eventually you'll start registering 0 for ammonia and nitrite for days on end but your nitrates will be rising as you wont be doing your water changes to remove the ammonia and nitrite. (Hope your still with me lol). This is a good indication that your cycled. Cycked means your bacteria colony can convert ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate in a 24 hour period. Keep testing every 2 or 3 days for a couple weeks just to be sure. Then get into a routine of a 50% water change weekly.
This sounds daunting and hard work but its really not. Its easy once you understand it.
I really hope this has helped and not confused you. Dont hesitate to pm me any other questions you may have

 

[mockingjay]

Well test your water every day at the same time each day. If you get a reading of over .5 for ammonia or nitrite then do a 50% water change. You'll have your 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite. Next day you might get 0.25 ammonia. Let that be. Next day you might get 0.5 ammonia. The bacteria will use this to start your cycle but its just starting to become harmful to fish. So water change to lower it. Use prime as your water conditioner. It detoxifies ammonia and nitrite for up to 48hours, yet the bacteria can use it as a food source still. Then test again and see what your results are. If under 0.5 then leave it be. If over then water change. Eventually you'll start getting small nitrite readings. Now your at the second stage of the cycling process. Continue the exact same method for testing and water changing as i explained for ammonia. After weeks of this you should start seeing nitrate. This is only harmful when up above 40ish ppm. Eventually you'll start registering 0 for ammonia and nitrite for days on end but your nitrates will be rising as you wont be doing your water changes to remove the ammonia and nitrite. (Hope your still with me lol). This is a good indication that your cycled. Cycked means your bacteria colony can convert ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate in a 24 hour period. Keep testing every 2 or 3 days for a couple weeks just to be sure. Then get into a routine of a 50% water change weekly.
This sounds daunting and hard work but its really not. Its easy once you understand it.
I really hope this has helped and not confused you. Dont hesitate to pm me any other questions you may have

Its a little confusing, but I think I got it down ) I will do that. Thank you so much!

 

[LudicrouSpeed]

I heard somewhere you shouldn't test right after a water change, because then you're also testing the water you just put in which might have come in with it's own chemical / minerals. If you're doing all your test right after changing that could be why your results are bouncing around. Maybe... I'm new to this.

 

[Sk3lly]

I heard somewhere you shouldn't test right after a water change, because then you're also testing the water you just put in which might have come in with it's own chemical / minerals. If you're doing all your test right after changing that could be why your results are bouncing around. Maybe... I'm new to this.

Yea leave a few hours after a water change before testing

 

[librarygirl]

Do you still have fish in there now?
Are you testing after water changes? If so that can skew results b/c you're taking out any toxins in the water that would show up on the tests, so I would test prior to a water change. Let the test dictate when you change water and how much (e.g. if theres no ammonia or nitrite, then no need for a water change. If either are .25 or above, do a 50% water change, etc).
Lack of nitrates indicates the tank isnt cycled but then again if you tested after a water change it would be hard to know for sure.

 

[mockingjay]

I am not testing right after a water change, but before.

Yesterday my Nitrites were at 0, Ammonia was about 25 and Nitrate was 0....I did a 20% change. I just tested again awhile ago (about 24 hours later) and the readings were the same.

 

[Sk3lly]

I am not testing right after a water change, but before.

Yesterday my Nitrites were at 0, Ammonia was about 25 and Nitrate was 0....I did a 20% change. I just tested again awhile ago (about 24 hours later) and the readings were the same.

20% water changes are not enough. Its got to be 50% when trying to lower levels

 

[mockingjay]

20% water changes are not enough. Its got to be 50% when trying to lower levels

Oh, ok. I was told a 20% is what I should do Will do a 50% change next time.

 

[Andy Sager]

20% water changes are not enough. Its got to be 50% when trying to lower levels

If I may interject here, The percentage of water change needed is dictated by the percentage of reduction you are trying to achieve. If I am only trying to reduce by 10%, then changing 10% of water volume will achieve this. There is no HAVE TO amount you need to change.

That all being said, I didn't see an answer to whether there are still fish in the tank. I also didn't see the other thread to know whether the dead fish were an acclimation issue. Putting fish into an uncycled tank is not an automatic death sentence. In fact, all fish were put into an uncycled tank when I got started keeping fish in the 1960s. I think there are other issues to deal with as well as the cycling of the tank. For instance, What's the PH? Nitrifyng bacteria don't do well in low PH water so cycling can be a problem but Ammonia is not toxic in low PH water so it's not as imperative to change massive water amounts. Was any non iodized salt added to the water? If these are just Guppies in there, they do better with some salt in their water. Were these fish sick to begin with? Were they in a quarantine setup prior to being placed in the tank they died in? A lot more questions need answering to be better able to give better advice.

Massive water changes alone are not always the answer