What is happening to my tank.

[jennyhannah2011]

Hello

I set my tank (72 litre ) up last Sunday. Used my old gravel and filter in the new tank to get things going.

Have put a bit of fish food in and done a water change 20 percent as it was cloudy.

Today my test kit arrived and I got these results

Am-1ppm
Nitrate- 40-80
Nitrite - 0-0.25
Ph- 8.2

Niw I genuinely havnt a clue what this means or if I need to do anything. My original plan was to get a few platys tommorow but now I have these readings what does it mean?

Am going to take a sample to lfs tommorrow too but any help would be grand

 

[Tasmainia300]

Is the test kit liquid or strips? Did you use anything like API Ammo-Lock to detoxify ammonia? Don't get the fish with parameters like these, the ammonia and nitrates are way to high. I honestly am not sure what may have caused this other than putting to much food maybe? I would suggest doing water changes and seeing if that brings them down... If the test kit is strips then chances are those readings are inacurate

Btw you probably know this already, but just in case; you need ammonia and nitrites to be at virtually 0. Nitrates need to be kept under 20 with water changes. it is very odd that ammonia and nitrates are high wheras nitrites are relatively low...

 

[jennyhannah2011]

Hi
It's the api master kit.

We have hardly fed the tank. Maybe a small pinch twice in a week.

I've not used anything at all in the tank. Just tapsafe.

I don't think the tank is cycled so would this be that?

 

[jennyhannah2011]

Just looked at my local water supplier and my area the sverage nitrate is 32.7 not sure if this means anything or not!

 

[jennyhannah2011]

And my water us clased as hard

 

[Tasmainia300]

Hi
It's the api master kit.

We have hardly fed the tank. Maybe a small pinch twice in a week.

I've not used anything at all in the tank. Just tapsafe.

I don't think the tank is cycled so would this be that?

When the tank is being cycled, the ammonia (from the fish food) should be slowly converted into nitrites by the bacteria that develops. With a fishless cycle, the source of ammonia is fish food or pure ammonia put in. After the tank has been cycling for a while, the nitrites are converted into nitrates which are not harmful unless in large doses (which is why water needs to be changed still). What is wierd is that your water has high ammonia and nitrate but low nitrites. If anything, the ammonia and nitrItes should be high, and the nitrates should be low... I don't know what may be causing this, I only know that it is rather abnormal. Hopefully someone with more knowledge may come along :/

 

[Tasmainia300]

Just looked at my local water supplier and my area the sverage nitrate is 32.7 not sure if this means anything or not!

That means that by default your nitrates in your water supply are too high for fish, that is exactly the problem... Either look online or in a LFS for something to remove nitrates from tap water, or use reverse osmosis water. NOTE: if you use reverse osmosis water, you will need to manually put minerals in it that fish need to survive. Try something like Seachem Replenish for that. Hope I helped

 

[jennyhannah2011]

It's my tap water. I tested it and it's 80-160. What on earth do I do. I've spent so much money getting this far. I'm totally gutted and any see what on earth I do now?

 

[Tasmainia300]

It's my tap water. I tested it and it's 80-160. What on earth do I do. I've spent so much money getting this far. I'm totally gutted and any see what on earth I do now?

:/ I would try bottled water maybe? You could get gallons of filtered water but you would need to get something like Seachem replenish to provide for good minerals that the fish need. Ask your LFS if they have something like that, but keep in mind you would need the same brand water at your disposal for weekly water changes... It will be a tad more costly to run the aquarium and it's just a stroke of bad luck for where you live, but IMO it's definitely worth it since you've come this far already...

 

[treemanone2003]

You're using an old filter and other items from another tank is perfect in establishing your new one. Since it's only a week, your still cycling. Totally normal !!! Don't sweat it at all and don't rush it. Give it a little more time. Don't worry about the pH so much either as it won't help any being all freaked out. Fish will be fine as long as you acclimate them properly. Yes, there are a lot of "suggested" parameters but the honest truth is they acclimate very well to many different systems, there's no need to fret. The time to worry is when your tank is established and the pH fluctuates too much during WC's.

Edit : Have you tried aging some water for 24 hours in a glass and then testing ? You may notice a difference and if so, it may be better to age first and not use tap for WC's.

 

[philipraposo198]

I wouldn't try to acclimate fish in that water as is. Nitrates and ammonia is way to high.