Can you help a newbie with water levels?

[KateW]

I got my first 11 gallon tank last week and it has been cycling for 1 week now. I added Fluval water conditioner on Saturday and then the biological enhance on Sat/Sun and Mon.

I’m going to be putting guppies in the tanks and today I tested the levels using the API master kit and would really appreciate some advice on how to lower the levels:

PH - 7.6
High PH - 8.4
Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrate - 40mm
Nitrite - 0.25

Thanks in advance!

 

[coralbandit]

First if you get a readable result on the low end PH then no need to test high.Only one is right ,I will guess the low.
Next to lower ammonia and nitrite You could wait a little longer as a cycled tank will have 0 /0 for ammonia and nitrite or you can change water..The % you remove will be the % the nutrients are lowered .So a 50% water change will yield results with aprox.1/2 of before....
Make sure to acclimate the gups to new tank slowly.

 

[KateW]

First if you get a readable result on the low end PH then no need to test high.Only one is right ,I will guess the low.
Next to lower ammonia and nitrite You could wait a little longer as a cycled tank will have 0 /0 for ammonia and nitrite or you can change water..The % you remove will be the % the nutrients are lowered .So a 50% water change will yield results with aprox.1/2 of before....
Make sure to acclimate the gups to new tank slowly.

Thanks for you’re advice! Of the 2 options, which would you recommend?

 

[coralbandit]

For now I would try to be patient and let the tank cycle.Then you won't be risking any exposure to ammonia or nitrite that are harmful to fish..
When cycling with out fish no need to worry or do much of anything but test and keep the bacteria growing.
While if cycling with fish in the tank any level of ammonia or nitrite can be harmful [long term] to the fish and water must be changed for fish safety which does slow the cycling.
I tell people not to let ammonia or nitrite go over 1ppm and when it reaches 1ppm do a mandatory 50% if not 75% water change...The nutrients have to be reduced for fish safety...Many will dis agree with my numbers and say not want to let ammonia or nitrite go over .25 -.50 but that will make cycling last months possibly and have you changing water like I do ! Every day maybe..
Leave tank alone [follow the Fluval directions] and add fish when ammonia and nitrite naturally reach 0..
Good luck the waiting is the hardest part [besides water changes for some]...

 

[altidude]

My understanding of the API test kit is that he low end pH test maxes out at 7.6. The high end test can show a 7.6 result (kind of orange color) but since the OP is able to read 8.4 on the high end test I would think 8.4 is the pH reading.

If my understanding is not correct, please let me know because I get the exact same pH results as the OP; 8.4 on high pH and 7.6 on low pH. I don't even use the low pH test any more. I've always figured my pH is 8.4

 

[ZxC]

If OP has an 8.4 reading then definitely use that as the correct one. The pH solution maxes out at 7.6, so use the high range. I have a pH of around 7.2-7.6, I use both the pH and high range pH and get different results from both, I get a less than 7.4 on the high range kit, and more than 7.6 on the low range kit. Really annoying, but keeping a stable pH, away from the extremes seems to work the best. For now let the tank cycle, then perhaps look into ways of getting that pH into the 7's. People say most fish can adapt to higher pH's, I just don't have luck keeping them in higher pH's.

 

[flitabout]

I have kept gbr at 8.8. Seriously liquid rock but it took months of slowly acclimating them and carting RO water into the house. As far as cycling save yourself the trouble and just wait out your cycle. constant water changes and testing will have you going out of your mind!!!