Chlorine problem

[By_mo5]

Hi all
I am setting up a new tank. Water has been in tank for 4 days now. I have used aqua safe twice on the tank to try and fix the chlorine problem. It is a 240 litre tank. I am hoping to keep central/southern American cichlids. Is chlorine even a problem! Any suggestions?
Thanks
Byron.

 

[cbourg746]

Hi all
I am setting up a new tank. Water has been in tank for 4 days now. I have used aqua safe twice on the tank to try and fix the chlorine problem. It is a 240 litre tank. I am hoping to keep central/southern American cichlids. Is chlorine even a problem! Any suggestions?
Thanks
Byron.

Chlorine is a problem but if you added the aqua safe and the tank has been running for 4 days the chlorine should be gone by now.

Are you trying to add fish right away?

 

[Crawdaddy]

Yup, chlorine is a big problem. It kills your beneficial bacteria. Most of us use Prime as our water conditioner. I doesn't take a lot, it's powerful stuff. Most LFS carry it, and you can order on line from Amazon, Dr.'s foster and smith, etc.

 

[By_mo5]

Thanks, I have 5 danios in. My Lfs told me that as soon as water is safe for danios, (which it was because the chlorine levels did drop right down to safe and other parameters were good) to put some in. So I have and now the chlorine back upto approx 3.0 mg/l

 

[cbourg746]

Thanks, I have 5 danios in. My Lfs told me that as soon as water is safe for danios, (which it was because the chlorine levels did drop right down to safe and other parameters were good) to put some in. So I have and now the chlorine back upto approx 3.0 mg/l

How are you testing your chlorine levels?

 

[By_mo5]

6-in1 tetra test strips.
Going to take a sample to Lfs in the morning too.

 

[cbourg746]

6-in1 tetra test strips.
Going to take a sample to Lfs in the morning too.

Get a bottle of prime while your there. Hard to believe that it would still have chlorine in it after running for that long. Look into getting a API master test kit also. It won't help test for chlorine but for ammonia, ph, nitrates and nitrites they are far more reliable than test strips.
The tank should possibly be showing some trace of either ammo, nitrite or nitrate.

 

[By_mo5]

These are the readings taken from a test strip just over an hour ago:
Chlorine (Cl2) - 1.5
Ph - 6.8
Kh - 3
Gh - 4
Nitrite (No2) - 0
Nitrate (No3) - 10
Temp - 27 degrees centigrade

What are the ideal parameters for central/southern American cichlids?

 

[cbourg746]

These are the readings taken from a test strip just over an hour ago:
Chlorine (Cl2) - 1.5
Ph - 6.8
Kh - 3
Gh - 4
Nitrite (No2) - 0
Nitrate (No3) - 10
Temp - 27 degrees centigrade

What are the ideal parameters for central/southern American cichlids?

Ph- 6.6-7.5
Kh- vary
Gh- vary
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- under 40
Chlorine- 0

CA cichlids generally come from harder water with a higher Ph than SA cichlids. However this is not a major issue in tank raised as compaired with wild cought fish. Amonia & Nitrites should always be 0, Nitrates between 10 - 20 PPM is acceptable however the lower the better. Weekly 50% water changes and good general maintance should take care of that. A stable Ph is far more important than trying to hit a specific number, as an example if your tap water is 6.8 or 7.2 or 7.6 don't try to adjust it, do your weekly water changes and maintane a stable environment. Clean water is the best way to keep your fish happy and healthy.

 

[By_mo5]

Thanks. That has helped a lot. It seems then that chlorine is my biggest problem. Will my Lfs know what 'prime' is bearing in mind I am in u.k, from what I can gather this is a USA based forum?

 

[cbourg746]

Thanks. That has helped a lot. It seems then that chlorine is my biggest problem. Will my Lfs know what 'prime' is bearing in mind I am in u.k, from what I can gather this is a USA based forum?

They should. If not ask them for the best water dechlorinator they have.

 

[By_mo5]

Thanks

 

[cbourg746]

No prob! Welcome to AA!!!!

 

[Ellwood]

So I have and now the chlorine back upto approx 3.0 mg/l

Are you doing water changes or something. Chlorine will evaporate from water. So I’m confused on how it would go up if you're not adding water.

 

[By_mo5]

No I haven't added any water or done any kind of water change at all.
The only things I have added are aqua safe and 5 danios.
I also have a 6inch (about) air stone in there

 

[Ellwood]

am at a loss of how the level would go up without new water. just fyi if you don't have old tank water (like from an established tank) it pays to have patients and just let the tank set up. the water itself has to go thru cycles. adding fish to early may look like it works at first but you may lose everything in the tank in a week. You having the danios in there is a thing to get the process started. I would give it some time before adding the cichlids.

 

[By_mo5]

I did have an established tank. Transferred around 10 litres of the tank water into new tank. Put some of the old gravel underneath the new, put some of my old media in filter.
I'm all game for patience, just baffled me about the chlorine, unless was a dodgy test strip ( if that's possible.)

 

[Ellwood]

I did have an established tank. Transferred around 10 litres of the tank water into new tank. Put some of the old gravel underneath the new, put some of my old media in filter.
I'm all game for patience, just baffled me about the chlorine, unless was a dodgy test strip ( if that's possible.)

Possible it was a bad test. That makes more sense to me than the level going up without new water.
if you still have the established tank, once you get the chlorine under control. do about 20% water change adding the established tank water. I would think the chlorine would have killed most of the good stuff that you already added.

 

[By_mo5]

So after going to my Lfs and having them test my water (not for chlorine though due to the water in Birmingham U.K having no chlorine problems) they say my water is spot on.
On the chlorine problem though, the chap said that aqua safe gets rid of the toxins in chlorine, but the chlorine will still show on tests.
He advised I buy some Easy-life fluid filter medium and put it in, I have and am waiting the results.

 

[garfy]

So after going to my Lfs and having them test my water (not for chlorine though due to the water in Birmingham U.K having no chlorine problems) they say my water is spot on.
On the chlorine problem though, the chap said that aqua safe gets rid of the toxins in chlorine, but the chlorine will still show on tests.
He advised I buy some Easy-life fluid filter medium and put it in, I have and am waiting the results.

All you need if your worried about Chlorine is a good water conditioner such as Seachem Prime or Nutrafin Tap safe.Im finding both to be great products.