My First Test Kit

[inspiringmind]

Wel, I came back from the LFS and I have added to my aquarium one new vacumm and a test kit. (I didn't get the loaches yet for a few reasons, 1 being the lfs I went to didn't have them and 2 I figured I should wait till I can clean the tank, do a pwc and a test on the water.) Here were the results (By the way I decided to test first without cleaning the bottom of the tank just to see where I am now and where I will be once I do clean it.)

Nitrate: 80
Nitrite: 1.0
Hardness: 75
Alkalinity: 180
PH: 7.8

I hope some of those numbers will be going down next time I test. Wil cleaning the bottom of the tank help out with the water being cleaner and testing better?

Mary
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10 Gallon Tank
2 Small Mollies
2 Fancy Mollies
1 Male Betta

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I am assuming your tank isn't cycled since you have a Nitrite reading. The Nitrate reading of 80 is very high. Do several water changes (I'd do 25% per day) to try and get that level down. The gravel vacs will help, but you still need to do plenty of water changes to get that level down to somewhere between 10 and 20. 30 ppm is getting up there and 40, IMO, is too high.

BTW- What test kit are you using?

 

[inspiringmind]

Well, I just gravel cleaned...OK someone should have told me how dirty fish can get. ( I should add that into the biggest misconception thread!) I now know to vac a little more, but I also just kinda stirred up the water hoping that the filter will fliter some of it. I did take a glass and checked to see how clear the water coming out of the filter is and it looks great. (When I vacced out the gunk I also took out about 2 gallons of water...so 20%, which I am going to do for the next few days or more cause you suggest 25% daily for a few days. I am using a test kit made by Jungle. Quick Dip 5 in 1.

Mary
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2 Small Mollies
2 Fancy Mollies
1 Male Betta

 

[Fishyfanatic]

The filter won't pull up the fish poop. That's what the gravel vacing is for. The strips are not accurate at testing water levels. I'd get a liquid reagent kit such as the Aquarium Pharmecuticals kit. They are $20 online after shipping and extremely accurate. That could be why it says your levels are so high. Could you take a water sample to the lfs that uses liquid reagent kits? www.bigalsonline.com sells the AP kit for under $20.

 

[inspiringmind]

Ok something to add to my fish shopping list!

Well, I can say that in the last 1/2 hour the tank is looking much clearer. I have to go out for about an hour and a half and when I get back I am going to check it again. How often is to often to check the water levels...for right now all I have is the test strips, which at least give me a general idea.

Thanks for all the help, hints, and tips for the newbie on the block!!

Mary
---------
10 Gallon Tank:
2 Small Mollies
2 Fancy Mollies
1 Male Betta

 

[Fishyfanatic]

The tank is actually overstocked when you consider the fish that are inhabiting it. (Mollies really need 20 gal+) So I would test regularly. If you indeed do have 1 ppm of Nitrites, it means the tank is cycling. You will want to test daily and do water changes accordingly. Do not let that Nitrite level get any higher than it already is.

 

[fishyrican]

Although stirring up the gravel will allow the filter to pick up some of the detritus, most of it will settle back down into the gravel. Furthermore, whatever is picked up by the filter will remain in the filter media, decomposing and contributing to your water quality problem.

Also, since most of the substances for which we test are colorless, the visual clarity of the water alone is not enough to determine how clean it is.

 

[inspiringmind]

Day Two!

I did another pwc with a vacumming, 25% of water changed out. waited about an hour and retested with the following results:

Nitrate - 40
Nitrite - 10 still
Hardness - 75
Alkalinity - 120
PH - 7.8

so, at least the tanks Nitrate levels went down by half. And the Alkalinity went down some too. The PH I am not too worried about as it is a tropical tank with a tiny bit (according to directions) aquairuim salt added in. No fishes floating or anything though, and they actually seem to be a little happpier today!

 

[Fishyfanatic]

A nitrite reading of 10 would kill your fish. Are you sure on the level?

 

[inspiringmind]

Fishy huh? I rechecked it and it does read at 10+ of course I checked the water coming out of my tap and it like a fish's dream water except for getting rid of the clorine in it. (0 Nitrate and Nitrite) So, this makes me wonder....if the water coming out of the tap is safe for my fish and I'm adding a PH balancer (Easy Balance) to the water could it be causing it to have the opposite effect on my tank?

 

[Tiffi]

First of all, either your test kit is absoulute junk or you will have to go and change the water right now! Nitrite 10+ will kill you fish! Make a big water change, min.50%. Do the same the next few days!

Have you cycled your tank before you put your fishes in??

 

[rich311k]

I think you you mean 1.0, thats what you posted in your first post. Don't use the Easy Balance it will just make your PH bounce and will drive you nuts. Stable PH is better for the fish. What is the PH of your tap water?

I would do another PWC that should bring your nitrites and nitrates down into very acceptable limits.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

You are using an additive to adjust your pH? If so, stop. It will cause fluctuations which lead to pH crashes. I've witnessed first hand a tank go from a perfect 7.0 to less than 5.0 in a matter of a week. My 10 gal tank did this and it took a complete overhaul and re-cycle to get the pH back up to the regular ranges.

The nitrite readings are showing because the tank is not cycled. I've never used the Jungle strips so I don't know how accurate they are, but if you truly have a nitrite reading of 10 ppm, your fish would be dead. Take a water sample to the lfs and have them test it with a liquid reagent test kit. I'd bet that it is a false reading. What is your ammonia reading?

In your first post you said you have a nitrite reading of 1.0. But in the recent posts you say 10. That's why I am wondering if you are reading it correctly. I'd bet that it is 1 instead of 10.

 

[inspiringmind]

1.) Never cycled my tank. Never knew how too or that I had too. One of those fish misconceptions. sigh.

2.) I would have to believe that that test strips are junk because even though they are testing tap water at a normal level, like everyone said the level in the tank would equal dead fish.

3.) I double checked again the way the test strip reads and the color chart for Nitrite and for 1.0 it is cream color and 10 is light pink...my color shows a dark pink actually...which would probably put it at about 15 which is imposible!!

4.) I am going to stop adding the easy balance and do a 50% pwc and vacumm the bottom a ton more.

I'll go ahead and retest after that and see if the test strip still reads funky...if so I will take a sample to the lfs!

 

[inspiringmind]

Oh and the PH coming out of my tap is reading 7.0 to 7.2

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Sounds like a plan. I didn't mean to come off harsh, it's just that there are so many fish stores that sell junk to people instead of selling higher quality stuff. For example the test kits. The strips are cheaper, initally, but after you consider that the AP Master Test Kit can be used 700 times, the price is substantially less than the strips that are generally 20 strips for $10. Plus, the strips tend to give false readings ALOT. pH adjusters are sold because people think that they have to have the perfect pH. You're not alone on this one. I used to religiously put in pH 7.0 in all my tanks. Not until after I found AA did I find out that a stable pH is better than the perfect pH. I think just about every aquarists has done exactly what you have done. So don't feel bad. I once had bala sharks in a 10 gal tank. 8O There was a member several months back who had African Cichlids in a 20 gal tank. Fish stores promote the 1 inch per gal rule so people assume that if they buy an Oscar who is 2 inches at the time, that he will be perfectly fine in a 5 gal tank. You aren't the first and certanly won't be the last.

Your plan sounds perfect. Check out www.bigalsonline.com and look up the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Freshwater Master Test Kit. It runs for $20 after shipping. It's less than half of what all the lfs around here sell it for. In the meantime, keep up with the daily water changes. I'd do actually 30% each day. Too big of a water change and you could shock the fish with all of the freshwater. Since they are used to high levels, do them slowly. 30% daily until you can get a test kit and test the levels daily until the tank is cycled. Don't clean the filter during this process either. If you are going to be doing deep gravel vacs, you don't want to lose too much benificial bacteria.

 

[Tiffi]

Yes, very good plan. I agree with Fishyfanatic, if you continue to do water changes every day, don't change that much.

And hey, I really had luck then, I thought about buying the strips first, too. Gooooood thing I didn't do it .

 

[inspiringmind]

No body really came off as "harsh" Just trying to help me learn the ins-and-outs of keeping an aquarium I actually didn't do a 50% pwc, probably around what you suggested fanatic, about 30%. I just declorinated it. Of course I am looking over the tank and thinking how did I miss that spot when I was vacumming?

Overall though my hubby says that I am a great fish mommy. All the fish look good, roaming around and acting like they normally do, and eating healthy.

I might not be able to buy the testing kit online since I don't have a cc but I iwll be looking for a good one in the next week or so. Any suggestions on brand (if the one mentioned above isn't there?)at lfs? I live in a fairly small town and my choices are limited to about 4 places + a Wally World. But I see one that specializes in Fresh and Salt Water Tropical Fish. Probably the best place to go. I wasn't thinking about changing the filter since it is only 3 weeks old. I saw it said somewhere to change it once every couple of months.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

You actually don't need to ever change the filter pad unless it falls apart. Just rinse it in used tank water to get the gunk off of it. If you use tap water the chlorine will kill the benefical bacteria.

The Aquarium Pharm. is the best kit that I know. The only complaints is that the Nitrates can be hard to read when they get 40 +. BUT, if your level is that high, a water change is needed immediately, no matter what the level is. You can also pay by Debit Card at Big Al's, thats what I do. AND, I think I saw that they now accept Paypal or something along those lines. I just try not to buy from the lfs because they tend to be twice what Big Al's sells for. For example, a 200 Watt Stealth heater from the lfs around here is $45. but it's something like $18 from BA. And if you buy on Wednesdays you get double points. Those points accumulate into discounts.

 

[Purrbox]

I've actually had pretty good luck with the Jungle Brand test strips, but would recommend that you upgrade to a liquid test kit as they are more precise. The liquid test kits generally have the values broken down by smaller increments. When I compared these strips to a liquid test, they were right on except where the liquid tests had a smaller breakdown on the numbers.

I recently bought the Hagen Master Test Kit and I am very pleased with it. It a bit more expensive than the AP Master Test Kit ($40 vs. $15 at Big Al's) but has twice the number of tests. So far I've found all of the tests very easy to read.

If you're going for just a regular Freshwater Aquarium with fish and fake decor the AP Master Test Kit is probably your best bet, however if you see yourself getting into Live Plants or a Saltwater Tank the Hagen Master Test Kit would probably be better. The extra tests that the Hagen Master Test Kit have are really only useful in those situations.

Big Al's also has an option where you can use eBill to pay for your purchase. They send you a bill through email and you pay using your bank's electronic bill pay. You even get free shipping with this option, though it's slower since it takes a couple extra days to process the electronic payment.