Cichlid tank water parameters?

[method0075]

It`s a 40g cichlid tank I need advice on water parametrs... This is the first time in 10 years I`ve ever tested a freshwater tank.

N02 0ppm
PH 7.2ppm
N03 80ppm
Ammonia 30 ppm

What is normal and if this is out of balance what can I do to fix it. The livestack all apear healthy been going strong for 6 years now. no deaths and all get along! Any advice...

 

[zilla870]

ammonia is the only thing in question

 

[zilla870]

i use a aquaclear mini in my 10G tank to control ammonia and i love it

 

[method0075]

what is normal for freshwater?

 

[zilla870]

i have been told try to keep it at 0ppm but my tester go to 10ppm

 

[zilla870]

ok method0075 i am quoting my tester booklet in a established tank, the ammonia level should always remain at 0 ppm. the presence of ammonia indictes possilbe overfeeding to many fish or inadequate bio filtration

 

[Guest]

ummm that is insane ammonia at 30 ppm?!?!?1 good lord did you fill it with windex LOL just kidding but you gotta get that ammonia to 0

how long has the tank been up?

 

[zilla870]

rudy he said ten year

 

[Guest]

if he has had it up for 10 years and he has never tested the water till now and his fish have satyed alive for 10 years i say let it

 

[zilla870]

its confused what the 10 years is
i believe it to be 10 life but i may be wrong
and what kind of tester is he using mine only go to 10 and my fish would be dead

method is it a test strip or chemicals

 

[method0075]

I know it`s from over feeding... I do a 25% water chang on sundays... I was just curious about the readings. Infact where the water was drawn was by the plants and there is quite a bit of eaten food in that area. I leave it because the rope fish eat it, and the cray fish come out of the caves at night an will climb the plants to eat it also.

What is good parametrs across the board for fresh?

 

[Guest]

NO2 0 ppm
NO3 10-40 ppm
Ammonia 0 ppm

pH depends on what fish you have

 

[zilla870]

my tester and your tester are different but ammonia should be 0ppm
n02 should never go above 1ppm
no3 should never go above 40ppm
but that is my tester kit parameter

LOL ruby

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Ammonia should be 0. The only time that ammonia should be present is during cycling or if fish are added to the tank (increased bio-load) but will soon drop back down to 0. Ammonia is sometimes present in tap water, but with a level that high, I'm suprised your fish are still alive.

Nitrites should be 0. Again, this is also deadly to fish. If Nitrites are present, do an immediate water change.

Nitrates should be under 30. A reading of 40 is on the high side.

pH will differ with the fish that you have. What is your current stock? The pH will be the only thing that will be different with the type of fish that you have. The rest of the values are universal.

 

[RoK]

I highly doubt there's 30 ppm of ammonia, are you using a liquid reagent test kit or test strips?