Test strip readings

[Harry Gross]

Okay folks.........here we go.
(for those of you who have'nt heard anything form ME as of yet: > I've just recently acquired a 100gal. salty which had been extremley neglected...therefore needed to be completely stripped down and rebuilt from scratch.-it was very dirty.)
So.......now that I've got the surviving fish inna temporary(10gal.)..and the big one all hooked-back-up and running w/all new saltwater I just bought an API 5 in 1 test kit...but was struggling to figure out all of these numbers..then gotta brilliant idea...why not throw it out there to A/A and see what kinda feedback ya get.
So heres my number ..kids...gh=180...kh=240..ph8.0...no2=3...no3=0-20....
Is it ready to transfer its former occupants back to their home yet ??And if not....WHAT do I do ??? Thankx

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

if you still have nitrites then youre not ready. is there an ammonia test? that would be helpful. and 0-20 nitrates??? can you get a solid number, or no? everything else seems fine though. just wait for your cycle/minicycle to finish.
=]

 

[melosu58]

I`d like to see those nitrites at 0 also. I too want to see your ammonia reading?

 

[Ziggy953]

I agree. If that kit didn't come with an Ammonia test then go get one and test and see what you come up with. Nitrites present indicates a cycle of some kind going on and you want to be sure before putting live stock back in the tank.

 

[Harry Gross]

I appriciate the input good people !!
To answer a few of the Q's :
1.) No the test kits nitrates test ing scale goes...0-20...20-30...30-40...etc.BUT (!) the coloration of the teststrip...my guess would be that the reading was somewhere around two or three..(no higher that 5 DEFFINATELY).
2.)Yes I will go pickup and amonia test kit...(hopefully today)...did'nt realize that I'd need one...for strickly amonia's .
I'll keep you folks up to speed after I pick up the amonia test kit. Thank You soo very much.

 

[intimatecple]

are you using strips...or liquid drops?
if they are dip strips....please take them back and get a better test kit....strips are very inaccurate and broad. not telling you enough

 

[Harry Gross]

Back from the fishstore:
My testkit is an API ammonia testkit.(Drops)
I tested it just now and it sez I have a 0.25 reading.( I gather that a 0.0 would've been the most preferrable.)So do I need to bring that "DOWN" ??If so...how ??Is bringing that down going to effect my other readings ??


"OR"....with an ammonia reading of 0.25.....gh=180...kh=240..ph=8.0..no2=3...no3=0-20....is it safe enough to put its former residents..( 2 clownies and a blue fish of some sort)...back into their home...and then go to work fine tuning the tank to desired-....???

 

[GhostKnife]

You cant do anything to bring it down it will happen on its own. Its still cycling for sure. You want 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite and you will have nitrates but you want to keep those low as well by doing frequent water changes. The nitrates are okay around 20 to 30. Dont worry about the nitrates if you are doing water changes they are okay yet still test them just so you know all of your parameters. And get a test kit that is all liquid you dont want strips. You also do not want to put the former resis back in yet because your tank is still cycling. Let the nitrogen cycle take its course. 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and you are gonna have nitrates as this is what become of the ammonia and nitrite.

 

[bluerose]

Actually I believe in a SW tank nitrates need to be as close to 0 as possible... 20-30 is acceptable for a FW tank but for a SW I believe under 10 is preferable.

0 ammonia and 0 nitrite are necessary for sure.

Keep testing the temporary tank with a LIQUID test kit, not strips (they are often inaccurate). You may need to be doing a lot of water changes to keep the levels under control in that tank.