Test reults!!

[greytgrey]

Today I cleaned out my tank. I took out 50% of the water. I vacuumed the rocks and cleaned off the glass. I finally figured out how to use the test strips! These are my results

Nitrate: 40

Nitrite: 0

Hardness: 25

Alkalinity: 180

pH: 8.4


I am going to Petsmart on Monday so tell me what I need to get. I have 1 molly and 2 platys left. Please help me!

 

[Todd2]

I would get the Nitrates down to 20 ppm or less. Keep doing water changes until your nitrates are down. You pH is quite high. Is it that high straight out of the tap? Test the pH of your tap water. Have you been adding anything to the water that would mess with the water chemistry? HTH.

 

[greytgrey]

I add a decholorinizer.

 

[Menagerie]

Dechlor will not alter the water quality. Do the pH test with the tap water, after the tap water has sat out all day, or overnight. This will allow for the gases to equilibrate. What is the ammonia reading? Although fish can be sensitive to nitrate, many can tolerate 40-80ppm. However, if the reading is 40ppm after the PWC, then the nitrate level was too high and may climb quickly again.

Do not add any more fish to the tank until there are no more deaths and the nitrates level out (going from 80 to 40ppm is not a good idea).

 

[Jchillin]

If it were me, I would invest in a liquid re-agent test kit, like the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals brand. The test strips aren't as accurate as the AP kit.

 

[FawnN]

I would agree that you need to get those nitrates down to at least 20ppm. Do some water changes every day or even every other day. As a percaution, I would also test for Ammonia.