Water Conditions..............

[Beatking]

PH = 7.6

High PH = 7.8

Ammonia = 0.0 ppm

Nitrite = 0.0 ppm

Nitrate = 0.0 ppm



Are these acceptable numbers? Thank you. All tested with API Master Test Kit. Well water



Steve

[Aiken Drum]

Depends on context. Your tank isnt cycled.

If your plan is to cycle the tank before adding fish, then you need to do this. A fishless cycle typically takes a couple of months and there is a process.

If you plan to cycle the tank while adding fish, then its safe to start doing this. A fish in cycle will again take a couple of months and there is a different process.

What do you understand about the nitrogen cycle and how to cycle a tank?

[ColdKoi]

Ph level being acceptable depends on what you want to put in there. For the majority of common fish your ph should be fine.

Like mentioned, no nitrates = not cycled. Is this just a well water sample or your tank sample? That’s great if it’s your well water

Though of course a 0/0/0 reading on the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate would be the absolute best case scenario, it’s not feasible to obtain that on a cycled tank with live animals in it. you’re going to have nitrates but that’s really not a major concern as they’re easily managed with water changes

Like mentioned, a reading of 0/0/0 means you’re good to go ahead and add a fish or 2 to start a fish-in cycle if that’s the method you chose

[Beatking]

Yes, it is my well water. Tank will be set up this weekend. I understand that the nitrates will change once a fish or two are added. I’m going to take it slow and monitor the water for awhile. Thank you.

Steve

[Beatking]

Doing a hardness test Friday

[ColdKoi]

Once fish are added you’re going to see ammonia first, long before anything else. If you haven’t read up on it yet please do some research on the nitrification cycle. It’s perfectly safe to do a fish-in cycle if you know what you’re dealing with and deadly (to the fish) otherwise.

A hardness test would be a good idea, it doesn’t hurt. Once again knowing what you’re up against can make a huge difference in you’re overall experience of fish keeping. If you have really soft water (low gh and kh) it can be easily susceptible to ph swings which alone can not only kill fish but crash the cycle and most certainly kill the fish if you’re not monitoring water quality closely. On the other end of the spectrum a harder water typically has more kh or buffering capacity and is more ‘stable’, but an extremely hard water is not a good thing either, especially for certain critters!

[Joe_D]

Yeah, with a fully cycled tank you will have Nitrates at various levels
Nitrates are not toxic to fish unless it is at very high levels.
High high is too high can never be agreed upon though.
Actually some report very high Nitrate levels and their fish are doing just fine.

Keep in mind that in a planted tank, plants need some Nitrate to thrive .