Water Results after first RO water change....

[AquariumFreak]

Well I tested my tanks water after doing a small water change using the RO water and things are starting to look better.

These were my water tests before I did the water change:

17 dKH
14 dGH
7 pH (read from pH monitor)
0 Nitrite
NA Nitrate
0 Ammonia
CO2 51 ppm

These are the new test results after the RO water change:

9 dKH
11 dGH
7.1 pH (set from the pH monitor as well as tested)
0 Nitrite
0 Nitrate
0.25 Ammonia
CO2 21.447 ppm

Things are looking a little better and I am planning to do another 20 or 30 gal water change tonight. I'll test again tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

Jeff

 

[Guest]

Hummmmm.......what caused the Amon to rise after the WC?

Why was the CO2 at 51ppm before the WC? (over 30ppm is'nt so healthy for fish) Is'nt it adjustable? Just curiuos on this one. I'm no CO2 expert by any means. I was asking more for my general knowledge. Maybe someone will chime in.

Be careful with how often your doing your RO-WC's into your tank. Drastic PH,KH,and GH swings can be very stressful on fish, as well as plants.

Come to think of it, you have shrimp if I remeber correctly? Shrimp deaths are a good sign of swings in your tank.

 

[Guest]

Duhhh...........I just calc'ed it and found why your CO2 was 51 ppm .

If you knew your taps KH was 17 degrees, why did'nt you target for a PH of 7.4'ish? Rather than a PH of 7.

 

[AquariumFreak]

That's before I knew my tap water's KH was so high. I have now started testing on a regular base now so I should be a little more aware of it now. As far as my Amon I'm thinking the tank is going through it's cycle.

 

[AquariumFreak]

Ok... tonight I did a 25gal water change, guess we'll see what happens in the morning.

Talk to you all tomorrow,

Jeff

 

[betowess]

Yeah, you're probably starting to cycle a bit. The plants are probably sucking up mass amounts of ammonia, which is their fav, so I have heard. You may never get to a major cycle with so much Hygro etc. Sounds like the RO is working great improvements. You're on the way to success now.

 

[AquariumFreak]

Ok... the results are in:

6 dKH
7 dGH
7.1 pH (set from the pH monitor as well as tested)
0 Nitrite
0 Nitrate
0 Ammonia
CO2 14.298 ppm

I think the RO water has worked Now I just have to figure out how much RO water and how much tap water to mix together for my next water change.

Over all the tank is coming together wonderfully, I should be getting my Phosphate test kit this week and I am hoping my SeaChem products come in as well.

Thank you everyone for all the helpful input.

Jeff

 

[Mr Burns]

stats look good! still gotta get those nitrates up though....

 

[AquariumFreak]

Now there's a good question... how do I get my nitrates up???

 

[Mr Burns]

this is one way http://www.gregwatson.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Nitrate

the links i PM'd to you explain how to dose nitrates.

 

[betowess]

It will take time to get the nitrates up if the tank is just cycling. First the ammonia spike, then the nitrite spike then the nitrates start showing up. It does take weeks of time for the bacteria colonies to form in the gravel and inside your XP3 sponges and filter media such as ceramic rings.

You can add NO3 right now by adding (dry dosing) a powder such as "potassium nitrate" via erik's link from gregwatson. To dry dose NO3 it takes 1/4 teaspoon to achieve 10ppm in 25 gallons, assuming the tank is at zero ppm of NO3. If for instance you had a 25 gallon tank with say a 2.5ppm level of NO3, you would want to add about 1/8 teaspoon to bring it up to 7.5ppm NO3...
(because the 1/8 teaspoon you add would bring it up by 5ppm NO3 to a grand total of 7.5 ppm NO3). This is dry dosing. But when you dry dose, you should take some tank water out, like a gallon or so and add the powder to it then pour it back over the spray bar so your not just dumping the powder straight in that a fish may try to eat. HTH Bob

 

[betowess]

double post by AA