First FW testing = confusion?

[cJw]

Hey hey.


Yes, I've read the thread about testing.

I'm a little confused with these results;

ammonia : 1.0 ppm
nitrite : .125 ppm
nitrate : 10 ppm

What part of the 'cycle' does this represent? None that I've seen in the book I'm looking at or online resources; I thought I had to have nitrite before nitrate.

I'm hardly feeding the 6 danios in there at all, so I don't think it's extra food causing the nitrate; ideas?


Oh - and the pH of my tank water is 7.4/7.5 - should I be looking to lower this for angel/gourami/community tank?

 

[severum mama]

Hmmm... what test kit are you using? If you are using a test strip the results could be pretty inaccurate. If you don't already have one I would suggest getting the Freshwater Master Test Kit or another liquid reagent kit, you will get much more accurate results. You will have to buy a nitrate kit separately though. If you already have a liquid reagent test kit then please disregard...

 

[czcz]

Try testing tap for nitrates.

 

[cJw]

Tap tests @ nitrates : 5ppm. . .

(with the master fw kit by aqua pharm : )


So how does this help me? Wouldn't that mean, then, that the tank water has 5 ppm nitrates? That doesn't make sense, either. . . or am I misunderstanding the cycling process?

:reopens library book about cycling fw tanks:

 

[Jchillin]

Fish waste, food particles produce NH3.
Bacteria consume NH3 and produce NO2.
Bacteria consume NO2 and produce NO3.

The nitrogen cycle doesn't only occur in fish tanks. It occurs in nature all the time. This is why you can have NO3 in your tap water.

The parameters you should look for to be sure your tank is cycled is:

NH3=0, NO2=0 and NO3=10-20ppm.

HTH

 

[cJw]

Thanks for the info, J - I was just confused as to how my tank water could have nitrates (in excess of the tap water it began as) w/out having any nitrites. . . I thought nitrates were waste from bacteria.

Regardless, after a pwc I'm sure the ammonia is less, which is the important part right now. I'll keep an eye on all three and when the ammonia and nitrites (if they ever show up) are gone, I'll know I'm good.

 

[Jchillin]

Exhaustive reading but if you want, here is the best explanation (with diagrams) of the nitrogen cycle I've ever seen (it also shows the aqua explanation).

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/N/NitrogenCycle.html

 

[cJw]

Ok, yesterday 15% pwc, then an hour later, I tested and got:

NH3 : .75 (dropping!)
NO2 : .0 (still none. . . but I suspect I'll see some more before I'm cycled)
NO3 : ~10

I'm hoping by this wknd the ammonia will be down so maybe I can justify getting a few more danios.