Goldfish HELP!!!

[POP]

Everything - ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph. Have you read the cycling articles yet?

Be sure to shake all of the little bottles well before using them, especially the nitrate bottles. Shake it for a minute or two since the reagent is in suspension and it will settle to the bottom of the bottle between uses.

Sorry you lost one of your fish. Hopefully things will start lookibg up for your remaining fish. When you have the results, post them here.

Yes I have.

Ammonia 0ppm didnt shake the bottle because it didnt tell me to, Opps?
Nitrite 0ppm didnt shake the bottle because it didnt tell me to, Opps?
Nitrate 5.0ppm Shake
ph 6.0

 

[Alyxx]

The shaking is most important with the nitrate, so your readings should be ok. Looks like you are indeed cycled! Congrats. Test every few days and watch how fast your nitrate rises, this will help you gauge your water change needs. When nitrate gets above 20 it is a good idea to change the water. The single fish should do ok in your tank for a while but it will eventually need a bigger home. 55 gallons is the minimum for a single comet, but a pond is much better. Also, are you aware that you shouldn't replace the cartridges in your filter? It's where your bacteria live. Just rinse the cartridge out in the tank water you remove during a water change and reuse it til it's falling apart. When it's falling apart just put a second cartridge in next to it if you have room and run them together for a few weeks before you remove the old one. Otherwise you will begin the cycle over again every time you change the cartridge.

Your ph is pretty low. Try testing your tap water after letting a glass of it sit out overnight to see if it is the normal ph for the water or if something in the tank is acidifying the water.

 

[POP]

The shaking is most important with the nitrate, so your readings should be ok. Looks like you are indeed cycled! Congrats. Test every few days and watch how fast your nitrate rises, this will help you gauge your water change needs. When nitrate gets above 20 it is a good idea to change the water. The single fish should do ok in your tank for a while but it will eventually need a bigger home. 55 gallons is the minimum for a single comet, but a pond is much better. Also, are you aware that you shouldn't replace the cartridges in your filter? It's where your bacteria live. Just rinse the cartridge out in the tank water you remove during a water change and reuse it til it's falling apart. When it's falling apart just put a second cartridge in next to it if you have room and run them together for a few weeks before you remove the old one. Otherwise you will begin the cycle over again every time you change the cartridge.

Your ph is pretty low. Try testing your tap water after letting a glass of it sit out overnight to see if it is the normal ph for the water or if something in the tank is acidifying the water.

Yes I know I shouldnt change my cartridges BUT if the Carbon or Bio Max goes bad I will have to change it and start over the cycle with fish because my filter doesnt have enough room. Should I do a ph High Range for tank or wait till tomorrow for my tap water test for ph?

 

[Alyxx]

If it is 6.0 it won't read on the high test. You use that if it tests as the highest color on the regular ph test. And don't worry about carbon, you don't need it. The biomax should not be changed either, but if you need to change either just don't change both at the same time and you should be ok. Just test for ammonia for a couple days after you change either one.

 

[POP]

If it is 6.0 it won't read on the high test. You use that if it tests as the highest color on the regular ph test. And don't worry about carbon, you don't need it. The biomax should not be changed either, but if you need to change either just don't change both at the same time and you should be ok. Just test for ammonia for a couple days after you change either one.

And check my tap water right, well tomorrow. Have it sit overnight?

 

[Alyxx]

Yes. If you have a spare bubbled put it in the glass or just give it a few stirs every once in a while and let it sit for about 24 hours so any trapped gasses can escape.

 

[POP]

Yes. If you have a spare bubbled put it in the glass or just give it a few stirs every once in a while and let it sit for about 24 hours so any trapped gasses can escape.

And this is a cup with tap water with nothing in it and having a little opening for gasses to leave?

 

[Alyxx]

Yep, just fill a cup with tap water and either hook up a bubbler with an air stone and put that in the cup or just stir it occasionally.

 

[POP]

Yep, just fill a cup with tap water and either hook up a bubbler with an air stone and put that in the cup or just stir it occasionally.

my tap ph is 6.4,