My Fluval Roma 200

[jondamon]

Forget the nitrate testing results.

I think I messed up.

A test 4hours later gave a reading of 5ppm



Jon

 

[paytertot]

Hmm well the only thing I can advise is another PWC or patience, but at this point I'm stumped and I think maybe you ought to get another opinion

 

[jondamon]

Currently performing a 90% PWC.

Got my syphon in my tank as I type on my iPhone. Lol.


Jon

 

[jondamon]

Luckily my tank is right by my bathroom.

View attachment 87443


I think after researching this that I could be in the height on the Nitrite spike.

As such I'm hoping to bring NO2 levels down to around 0.5-1ppm with this PWC. Then I will leave it alone for a few days to see if it spikes quickly.


Jon

 

[paytertot]

Sounds good to me and yes you're definitely at that point in the cycle. Just as long as levels never stay steady for a long time, that's a sure sign of a stall

 

[jondamon]

View attachment 87457

Approx 170litres of water out.

Hopefully once topped up NO2 will be readable.


Jon

 

[jondamon]

NO2 still hit 5ppm

Ammonia is 0.25ppm currently.

Ive had enough for today. It's 1030pm

So I've decided tomorrow I will do another +170litres PWC followed straight away by a 2nd +170 litre PWC

Then if needed a further one.



Chill out time now.



Jon

 

[paytertot]

That's weird, what are the params of your tap water?

 

[jondamon]

Tap is
Amm 0.25. (which I think is chlorine being read once conditioned)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
pH 7.3

I'm going to go do another NO2 test now as I done the last test straight after filling.


Jon

 

[jondamon]

Ok so here are 3 tests.

2 NO2 tests from the tank and 1NO2 test from my tap.




View attachment 87498



View attachment 87499



Weird. Lol.

 

[jondamon]

Nearly 12 hours later I have done another test after NOT adding any ammonia after my PWC last night.

Test results

Ammonia 0.25ppm
Nitrite 5ppm
Nitrate 20ppm


It appears as though the NO2 may have decreased in purpleness.

I have added a small dose of ammonia and I'm going to wait it out.

Once NO2 and NO3 go off the scale together I will do another PWC or as many as it takes to bring levels down again.




View attachment 87599




Jon

 

[jondamon]

Tested again a few moments ago.

Amm 0-0.25ppm
Nitrite 2-5ppm
Nitrate 20-40ppm

pH 7.3

I have redosed ammonia up to 2ppm rather than 4ppm for now to hopefully slow the rise of nitrites so that I can monitor the levels more efficiently.



Jon

 

[paytertot]

Sounds like a good plan. Now we simply observe lol.

 

[jondamon]

I decided today whilst walking around my local zoo that once I got home I would perform a serious PWC of as much water that I could get out of my tank.

What sparked this thought off was that I took 1ml of tank water and added 4ml of tap water and did an NO2 test and still got 5ppm's.

So after returning home from my local zoo. Which claims to have been the first UK breeder of the RED LINED TORPEDO BARB I did a massive PWC. I'm talking around 97% to see whether this would bring down my Nitrite level.

Here are the pics of the test results.


All 4 tests. pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate
View attachment 88119



View attachment 88120



View attachment 88121



View attachment 88122



View attachment 88123



Looks to me to be around 2ppm of NO2 thank god!

I'm going redose ammonia in 2hours time up to 2ppm.



Jon

 

[paytertot]

Sounds good. You should do the high range ph test too because your ph could be higher than the regular test will show.

 

[jondamon]

I have a digital pH meter. I just do a liquid one from time to time.

It's currently 7.4 as of 10mins ago.


Jon

 

[jondamon]

Forgot to mention that I have redosed ammonia up to 2ppm.

Nitrites are currently sitting at 2ppm too.

Nitrates I didn't bother testing for now.

I will test and adjust again tomorrow around this time.



Thanks for sticking with me.




Jon

 

[jondamon]

After a little more advice.

With a stock list of

2-4 Bolivian Rams
7 Danios
10 Penguin Tetras
2 Bristlenose Pleco's

I am concerned that I currently don't have enough water movement within the tank itself.

So I have been looking at powerheads.

Specifically

Hydro koralia evolution 2800.

Would this be overkill in my tank?

Here is the link to the PH.

http://www.charterhouse-aquatics.co...a-evolution-2800-circulation-pump-p-3468.html




Jon

 

[paytertot]

Well like I said a while back, that filter doesn't have enough flow for your tank.

 

[jondamon]

Right so in other words it's not about the BB and whether it can handle the bio load you actually meant just the movement of the water.

I feel you. Think it may have gotten lost in my newbieness. Lol.



Jon