First timer

[spfdfish]

New to the fish keeping hobby. Got a 10 gallon for Christmas want to get a bigger tank but making sure the hobby is right for me and my schedule. Wife purchased a starter 10g marineland from petsmart for Christmas. I have replaced the filter for a aquaclear 30. Added some decor and 5 tetras and 2 cories. I know cories are suppose to be at least 4 so as soon as the lfs gets more of that kind I will add them. Plan to upgrade the tank before the fish outgrow it. Enjoy the forums and all the advice there is so much out there it can be overwhelming. Look forward to learning and growing in the hobby.

 

[angel girl]

Welcome I'm new to ure tank looks lively

 

[spfdfish]

I am actually having some ammonia problems and have been for quite some time. I don't have the API master test kit but i do have ammonia, nitrate and nitrite test kits. The dark green color has gotten less dark over the last couple weeks but is still hovering around 2. Tank has been up for 5-6 weeks. No fish dead and I have been doing 40% water changes every 2 days and treating that water with prime. My lfs suggested I use stability to help but I worry that the fish are struggling. They show no signs of struggle. They eat 2x a day there is never and abudance of food or waste on the sand floor. Their color has actually improved. According to aqadvisor my tank isn't overstocked but if the fish were full size I know it would be. I don't have a ph tester could that be the issue? Plain tap tests 0 ammonia. I did a fish in cycle wish I would have found this forum first so I could have done fishless, but just concerned since the levels aren't dropping very fast. Both nitrate and nitrite test 0. Any thoughts?

 

[Mebbid]

(Assuming these are the small tetras such as neons or cardinals) Actually, your tank isn't overstocked... at all if it was a cycled tank. It is however stocked too heavily for cycling.

I would suggest that you do 3 50% water changes on your tank waiting an hour between them. This will drop your ammonia levels down to healthier amounts. After that do a 50% water change any time the ammonia levels hit .5ppm. That is going to be the best option in keeping your fish healthy.

I would also cut feeding to one time a day. 2 is just too much and they don't need that much food.

Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice

 

[spfdfish]

I can try to do multiple water changes in a day but I have done them on successive days before and noticed no difference. Is that common? I use the API liquid ammonia kit is there anything that could be giving a false reading? Also I have a tetra mix 2 black phantom 2 black skirt 1 glo... If that helps. I will do the water changes tonight after work. If this method doesn't drop the ammonia what would be the next step?

 

[Mebbid]

If that doesn't work then I would try testing your tap water for ammonia. If your tap shows ammonia then that can be dealt with a different way, but that bridge can be crossed when we come to it.

 

[spfdfish]

Tap is 0 last time I tested. I will report back tonight. When I'm testing after the multiple changes when should I test? Just after the third one? And should it be immediately after? I read somewhere on here that using prime can lead to false readings? Anyways thanks for the advice. My next reply will have results later tonight.

 

[melosu58]

Welcome aboard. We are glad you found us here at AA.

 

[haripriya]

I do have the same problem it's been two weeks I set up the tank and ammonia is already high

 

[spfdfish]

Is this ph reading a problem the color isn't on the chart

 

[corydora lover]

You need the other high ph test bottle

Sent from my HTC One using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[spfdfish]

But isn't this level too high for my fish?

 

[Mebbid]

Tap is 0 last time I tested. I will report back tonight. When I'm testing after the multiple changes when should I test? Just after the third one? And should it be immediately after? I read somewhere on here that using prime can lead to false readings? Anyways thanks for the advice. My next reply will have results later tonight.

Test the water about an hour after a water change. Each 50% change should drop the ammonia by 50% so there should be a sizable change after each one. And no, prime will not change your reading for ammonia.

I do have the same problem it's been two weeks I set up the tank and ammonia is already high

Your tank is cycling. Refer to the link I posted earlier in the thread.

But isn't this level too high for my fish?

Unlikely. Most fish tolerate a wide range of ph levels.

 

[haripriya]

I went to the store today and the person their checked my water again and said that the ph level went low and nitrates and nitrites are high yesterday I used prime and today they gave me a ph increaser

 

[Tommy10]

Ph is not nearly as important as nitrites, ammonia and nitrates for most fish. Most can adapt to different ph levels.

 

[spfdfish]

I just can't seem to get the ammonia reading to be 0 tank has been up and running with fish in for 2 months. Nothing has died I do 40% wc every 2 days feed one time a day. The reading is the real light lime green color. I did the multiple wc in one night but still the reading was never 0. I treat my water with prime. And when I first started I did the 7 days of stability. Water from tap is 0 ammonia. Basically how can I tell if my tank is cycled I know it is whether or not the tank can convert ammonia. So should I stop focusing so much on ammonia and do more frequent tests of nitrate or nitrite? Just want to make sure the fish in there are living and not just surviving.

 

[spfdfish]

Hard to make out the colors in the photo but here are the samples from this morning

 

[spfdfish]

Looking at these colors is there concern for my tank?

 

[Mebbid]

I just can't seem to get the ammonia reading to be 0 tank has been up and running with fish in for 2 months. Nothing has died I do 40% wc every 2 days feed one time a day. The reading is the real light lime green color. I did the multiple wc in one night but still the reading was never 0. I treat my water with prime. And when I first started I did the 7 days of stability. Water from tap is 0 ammonia. Basically how can I tell if my tank is cycled I know it is whether or not the tank can convert ammonia. So should I stop focusing so much on ammonia and do more frequent tests of nitrate or nitrite? Just want to make sure the fish in there are living and not just surviving.

A tank is cycled if it is consuming both nitrite and nitrate as fast as its produced. Both ammonia and nitrite are very toxic to fish. My suggestion to you is to do 3 50% water changes all with an hour of time between them. Then wait an hour for the water to circulate before testing again. This should knock your levels down quite low.

 

[spfdfish]

I have aleady done that once as you suggested. Do I just keep doing that daily?