concerned & confused about test results

[Mlani]

I definitely need to do that then. My one bulb is still the original that came with the tank 15 years ago.lol! The other one got broken in one of the moves also many moons ago. Is there a specific bulb I should look for? I tend to do most of my shopping at the plumbing wholesalers or home improvement stores. Would the bulb have to be from the fish store?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I definitely need to do that then. My one bulb is still the original that came with the tank 15 years ago.lol! The other one got broken in one of the moves also many moons ago. Is there a specific bulb I should look for? I tend to do most of my shopping at the plumbing wholesalers or home improvement stores. Would the bulb have to be from the fish store?

Any bulb in the right spectrum will work, 5000-6700K or 'daylight'. Is the bulb a t8?

 

[Navyboy]

I am a definite believer in finding awnsers not just applying bandaids. To your No3 issue. If your rocking sand, and too much fish waste and or uneaten food somehow got traped in the sand, its possible it could have created an air pocket of ammonia and nitrates/nitrites and methane gas. the resulting "air pocket" could have collected for a while then released at some point and spiked all numbers up, also an increase in no2 would result in excess food for your "bugs" and thus would result in excess no3.

and various species of fish eat plants but with anachris it wont matter. nor will the substrate. it grows and grows and grows like a kudzu vine.

 

[Mlani]

Any bulb in the right spectrum will work, 5000-6700K or 'daylight'. Is the bulb a t8?

I have no clue! How do I check?

 

[Mlani]

I am a definite believer in finding awnsers not just applying bandaids. To your No3 issue. If your rocking sand, and too much fish waste and or uneaten food somehow got traped in the sand, its possible it could have created an air pocket of ammonia and nitrates/nitrites and methane gas. the resulting "air pocket" could have collected for a while then released at some point and spiked all numbers up, also an increase in no2 would result in excess food for your "bugs" and thus would result in excess no3.

and various species of fish eat plants but with anachris it wont matter. nor will the substrate. it grows and grows and grows like a kudzu vine.

That makes sense! The dragon fish did have quite the pile in the corner and I was leaving it for a bit undisturbed. I thought he made himself a cavern and didn't want to mess it up. However the pwc before the spike I did go through and "muck" it all up on him. That really could explain it! Why didn't I think of that? I've been sitting here racking my brain as to what caused it, and it's me, I did it by not going through all the sand the last time. Well he's (the dragon fish) going to have to get used to remaking his little hide away every time now. My nerves can't take the stress! lol! Thank you

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I have no clue! How do I check?

Look at the bulb and see if there are any numbers or writing. T8 bulbs are an inch in diameter, t5 and t5ho are smaller in diameter.

 

[Mlani]

Look at the bulb and see if there are any numbers or writing. T8 bulbs are an inch in diameter, t5 and t5ho are smaller in diameter.

Ok mine are tiny and the hood is falling apart! Lol! What can I say I warned you it's old
Oops that last pic is upside down.

 

[Mlani]

K so I retested and I think my eyes are either tricking me or I'm going to have to do a lot more water changes??
1st pic is yesterday after 1st pwc 50%
2nd pic is last night after 2nd
3rd pic is today after 3rd

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Ok mine are tiny and the hood is falling apart! Lol! What can I say I warned you it's old
Oops that last pic is upside down.

So no writing on the bulb itself? I can't tell anything from the pics sorry.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

K so I retested and I think my eyes are either tricking me or I'm going to have to do a lot more water changes??
1st pic is yesterday after 1st pwc 50%
2nd pic is last night after 2nd
3rd pic is today after 3rd

Eek!!! The last ones the nitrates I'm guessing!! I have an idea if your up for it. Drain the tank and put all fish in buckets. Refill tank with new water then VERY slowly acclimate the fish back to the tank. Very slowly so they aren't too shocked by it.
If that doesn't work then I think you should get your water tested by another test kit to make sure yours isn't faulty.

 

[Mlani]

So no writing on the bulb itself? I can't tell anything from the pics sorry.

All it says on the bulb is "all glass" that's helpful isn't it? Sorry my sarcasm kicked in there. Lol it says on the sticker on the back
24" fluorescent aquarium reflector 120 volt 19watt 60 hz ??

 

[Mumma.of.two]

All it says on the bulb is "all glass" that's helpful isn't it? Sorry my sarcasm kicked in there. Lol it says on the sticker on the back
24" fluorescent aquarium reflector 120 volt 19watt 60 hz ??

Lol! Maybe bite the bullet and buy a new fixture?.....

 

[Mlani]

Eek!!! The last ones the nitrates I'm guessing!! I have an idea if your up for it. Drain the tank and put all fish in buckets. Refill tank with new water then VERY slowly acclimate the fish back to the tank. Very slowly so they aren't too shocked by it.
If that doesn't work then I think you should get your water tested by another test kit to make sure yours isn't faulty.

I'm up for whatever it takes to get these numbers down! It is a new kit just bought it from Big Als (they were on sale) good timing too as my old one just ran out and i really didn't want to buy the bottles individually. My neighbor keeps fish maybe I'll ask him if I can use his test kit for a min just to see? First I'll finish this last pwc. Lol!

 

[Mlani]

Lol! Maybe bite the bullet and buy a new fixture?.....

Oh hubby would LOVE that! He's already cut my fish budget. I had to build my own filtration on the new tank.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Oh hubby would LOVE that! He's already cut my fish budget. I had to build my own filtration on the new tank.

Bummer! Mine cut my budget too!

 

[Navyboy]

its very very strange to see nitrates up soo high after a WC. i think we have the same test kit. so ph 7.4-7.6 ammonia 0 no2 0 and no3 40-160 ppm?
so your bugs that convert no2 to no3 are on steroids!
and can i buy your filter? lol hah. im having an issue with nitrite.
Ok so huge no3 build up and water changes arnt helping....
well you could as mumma suggested, and keep doing WCs.. but i would suggest buying some very hardy fast growing plants. the faster they grow the more nitrate they absorb. lots of light with a fast growing leafy vine can empty your tank of nitrate in a few days. the one i listed is good because you can use it to lower the lvls then keep it in a jar or bucket somewhere else till u need it again.
As to the reason all i can figure is your tank is in NO2 transfer Overdrive and you have enough ammonia thus no2 to convert to create all that No3.
wish i could be more helpful.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I just had a thought! What if your levels where always this high and your old test kit didn't pick up on it? Then you got the new one and it revealed the real nitrate level.

 

[Mlani]

its very very strange to see nitrates up soo high after a WC. i think we have the same test kit. so ph 7.4-7.6 ammonia 0 no2 0 and no3 40-160 ppm?
so your bugs that convert no2 to no3 are on steroids!
and can i buy your filter? lol hah. im having an issue with nitrite.
Ok so huge no3 build up and water changes arnt helping....
well you could as mumma suggested, and keep doing WCs.. but i would suggest buying some very hardy fast growing plants. the faster they grow the more nitrate they absorb. lots of light with a fast growing leafy vine can empty your tank of nitrate in a few days. the one i listed is good because you can use it to lower the lvls then keep it in a jar or bucket somewhere else till u need it again.
As to the reason all i can figure is your tank is in NO2 transfer Overdrive and you have enough ammonia thus no2 to convert to create all that No3.
wish i could be more helpful.

I'll make you a deal, I'll send you one of my filters and you send me one of yours and maybe both our dilemmas will be solved??
I'm going to borrow my neighbors test kit and retest with it to rule one possibility out. Then I'm going to do another 50% pwc and if that doesn't change anything then I'm either going to tear down the tank and start again or buy a crap load of those plants! lol! It's so strange, my fish aren't showing any signs at all of any kind of stress under these circumstances? So first..I'm going to make supper so I have a happy hubby and a full belly!

 

[Mlani]

I just had a thought! What if your levels where always this high and your old test kit didn't pick up on it? Then you got the new one and it revealed the real nitrate level.

Hmm..so the last kit was the "dud" and this ones good? Wouldn't my fish have shown signs of some kind if they have been poisoned this whole time? Mind you, they're not showing any signs right now either. Thx Mumma I'm back to being confused! Lol!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Hmm..so the last kit was the "dud" and this ones good? Wouldn't my fish have shown signs of some kind if they have been poisoned this whole time? Mind you, they're not showing any signs right now either. Thx Mumma I'm back to being confused! Lol!

Lol sorry! If it slowly increased over months they might not have been showing any symptoms.