GRRRR, could someone please tell me what's up w/ my tank??

[bunebop]

Ok, so I finally thought my fishless cycle was done, ammonias finally at 0... nitrates are about 30... and I check the nitrites and it went up to .5 !?!?! What the heck is up w/ that?? If I do a big water change can I still put fish in today????

 

[Menagerie]

Do a 50% change today, then check the levels. Do not add fish. Check your levels again tomorrow. If it's all clear, add some of your fish (Tuesday), check the levels the next day. Check the levels on Thursday and if all is well, add the rest of your fish. Show your mom how to read the ammonia and nitrite tests and of course tell her how to get in touch with us! I know you are getting ready to go away for awhile, but nitrite poisoning leads to suffication of the fish--take it slow.

 

[bunebop]

Yeah, I know. She doesn't know how to use a computer though. I'll tell my brother about it. I just looked again after letting the tests sit and the nitrite is more like 3 and the nitrate more like 8 This is the most frustrating thing ever

I'm considering just saying heck w/ the tank until I get home, even though I won't have enough time before i leave for school to set it up then either

 

[Menagerie]

Nitrites are 3ppm or .3ppm??
My 80 yr old grandmother gets on the computer to IM with family--if she can do it, your mom can do it!!

 

[bunebop]

nirites are about 3.0 ppm, nirtates about close to 80

And I've tried to teach her... she seriously can't do it... my brother can though, so I'll give him this website and my name and password etc.

 

[Menagerie]

You need to do a 50% water change now. Nitrites are way too high. Then do a 50% change tomorrow.
What what fish do you want to add? What size tank are they in now?

 

[bunebop]

Before I left I wanted to add my 2 female bettas and my 5 zebra danios as well as my 4 cory cats and my pleco. THe tank sizes are in my profile along w/ what else is in em. I was also planning on getting 5 more danios before I left. I was then gonna get 5-10 fancy guppies to go w/ the feeder guppies in the hex.

 

[Menagerie]

Zebra danios and plecos are hardy. If the tank parameters look okay by the weeks end, add only those fish. Do not buy more of any fish. You have years of fish keeping ahead of you. Don't rush things. Move only the zebras and pleco to make more room in the tanks that are full and leave the other fish where they are until you return.

 

[bunebop]

I actually was gonna add the cories and the danios. I know plecos are hardy, but yesterday he jumped out of the tank somehow and when I found him he was barely alive. A lot of his scales are banged up and his tail looks kinda raw and stuff. I didn't want to put him through the stress of a move at the moment and was gonna leave him in the tank he was used to so he can recover. I was then gonna have my mom/brother put him in the 50 about a week after I leave.

 

[bunebop]

I just did the 50% water change, I'll check the levels again tonight and tomorrow in the AM, so hopefully I can put the danios in there and the cories and just check it a lot before I leave... I hope.