Help! Setting up new tank...

[E_Edwards11]

Hi all!

I'm the proud new owner of a little Marineland 10gal tank, with approx. 15lbs of gravel, 3 little artificial plants and one structure in the middle for the fish to hide (I know I need more hiding places, but I want to get the water to stable and safe before I put anything else in there, including fish).

I used Zephyrhills spring water to fill it up (I tested the water for nitrates, water hardness, pH and ammonia, and the test results reflected 0 nitrate and 0 nitrite(which are at safe levels), 300 ppm for waterhardness, 8.0 on the pH scale and 6.0 on the ammonia scale - all fatally high for fish). Seeing the test results, I used the Jungle Complete Water Care Kit and Jungle Ammonia Clear. The tank has been cycling for about 4 days now. The water was clear, then cloudy for about 2 days or so, and it became clear again this afternoon. I've been testing the water daily, including this afternoon, and have seen no fluctuation in the results whatsoever.

Could it be the paper tests I'm using (again, they are Jungle products: Quick Dip 5-N-1 Test Strips and the Ammonia Test Kit) that are providing inaccurate results? Could it be that the Water Care Kit and Ammonia Clear are useless to use when starting a tank and I should start over with better products and not be so cheap the second time around? I'm not really too sure what I should do next to bring those test results to a lower, safer level to introduce fish into the equation (I'm incredibly impatient, but I want to do this correctly).

Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Elyse

 

[Rivercats]

Try getting an API master test kit. It has all the tests in it you'll need. Test strips are not very accurate at all.

 

[shellieca]

Hi all!

I'm the proud new owner of a little Marineland 10gal tank, with approx. 15lbs of gravel, 3 little artificial plants and one structure in the middle for the fish to hide (I know I need more hiding places, but I want to get the water to stable and safe before I put anything else in there, including fish).

I used Zephyrhills spring water to fill it up (I tested the water for nitrates, water hardness, pH and ammonia, and the test results reflected 0 nitrate and 0 nitrite(which are at safe levels), 300 ppm for waterhardness, 8.0 on the pH scale and 6.0 on the ammonia scale - all fatally high for fish). Seeing the test results, I used the Jungle Complete Water Care Kit and Jungle Ammonia Clear. The tank has been cycling for about 4 days now. The water was clear, then cloudy for about 2 days or so, and it became clear again this afternoon. I've been testing the water daily, including this afternoon, and have seen no fluctuation in the results whatsoever.

Could it be the paper tests I'm using (again, they are Jungle products: Quick Dip 5-N-1 Test Strips and the Ammonia Test Kit) that are providing inaccurate results? Could it be that the Water Care Kit and Ammonia Clear are useless to use when starting a tank and I should start over with better products and not be so cheap the second time around? I'm not really too sure what I should do next to bring those test results to a lower, safer level to introduce fish into the equation (I'm incredibly impatient, but I want to do this correctly).

Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Elyse

I don't think you need to start over but I suggest a liquid water test kit as the other person suggested. It'll last much longer & give more accurate results. Did you dose with ammonia, what is the source of your ammonia? I don't know about the water care kit or Ammonia clear, I use only Prime for a water conditioner as do the majority of people on here.

 

[librarygirl]

I'm not sure why spring water is testing positive for ammonia? Try it again, but as the poster above said the test strips aren't accurate at all. Any reason why you aren't using tap water? Spring water is going to get expensive to use for water changes. Also to cycle a tank you need an ammonia source to feed the bacteria (I've never heard of spring water having ammonia, maybe it's possible but I wouldn't trust the test). Here's a link if you haven't seen it: Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium - Aquarium Advice

 

[E_Edwards11]

It truly could be that the test strips are not accurate whatsoever (like I said, there was absolutely no change to the results when tested daily over 4 days). I have to use spring water because we only have well water here (Pet Supermarket suggested that I not use the well water as the aquarium water, and that I should use spring water).

I'm not sure what the source of the ammonia is, as I currently do not have fish in the tank. Everything was rinsed thoroughly before being placed in the tank.

 

[shellieca]

It truly could be that the test strips are not accurate whatsoever (like I said, there was absolutely no change to the results when tested daily over 4 days). I have to use spring water because we only have well water here (Pet Supermarket suggested that I not use the well water as the aquarium water, and that I should use spring water).

I'm not sure what the source of the ammonia is, as I currently do not have fish in the tank. Everything was rinsed thoroughly before being placed in the tank.

Did they give you a reason? There are many people who use well water. With ammonia that high & you haven't added an ammonia source, I would find out where the ammo at that level is coming from. It is possible to have the same readings for multiple days even with a liquid test, the strips just tend to be less accurate.