Help With Water Paramaters

[AdamY]

My readings are
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 0ppm
Ammonia - .025ppm
Ph - 8.4

This is an African cichlid tank. I have ten fish about 1.5 - 2.0 inches.
60 gallon tank with HOB Marineland Penguin 350 Filter.
Fluval 200 watt heater.
Tetra 60 Whisper air pump.
I have .25ppm in my tap water at home, I have well water, so I also have a naturally high PH straight from the tap. I have AMMO-CHIPS that I havent used yet. I normally treat my water with API stress coat+ but I have also done one treatment of AMMO-LOCK. Am I doing what I should be? Tips, and any other suggestions would be nice, thanks!

I am using the API master test kit.

 

[absolutangel04]

How long has your tank been set up?
Also, I do not recommend using Ammo-Lock ever. Just, throw that bottle away and pretend like it doesn't exist.
Congrats on having a liquid test kit by the way. That makes things easier.

 

[AdamY]

It's been set up for about 2 and a half weeks. I feel like I may have added my fish too quick. And how do you feel about ammo chips?

 

[absolutangel04]

Honestly, I am not familiar with ammo chips off the top of my head. I will have to look them up and get back to you.
Have you been doing frequent water changes?

 

[jlk]

Skip the amm chips. Unlike amm lock type products or Prime that convert toxic free ammonia to ammonium, amm chips actually bind ammonia and remove it from the water preventing your cycle from progressing. Stick to your daily tests and water changes with a good water conditioner to keep your toxin levels under control as your tank cycles.

 

[frank98284]

IMO I would ditch the Api and go with Prime and do frequent water changes

 

[Coz]

Thats a lot of fish for an uncycled tank. I would recommend a seachem ammonia alert. They show free ammonia levels without the need to do tests. Check your nitrites every couple days til they start to climb. Then check daily. Be prepared to do daily pwc. I' m in my 5th week and doing 40% pwc daily to keep nitrites down.

 

[librarygirl]

In addition to what others have said, here are some articles that might be of interest:
I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice
Guide to Starting a Freshwater Aquarium - Aquarium Advice

 

[AdamY]

Thanks for all the responses, I can't believe I just jumped into all that with out knowing about cycling. All my fish seem very healthy, I added a filter from one of my established 30 gal tanks (my bio wheel) and that tank reads ph 7.8, ammonia - 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10ppm. Adding this filter was recommended by my science teacher who is a fish enthusiast, was he right?

 

[vance1013]

Thanks for all the responses, I can't believe I just jumped into all that with out knowing about cycling. All my fish seem very healthy, I added a filter from one of my established 30 gal tanks (my bio wheel) and that tank reads ph 7.8, ammonia - 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10ppm. Adding this filter was recommended by my science teacher who is a fish enthusiast, was he right?

yes that was a good move as long as you kept good m,aterial in the 30 gallon, having seeded media from an established tank will help kickstart the benifical bacteria colony growing and speed up the cycle a bit