Ph help - new tank

[Hholly]

Once you get a very established, healthy bio filter, you can add a few at a time with no worries. But if you add several, watch out.

 

[kwandrsn]

Ok new readings as of this morning
Ammonia 0-0.25
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 5.0
Ph 7.8
Temp 77

 

[kwandrsn]

Ammonia seems to be staying where it is as well as nitrite. Nitrates starting to go up. I figured once nitrates started showing up and nitrites leveled out ammonia would be gone.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Ammonia seems to be staying where it is as well as nitrite. Nitrates starting to go up. I figured once nitrates started showing up and nitrites leveled out ammonia would be gone.

Nitrites have to spike before ammonia zeros out. Have you had a nitrite spike yet?

 

[kwandrsn]

It went up 5.0 last week. My treat only goes up to 5.0 and was told to keep doing 50% changes until it went down to 0.25

 

[kwandrsn]

I can't spell. Test

 

[kwandrsn]

Then thus and Friday I had to do water changes to lower from 0.50 to 0.25
Now they don't seem to be going up

 

[kwandrsn]

It was Wednesday when I found it was 5

 

[Hholly]

Looks like progress.

 

[Bruna75]

I have a master kit. They use strips I just wanna see. I have terrible with the nitrate test. When I put the first drops in and invert it leaks a little in the cap. Then I take it of add the other after shaking it. Then I shake the tube and it leaks all over my hand. When I get done I have lost some. You add 20 drops to 5ml of water and when I get done I still only have 5ml just don't figure I'm gettinga good reading

My tests do the same, and I hate yucky water splashing around, what I do is grab a couple paper towels, wrap it around the tube and over the cap and press on the cap while I shake the crap out of it , very Lil if any spills out and if it does it won't fly all over the place because of the paper towel

 

[Mrs.h2012]

My tests do the same, and I hate yucky water splashing around, what I do is grab a couple paper towels, wrap it around the tube and over the cap and press on the cap while I shake the crap out of it , very Lil if any spills out and if it does it won't fly all over the place because of the paper towel

I would do this with my teat tubes too lol. I think your close to ammonia zeroing out since you've had a good rise in nitrites. Sometimes it just takes time. Since your showing nitrates that's a good sign that your moving along. I think your fine!

 

[kwandrsn]

I hope so

 

[kwandrsn]

Ok I got curious. When I test my ammonia the water looks more green than yellow. when I match the card up it looks more like 0.25 than 0 . Well I tested my tap water. It is the same color. So either my tap water has ammonia or I'm just not matching my colors right.

 

[Hholly]

Did you just change water? If so, the bio filter needs some time to convert it.

 

[kwandrsn]

No I haven't done a water change today

 

[kwandrsn]

The color is in between 0 and 0.25 on the card. so I was assuming they was still ammonia. But unless there is ammonia in our city water. I'm guessing its gone

 

[Hholly]

Well, if its so close in color that you're having trouble reading it, it's probably under .25.

 

[kwandrsn]

Noticed brown stuff on the filter inlet tube and on my air stones?

 

[kwandrsn]

Ok looks like nitrites going down but nitrates still not going up much

 

[fort384]

Looks to me like you are getting close. It takes some nitrites to produce much shift in the trates. Remember it looks like your nitrite is on the low end of the test resolution and the lowest resolution of the trates test is 5ppm. Based on the color I would say you have some detectable nitrate between 0 and 5ppm. This seems about what I would expect.