Test Results

[Nomad]

Hey all,

As some of you know I've finally moved my tank!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/renovating-my-tank-104578.html

What a mission!

Unfortunately the filter media was devoid of oxygen for a long time, although i did keep swishing it around in a vain attempt to oxygenate it!

Just done some tests.

Ammonia less than 0.6, bordering on 0, maybe. Slight tinge to the water tested (in relation to the test colours).

Ph 7.5

Nitrite 0.1

Nitrate 5

Going to pick up some Gh and KH tests later, is there any particular brand which is better? Bearing in mind I'm in England.

What is peoples thoughts on these results?

 

[Purrbox]

Sounds like a mini cycle. Keep up with the waterchanges and testing as needed and it should sort itself out in a week or two.

 

[Nomad]

Any Idea what normal results should be/aiming for?

 

[Purrbox]

A cycled aquarium will have 0 Ammonia and Nitrite with rising Nitrates (unless there's lots of plants to consume the Nitrates). During the mini cycle you'll want to keep the Ammonia and Nitrite under 1ppm, but under 0.5ppm would be even better.

 

[Nomad]

Just done a test with an api test kit, and these are the readings, before a 25% water change.

Ammonia 0.1ish
nitrite 0.25
PH 7.6
Higher range test 7.4
Nitrate 40.

Looks like i need to get the ammonia and nitrite down.

 

[Nomad]

One more question, you mention ppm. How do get that info from the test kit? Is the test kit in ppm?

 

[neilanh]

Yes, the results of the test kit. ppm and mg/l are the same.

 

[Nomad]

Thanks neilanh.

New test results today:

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 40.

What do you guys reckon? Another water change due to the 0.25 nitrite?

Also, bought some ferts, should i add these whilst the nitrate is 40? Not sure what a normal value for this should be? I have a fair few plants.

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

you deff do not need to add KNO3 as that will increase the nitrate, and 40 is pretty high. If you fairly stocked with fish and not many plants then you prob wont need KNO3.

What ferts did you purchase?

 

[Nomad]

Only got five fish, as just moved my tank to my house from my parents.

So just renovated it. not gonna add more fish till its all stable.

I bought:

Potassium Nitrate
Potassium Phosphate
trace elements.

I also use flourish, as well as diy c02. But diy setup is getting some problems at the moment, lol.

In this mixture:

The first is made up using 500ml of water. (mix 1)
3tsp. Potassium Nitrate (KN03)http://www.gardendirect.co.uk/produ...artPosition=1&strSearchCriteria=any&PT_ID=all
1/2tsp Potassium Phosphate (KH2P04)http://www.gardendirect.co.uk/produ...artPosition=1&strSearchCriteria=any&PT_ID=all


The second is also made with 500ml of water. (mix 2)
1tsp Trace. http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=145_146&products_id=753

Any thoughts on that?

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

well as I said you dont need the KNO3 since your nitrates are not bottomed out, so if you already mixed up a solution including that and phosphate then you should not use it.

So you can dose the trace, then if you mix some KH2PO4 separately you could dose that at different times then the trace(as phosphate and iron from the trace can be an issue, YRMV). Otherwise just dose trace and if you plants take off and the nitrates go down then start dosing that mix you mentioned.

 

[Nomad]

No I havent mixed it yet.

I have this regime, gleened from the net, which i haven't started yet.

Sunday. Dosed following my normal water changes.
180ltr Tank. Dose 40ml Mix 1. 20ml Liquid Carbon.

Monday.
180ltr Tank. Dose 40ml Mix 2. 4ml Liquid Carbon.


Tuesday.
180ltr Tank. Dose 40ml Mix 1. 4ml Liquid Carbon.

Wednesday.
180ltr Tank. Dose 40ml Mix 2. 4ml Liquid Carbon.

Thursday.
180ltr Tank. Dose 40ml Mix 1. 4ml Liquid Carbon.

Friday.
180ltr Tank. Dose 40ml Mix 2. 4ml Liquid Carbon.

Saturday.
180ltr Tank. Dose. 4ml Liquid Carbon.

Any thoughts?

Obviously no KNO3


EDIT:


Whats the normal level foR KNO3?

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

KNO3 is nitrate and potassium, so 10-20 is recommended. Now the fish create waste and the bacteria from the nitrogen cycle turn this into nitrate. So you should have nitrate in your tank, like w/o live plants then you do a PWC when it gets to 20-40. But when you have lots of live plants they will use the nitrate and knock it down to 0. When its zero then algae can start as the plants are not getting all they need/want. Potassium basically cannot be overdosed, well it supposedly wont hurt anything AFAIK. Also in the method your using its more like a hybrid of EI and PPS-pro daily dosing(didnt figure your amounts just looking at your schedule), some using this figure that you'll get all the potassium you need from the KNO3 and KH2PO4, since they both also contain potassium, others use more potassium also.

So in my 10G I just added more plants and higher lighting, so my nitrates dropped form the usual ~20+, down to 10, then to 5 and I started getting green dust algae as well as staghorn. So I got my ferts and started dosing KNO3. I'm just dosing dry right into my HOB filter.

You can dose dry but its more like EI I would say since the amounts aren't as exact as if your daily dosing with ml's of known solutions/mixes that you made.

Heres some pages with similar yet slightly different dosing schedules:
http://www.barrreport.com/estimativ...accuracy-want-daily-pmdd-style-ei-dosing.html
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/pps-analysis-feedback/39491-newbie-guide-pps-pro.html

 

[Nomad]

Thanks Speed Eurphoria. Links are good.

I'll report back with further findings later as got my GH and KH tests today.

 

[Nomad]

Any one know how to use the api gh and kh tester?

Doesnt tell me how many drops to add?

 

[rich311k]

Each drop counts as one. Add until the water changes color for the second time. (The first drop will color it). The number of drops is the number of degrees.

 

[Nomad]

Cheers Rich, i really dont understand mate.

How do i determine how many drops i add to the sample water, in the test tube?

Do i:

Add one drop to the water ( the water turns colour)

Then keep adding one drop until it turns the next colour? Once it has turned colour, this determines the hardness. So I count the number of drops i added and match it up with the table on the back, so if i added 5 drops (when the water changed colour the second time) i match this to the table which tells me the hardness?

 

[rich311k]

There should not be a card. The first drop makes it lets say blue (I don't remember the colors) you add drops until it turns yellow. If it takes 5 drops (including the first drop) the K or GH is 5.

 

[Purrbox]

I found a site that has a copy of the directions posted.

 

[Nomad]

Thanks Guys, I think I have it now.

I'll report back later.