ArtesiaWells
Aquarium Advice Addict
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2012
- Messages
- 1,392
Okay. Just finished running the API freshwater master tests on both the 10 and 60 gallons, both of which are still presumably cycling, and I'd like to report on them to get some analysis and feedback from you great guys and gals...
These tests come on the heels of a water change just done on the 60 gallon -- an approximate 20 or so percent this past Monday -- and, after subsequently getting what I perceived as alarming results on the 10 gallon just now, I have performed a 50% change on that tank, dosing of course with Prime prior to the fresh water going in...
Here is what I found:
60 Gallon Results (tank contains one Black Moor goldfish):
AMMONIA: 0.25 (definitely jumped a bit from the last reading -- but I don't know if this is from the Moor excreting more waste, which is clearly visible, or from the tank just naturally cycling and the ammonia level beginning to spike)
NITRITE: 0
NITRATE: 0
10 Gallon Results (tank contains three fancy goldfish; two very small varities and a somewhat larger Red Cap Oranda):
AMMONIA: 0.50
NITRITE: VERY high and VERY purple in color -- so it's on the high end of the range based on the color chart; the purple was almost alarming in shade, and I couldn't even get a clear reading on where it fell number wise...
NITRATE: 5.0-10 ppm
Based on the results of the 10 gallon, in particular, I did an immediate 50% water change on that tank -- but how do these numbers look now some two or so weeks into the cycle (the 60 gallon)? Was it good, or okay, that I did the immediate water change on the 10? Does the 60 need another change based on the ammonia reading? As I stated, I just did a 20% or so on this tank this past Monday...
As always, thank you everyone!
These tests come on the heels of a water change just done on the 60 gallon -- an approximate 20 or so percent this past Monday -- and, after subsequently getting what I perceived as alarming results on the 10 gallon just now, I have performed a 50% change on that tank, dosing of course with Prime prior to the fresh water going in...
Here is what I found:
60 Gallon Results (tank contains one Black Moor goldfish):
AMMONIA: 0.25 (definitely jumped a bit from the last reading -- but I don't know if this is from the Moor excreting more waste, which is clearly visible, or from the tank just naturally cycling and the ammonia level beginning to spike)
NITRITE: 0
NITRATE: 0
10 Gallon Results (tank contains three fancy goldfish; two very small varities and a somewhat larger Red Cap Oranda):
AMMONIA: 0.50
NITRITE: VERY high and VERY purple in color -- so it's on the high end of the range based on the color chart; the purple was almost alarming in shade, and I couldn't even get a clear reading on where it fell number wise...
NITRATE: 5.0-10 ppm
Based on the results of the 10 gallon, in particular, I did an immediate 50% water change on that tank -- but how do these numbers look now some two or so weeks into the cycle (the 60 gallon)? Was it good, or okay, that I did the immediate water change on the 10? Does the 60 need another change based on the ammonia reading? As I stated, I just did a 20% or so on this tank this past Monday...
As always, thank you everyone!