which test to go by?

[Spydon]

This week I have lost a handful of fish being guppies & tertras & my angel:-( I bought an API test kit which tells me my numbers are good. I go in an shop & they tested the salt (is it known as gh?) & they said my salt levels are low. Then got the test done at another place & they say my salt is fine but my nitrates are a little off. Which salt test do I listen too & nitrate?

 

[tbrazil230]

All the fish stores I've seen testing water has always been with the strips, no good, I would go with your api test results

 

[NYgiantsRP]

I have never heard of testing a freshwater tank for salt...I wouldn't worry about it. Is your tank fully cycled? Did you do a large water change lately? Did you introduce new fish?

 

[shellieca]

When you say test results are good, exactly what are the numbers? Nitrates should be <20 (some say <40), ammonia & nitrites 0. I've never tested my freshwater for salt.

 

[Zimmanski]

Salinity is different than general hardness

 

[Spydon]

Amonia, Nitrites, Nitrates at zero & ph 6.7ish

 

[Zimmanski]

Amonia, Nitrites, Nitrates at zero & ph 6.7ish

How long has the tank been set up and how did you cycle your tank? What size tank is it and what's in it?(plants/fish)

 

[Spydon]

New fish yes, last week added bristlenose catfish, 15 neons tetras & 5 female guppies. Got it all setup in mid march, added fish near end march. I have 200L* 4ft tank
Also added small bunch of Java moss last week.
I have handful of female & male guppies, neons, redfin tetras, black tetras, sucker catfish, 4 gouramis & lost my angel 2 days ago. I believe me trying to gather the female guppies put some in too much stress or water hardness? I was lpw ph for while now fixed with ph up.

 

[Spydon]

I gathered the females & put them in a breeding tank & pwc couple days ago so will hold off if water test comes back good tomorrow to lessen the stress levels

 

[Zimmanski]

Thats a lot of fish to add at one time, and a lot of fish to add in a month. How did you cycle your tank? Seems to me like you may not be completely cycled because you waited two weeks then added a bunch of fish. I wouldnt suggest using PHup, if you need to change your ph you should be doing it a more natural way, it will put less stress on the fish and will be much more consistant. To raise PH you can use a little crushed coral in a mesh bag in your filter. What was your PH before you changed it? What fish you have in there really doesnt effect the GH, I have moderately hard water and my fish are doing great

 

[Spydon]

I got from somewhere here I could use bi-carb soda & that did the trick in the middle of making another fry trap to catch the guppy fry but any food I can put in it to lure them once they are born that won't go off?

 

[Spydon]

My tests are ok, waiting for the gh&kh test kit to arrive so I don't always rely on pet shops

 

[Cactuspixie]

Looks like you still have ammonia?

 

[Zimmanski]

Looks that way to me too, but that could just be because its at an angle next to the green on the card. How long after a water change did you take that test?

 

[Spydon]

I did a 10% pwc right after this test, will do another test tonight

 

[Zimmanski]

I did a 10% pwc right after this test, will do another test tonight

You should wait a full 24 hours or so before you do a test and rely on it, a test right after a water change doesn't really give an accurate idea of where a tank is. By waiting 24 hours the BB has plenty of time to convert what ammonia there is to nitrite and nitrate so by waiting you get a better idea of what's going on. You could have a slight ammonia reading because of your tap water, and that would be gone in 24hrs, or you may not be fully cycled and the ammonia and nitrite level would still be present or higher

 

[Spydon]

Will wait till 24hrs are up
could it be loose strands of Java moss killing my fish? Found second one dead with some wrapped around it over past week

 

[Zimmanski]

Will wait till 24hrs are up
could it be loose strands of Java moss killing my fish? Found second one dead with some wrapped around it over past week

I wouldn't think that would be a cause of death, seems like maybe that happened after death