Tank water levels

Loopi320 · Sep 26, 2021

Hi,
I have had my tank for a few months now and I find the water levels so confusing! Every time I do a wc, I always put a solution in but I am never sure I am doing the right one!! I have read about the nitrates and ammonia etc and when I went to the shop a while ago now and asked their advice, the guy said the best thing would be to buy real plants, which I did but I just came away even more confused as to what I needed to regularly add in the future! It would be amazing to have some knowledge and tips from experienced tank owners! I have attached a pic of my recent water reading, so any advice would be much appreciated!
Please note, I am not totally clueless and not putting my fish in any harm

my fish are generally healthy and so far breeding like crazy! So I must be doing something right

I just want to know the best way to maintain a healthy happy tank

Thanks!!!
FYI - I’m using the Tetra 6in1 test strips.

Ch4rlie · Sep 26, 2021

Ok, first thing is possibly to change your test kit to a liquid based kit as is usually more accurate and reliable imho.

I am not familiar with your brand and type of test dip kit so I cannot really decipher what the readings are on your picture am afraid.

The store guy is correct in saying live plants are beneficial for the aquarium and can particularly help with ammonia and nitrate levels.

When you say you put in a solution, is that water tap safe / dechlorinator?
If so that’s correct to use and ensure put in the right dosages every time a water change is implemented.

What you may need to add in future is perhaps fertiliser for the live plants, could either be root tabs which is added into substrate near roots of plants or a liquid fertiliser, this can depends on what kinds of plant you have in the tank.

Myraan · Sep 26, 2021

I don't have a chart to compare the strip to... and I am not good at interpreting them even then,

Even if I was they are inaccurate compared to liquid tests with test tubes and drops.

But to answer your main question:

Fish waste and rotting uneaten food produces ammonia, which is toxic, this is removed in two ways

Plants use it make proteins that eventually get removed when you trim the plants
Beneficial bacteria convert into less toxic nitrate in two steps as part of the nitrogen cycle. If this isn't removed by plants or other processes, we remove it during the regular partial water changes which you are advised to do regardless of the level of nitrate we measure - because we are also removing other pollutants and keeping the water chemistry in general closer to our source water

These bacteria take several weeks to establish themselves on all surfaces of the tank (not the water). This process is called "cycling" the tank. It sounds like you are already cycled, but the way we know for sure is periodic testing of the water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Most people will also monitor pH even if only to check it is relatively stable, and for similar reasons, the kH which is the buffering capacity or alkalinity. The hardness of the water, the gH, is a measure of dissolved salts and will usually be the same as your tap water and will usually not change. If you do not have a test for it you can find it on the water suppliers website. This is very important because fish are evolutionary adapted to the hardness of the water they live in in the wild and will probably have shortened lifespans from things such as kidney failure if kept in inappropriate water.

Myraan · Sep 26, 2021

Many people I am certain keep successful aquariums by guessing; on a new aquarium water change everyday, gradually increase the stock, eventually just water change weekly or so whether you think you need to or not. If any problems occur however, testing the water will remove a lot of the guesswork about went wrong. Even then if something goes wrong - the correct response is usually a partial water change, but the problem is if you wait until the fish are sick from the water quality, it is probably too late.

Bruce Leyland-Jones · Sep 26, 2021

Loopi320 said:
Every time I do a wc, I always put a solution in but I am never sure I am doing the right one!!

Our tap water has been treated with chlorine, to kill bacteria, so that it is safe for us to drink.
Unfortunately, we need bacteria in our tanks, so we use a water conditioner to make the tapwater safe for our tanks.
You'll only need one water conditioner and you'll add a small dose of this to every bit of water you add to the tank.

(The water conditioner I use works out at 1ml per bucket).

Loopi320 said:
I have read about the nitrates and ammonia etc and when I went to the shop a while ago now and asked their advice, the guy said the best thing would be to buy real plants, which I did but I just came away even more confused as to what I needed to regularly add in the future!

Live plants do help manage the waste and toxins produced by your fish. There are other ways to prepare a tank and grow the necessary bacteria, but since you already have fish in there, adding plants is the best way to fix it. (And note that the guy in the shop managed to get you to spend money

).

Loopi320 said:
It would be amazing to have some knowledge and tips from experienced tank owners! I have attached a pic of my recent water reading, so any advice would be much appreciated!

As already covered, you need to know the chemistry of your water. Test strips are okay, but, as mentioned, you really do need a liquid test kit. Consider this an investment and look for the API Master Test Kit.
NOTE that the strips don't measure your levels of ammonia and you really do need to b able to do this, in order to keep your fish healthy.

Loopi320 said:
Please note, I am not totally clueless and not putting my fish in any harm my fish are generally healthy and so far breeding like crazy! So I must be doing something right

Given that you've only had your tank for such a short time and your fish are breeding, I can safely assume you have livebearers. These reproduce at the drop of a hat and are also known as millions fish. Sorry to burst your bubble, but breeding fish does not necessarily mean that everything is hunkey-dorey.

Loopi320 · Sep 27, 2021

Thank you everyone for the advice! I didn’t know you could get liquid tests, so I will def get that instead to test my levels!
I read that the ammonia/nitrates could be higher if the fish are over fed and even tho I do try and keep control of it, I do have two young children that sneak them extra food, so I will make sure to keep them away from the fish food!!
I am trying to landscape my plants to grow in the tank so it’s better for the fish, I’m getting there slowly!
I haven’t used my siphon gravel cleaner much the last few weeks because I’ve had so many new baby fish and snails, I was scared of sucking them up

now they are a bit bigger tho I will do it more often.
Would you all recommend just a 20% wc once a week, or should I do a bigger wc less often?

Loopi320 · Sep 27, 2021

Bruce Leyland-Jones said:
Given that you've only had your tank for such a short time and your fish are breeding, I can safely assume you have livebearers. These reproduce at the drop of a hat and are also known as millions fish. Sorry to burst your bubble, but breeding fish does not necessarily mean that everything is hunkey-dorey.

No, I know you are completely right.. they will breed like crazy regardless of what I do

All your advice is amazing tho, I’m slowly learning the right way to do things! Thank you!

Bruce Leyland-Jones · Sep 27, 2021

Loopi320 said:
I do have two young children that sneak them extra food, so I will make sure to keep them away from the fish food!!

That'll be a big issue to address, or else the fish will die. Overfeeding is probably THE most prolific cause of fish deaths in the hobby at home. Kids will find the food and, if they can't find the fishfood, they'll improvise.

Education is your answer, so good luck with that.

Loopi320 said:
I am trying to landscape my plants to grow in the tank so it’s better for the fish, I’m getting there slowly!
I haven’t used my siphon gravel cleaner much the last few weeks because I’ve had so many new baby fish and snails, I was scared of sucking them up now they are a bit bigger tho I will do it more often.

That'll happen. Get a bucket or two, (you can never, ever have too many fish buckets), that is pale in colour. Pets at Home sell useful pale blue 8 litre ones. Also, keep an eye out for white nets...so anything you accidently suck up will be visible and retrievable.

Loopi320 said:
Would you all recommend just a 20% wc once a week, or should I do a bigger wc less often?

That all depends on your water conditions and tank size and set-up, including fish numbers and types.
If you have ammonia or nitrites, (both very toxic and damaging to fish) in the water, then you change enough of the water to make it safe again and review what's causing it.
When you're tank is settled and running as it should, then you'll need to do far less water changes. That said, it is recommended by many that you change about 20%, once a week.
(NOTE that many will also say that you don't need to change the water so often and will mention their own perfect little ecosystems, where everything takes care of itself. That is the standard we all aim for, but in the meantime...

)
With water changes, ALWAYS add a water conditioner and, whenever possible, try to get the added water as close in temperature to your tank water. This isn't essential, but it helps.

Loopi320 · Oct 1, 2021

Bruce Leyland-Jones said:
That'll be a big issue to address, or else the fish will die. Overfeeding is probably THE most prolific cause of fish deaths in the hobby at home. Kids will find the food and, if they can't find the fishfood, they'll improvise. Education is your answer, so good luck with that.

That'll happen. Get a bucket or two, (you can never, ever have too many fish buckets), that is pale in colour. Pets at Home sell useful pale blue 8 litre ones. Also, keep an eye out for white nets...so anything you accidently suck up will be visible and retrievable.

That all depends on your water conditions and tank size and set-up, including fish numbers and types.
If you have ammonia or nitrites, (both very toxic and damaging to fish) in the water, then you change enough of the water to make it safe again and review what's causing it.
When you're tank is settled and running as it should, then you'll need to do far less water changes. That said, it is recommended by many that you change about 20%, once a week.
(NOTE that many will also say that you don't need to change the water so often and will mention their own perfect little ecosystems, where everything takes care of itself. That is the standard we all aim for, but in the meantime... )
With water changes, ALWAYS add a water conditioner and, whenever possible, try to get the added water as close in temperature to your tank water. This isn't essential, but it helps.

Brilliant, thank you so much for all this advice!!
I have had a talk with the kids and now they know it’s strictly only me feeding the fish once a day and NO more or they will die and it will be their fault (harsh I know but sometimes we have to be a bit mean

)
I do always remember to put the water conditioner in but I will try and do a wc and the gravel each week now instead of every couple weeks. Hopefully now they aren’t being over fed, there won’t be as much poo so won’t get as dirty!! I have drift wood in there so the water always go orangey (which I was told is perfectly normal) it always looks so fresh when I do the WC!

FishHobby99 · Oct 1, 2021

Loopi320 said:
Thank you everyone for the advice! I didn’t know you could get liquid tests, so I will def get that instead to test my levels!
I read that the ammonia/nitrates could be higher if the fish are over fed and even tho I do try and keep control of it, I do have two young children that sneak them extra food, so I will make sure to keep them away from the fish food!!
I am trying to landscape my plants to grow in the tank so it’s better for the fish, I’m getting there slowly!
I haven’t used my siphon gravel cleaner much the last few weeks because I’ve had so many new baby fish and snails, I was scared of sucking them up now they are a bit bigger tho I will do it more often.
Would you all recommend just a 20% wc once a week, or should I do a bigger wc less often?

Please sit those kids down and talk to them about how their behavior could greatly harm the fish. Keep the fish food where they can’t get to it and don’t allow them near the tank.

Loopi320 · Oct 1, 2021

JennySolano said:
Please sit those kids down and talk to them how their behavior could greatly harm the fish. Keep the fish food where they can’t get to it and don’t allow them near the tank.

Don’t worry, I did!!! They now know that they CANNOT feed the fish unless I say so. I think they now realise the importance of it!!!

FishHobby99 · Oct 1, 2021

so pleased to hear that! they didn’t realize what they were doing & now they do! YAY

Bruce Leyland-Jones · Oct 2, 2021

Loopi320 said:
Brilliant, thank you so much for all this advice!!

You're welcome.

Loopi320 said:
I have had a talk with the kids and now they know it’s strictly only me feeding the fish once a day and NO more or they will die and it will be their fault (harsh I know but sometimes we have to be a bit mean )

Neither harsh, nor mean...simply Real Life. Harsh and mean would be stuffin' them up chimneys, to work for a living.

Loopi320 said:
I do always remember to put the water conditioner in but I will try and do a wc and the gravel each week now instead of every couple weeks. Hopefully now they aren’t being over fed, there won’t be as much poo so won’t get as dirty!! I have drift wood in there so the water always go orangey (which I was told is perfectly normal) it always looks so fresh when I do the WC!

Your tank depends on its bacteria for it to function well.
Missing just one dose of water conditioner could severely affect that bacteria and your previous issues would return with a vengeance.

Great news on what you're doing and, whatever you do, keep your sprogs involved, informed and, therefore, educated.

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