New to the forum

Yes I have been using a syringe for all my tests etc. I wanted to make sure it was accurate.

I will be going home on my lunch break in about an hour so it will have had a good chance to mix. Having just taken the water out and replaced, what is it that I should be testing for?
(obviously the test kits arn't cheap so I don't want to waste anything if its not needed)

Yes i understand, as the bacteria is not in the water its attached to things such as the pump and substrate etc. Fingers crossed we should see some progress soon. I will let you know the results as soon as @Essjay - Thanks again for your help

Test for ammonia & nitrite, back on the 'test every third day' schedule.

Essjay said:

Test for ammonia & nitrite, back on the 'test every third day' schedule.

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Should I not bother with pH ?

I forgot about pH Yes test that at the same time as the others.

For your water changes have you looked at using hoses? Something like this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JBL-PROCLEAN-6142100-Aquariums-Connection/dp/B08WJP6QSB?th=1

Alternatively rather than a 5 litre bucket how about a 40 litre builders bucket - you get them from B&Q for about £10, quite flexible things with handles. I got a dolly (board with wheels) from middle aisle of Aldi that I stand mine on and then a little pump with some tubing then all I have to do is hold the pipe in - you can even get pipe holders these days too Just makes life easier.

Wills

Wills said:

For your water changes have you looked at using hoses? Something like this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JBL-PROCLEAN-6142100-Aquariums-Connection/dp/B08WJP6QSB?th=1

Alternatively rather than a 5 litre bucket how about a 40 litre builders bucket - you get them from B&Q for about £10, quite flexible things with handles. I got a dolly (board with wheels) from middle aisle of Aldi that I stand mine on and then a little pump with some tubing then all I have to do is hold the pipe in - you can even get pipe holders these days too Just makes life easier.

Wills

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I meant 10 Litre sorry my mistake. Its one I purposely bought for fish purposes.

See, I do have a hose in the back garden, but cant the inside of hose pipes get a bit manky. We were always told never to drink from them. With me having spent a lot of time trying to get the water perfect I didn't want to take the risk.

One think I did notice is that when pouring it back in, it makes a bit of a mess of the substrate. I have suction pump for removing the water. Just one from pets at home. Can they pump up wards into the tank.

777james777 said:

I meant 10 Litre sorry my mistake. Its one I purposely bought for fish purposes.

See, I do have a hose in the back garden, but cant the inside of hose pipes get a bit manky. We were always told never to drink from them. With me having spent a lot of time trying to get the water perfect I didn't want to take the risk.

One think I did notice is that when pouring it back in, it makes a bit of a mess of the substrate. I have suction pump for removing the water. Just one from pets at home. Can they pump up wards into the tank.

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Yeah if you use hoses make sure you use specific aquarium ones rather than just your garden one. That kit I linked screws onto your kitchen/bathroom tap and you get a valve on the pipe so with a secure bit on the sink you can turn the tap on get it to temperature (if you have a mixer) and let the other end of the hose fill the tank. Equally to empty the tank you run the tap with the device connected but the valve open and it starts the syphon for the tank (or you can use a pump in the tank to get it out as well).

Wills

I use a bucket to refill my tanks and like you I found it disturbed the substrate. I'm not strong enough to lift a bucket full of water high enough to pour it into a tank without spilling it everywhere so I use a jug to ladle it into the tank. Even that disturbed the substrate so I now pour the jug of water though a 'colander' - a 170g Total yogurt pot with as many holes as I could fit stabbed into the bottom with a knitting needle.


If you use a hose, add the dechlorinator to the tank before turning the hose on.

@Essjay did you notice the latest results ^

Yes I did. They look fine. Ammonia looks right, no nitrite. The pH is a bit high, but it's freshly run water so it may change over the next few hours. Freshly run tap water often has different pH from water that's stood 24 hours as gasses dissolved in tap water gas out.

Essjay said:

Yes I did. They look fine. Ammonia looks right, no nitrite. The pH is a bit high, but it's freshly run water so it may change over the next few hours. Freshly run tap water often has different pH from water that's stood 24 hours as gasses dissolved in tap water gas out.

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Will test the water again on friday lunchtime and hopefully get some results.

Id love to get some fish in by sat 2nd September just after pay day

777james777 said:

Id love to get some fish in by sat 2nd September

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Fingers crossed, it's possible

Gave it another go this morning (after 2 days) - I’m getting to that frustrated point you were at. Still no change for nitrite @Essjay

I change out 50% from my 240l every week, that's a lot of buckets! I near enough crippled my back so I bought a long length of clear hosing from Maidenhead Aquatics and a pond pump. I cut the hosing into two, one piece long enough to reach from my kitchen sink to the tank, and the other piece reaches from my tank through the living room window onto the grass outside.

I start my siphon out into the garden, while the water is going out I take the hose and waft it gently over the gravel and pick up any muck and dying bits of plants etc being careful not to suck up any fish! When I'm done and I've taken out half the water volume, I stop the siphon and carefully chuck the hose out the window to deal with later.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, I've got my fish bucket ready in the sink. The tap water is running at the right temperature into the bucket which I've popped the pond pump into and has the longer length of hosing attached. I then trail the hose all the way to the tank (which I've already treated with dechlorinater) and I use an old curved filter pipe to hang the hose into the tank. I turn the pump on and Bob's your uncle! As long as the tap is left running to keep the bucket full it works beautifully...I just have to make a mad dash back to the kitchen to turn the pump off when the tank's full that's always exciting!

The python is good but it wastes water which Mr Barnicles won't allow (because he pays the water bill) so this, although a bit more of a faff is a good alternative