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When I first got my new tank I was planning to get a digital thermometer, plus one for my inherited 5 gallon shrimp tank. I did some research though as I wanted to go with something that would be accurate, easy to use, and not run out of power very often. This is what I came up with...

Thanks essjay! I really appreciate that you took the time to expand on TDS. Although I don't have plants, I do have several pieces of mopani in the water.

Today's #'s after a small water change. PH = 7.0 Ammonia = 0.0 (yellowish-green, but < 0.1) Nitrites = 0.0 - 0.1 (might be close to 0.1, still light purple but not dark enough to be 0.1) Nitrates = 5 I feel like the next couple of days should be telling. I added to the bio-load a few days back...

Thanks! To make sure I have this correct, 'free ammonia' is NH3, right? So far I haven't seen a big uptake in the ammonia levels of the tank I'm cycling (5 weeks in now). I've only had levels of TAN ammonia low enough that they calculate into effectively 0.0 NH3. But my nitrites and nitrates...

Yea, the that's the same for me. When I was last cycling a tank it was around 20 years ago and I was doing so under the guidance of my LFS alone. This is my first foray into a fish keeping forum I believe. So I'm refreshing my memory on some things and discovering the pros & pitfalls of seeking...

Thanks! I've removed my link so as not to lead anyone down the wrong path.

Thanks essjay! I did not know about the TDS. Thankfully I used very little and I removed a portion of it yesterday. I'm doing another water change today. My goal is to keep the PH 6.5-7, low enough to make things easier for the fish, but not stall the cycle.

Sounds like they added some. Could be the plants are absorbing the ammonia, and nitrites are being consumed as quickly as produced?

Finally knocked the nitrites down under 0.3 (might be 0.2). The only problem is that PH is closer to 6.0 now. So I hardened with deluded baking soda. It went a bit higher than I want (7.0-7.5), so I'm going to quickly do another small water change to bring it down to the 6.5-7.0 range again...

Most test kits test for 'Total Ammonia Nitrogen' (TAN), but some will give a chart to see what the approximate NH3 (toxic ammonia) is. If your test kit doesn't do this, you can take the TAN reading you get from your test kit and then use an online calculator to get the NH3.

It's same way with any complex system. I work in IT and my computer troubleshooting style is very unorthodox. While I see some techs troubleshooting step by step, I can often just tell them what the issue is, based on a simple glance at the situation - often without even seeing the computer in...

Two days (really 1.5) later I re-tested this morning (no water changes in between, though I did add back 5 small fish from my shrimp tank). PH = 6.7 Ammonia = 0.0 (toxic ammonia - NH4 is 0.3, slightly lower than last test) Nitrites = 0.6 Nitrates = 15 So I think cycling is continuing. Ammonia...

That is how it appears - more greenish against the purple slate, and more blue-green against darker objects. It's actually an L128 Blue Phantom. It comes from the Orinoco river, same as the L200 Green Phantom pleco, and the two species may be related (jury is still out). The L128's range in...

Don't forget that when you test for ammonia, there's two types of ammonia, one of which s more toxic than the other. Your test kit results might indicate that you have 0.0 ammonia (toxic NH3 ammonia), but you can still have a bit of less harmful NH4... enough to feed the bacteria that produce...

I noticed today that one of my cherry shrimp had an egg sack dangling behind her as she ran about the tank. Tiny yellow eggs. Later she's left them sitting in some rocks, or they got caught there, loosening from her. I've read that they could be unfertilized. That wouldn't surprise me as I...

Did a 20% water change yesterday, but didn't test afterward. Followed up with another 20% water change today, and testing. I've added no removers of any kind. Yesterday's Pre-Water Change Test Result PH = 7.0 Ammonia = 0.4 Nitrites = 0.8 Nitrates = 35 Today's Test Result (following 2x 20%...

Thanks! I am planning to do live plants at some point, but started off with artificial for now. Mostly because plants would be more of a new thing for me, and I want to have some time to re-adjust to the hobby basics; as well as plan out my aquarium better once I can afford to disturb the...

Thanks! I edited my posted because I realized I hadn't clarified that my toxic ammonia was actually <0.1 (it actually reads as 0.0 in the test result chart). I appreciate the info on Prime. I had a bottle in my hand yesterday, but the LFS convinced me to go with the pads instead. I'll probably...

Nitrates really climbed over night now sitting between 30-40. Nitrites are around 0.8, and ammonia is actually a bit lower .04 test result, or <0.1 toxic ammonia, so not going to add any 'removing' media and just do a 20% water change today. Can anyone comment on those levels for a tank that's...

Years ago I ran a Hagen 48g long, for about 4-5 years. I've kept fresh water tropical fish of many kinds, exotic plecos and peacock eels. I was in college and transitioning into the work place again. It was a stressful time, but I found that watching fish was an extreme stress reliever for me...

You're right, both about the solution, and the black patch indicator. I found that out watching the rams some more today. At one point the male must have been a bit stressed as his black started to mute just a bit. At that point, the blue started showing up inside the black patch. Here's the...

Yea, from what I've read the black color coming and going is an indicator of stress. But I've also read that many of the sexing indicators are themselves not 100% reliable indicators, except the interaction of the black & blue colors in the side patch - which some people say is the only sure way...

Thanks! I wanted to post a couple of other pictures of the same two fish at feeding time... feeding brine shrimp. Notice the color changes on the suspect 'female'. The black patch on the side is showing, as are more of 'her' black colors in general, but notice that there is clearly blue...

Thanks! Good to know about the belly not coloring. My initial thought is to try to solve the issue by adding another suspect female or two, letting the male ram tell me which one is a female that suits his fancy. ;) Does that sound like a good plan?

Hi! I recently picked up a Fluval Mega Flex 32g and I'm in my 4th week of cycling. Nitrogen cycle is pretty much complete with the tiniest bit of nitrites still showing when last tested but a healthy amount of nitrates (20). I used biological enhancers in the cycling, and it seems to have...

Hello. One of the things I've decide to explore that's new to me in the realm of fish keeping is keeping German Blue Rams. At my local ma & pa LFS I purchased what we believe to be both a male & female (suspect female) ram. They are such interesting fish to watch, and I've noticed a few behavior...

Hello. I'm not new to fish keeping, but I have been away from it for many years. Watching fish is the very best stress remedy I've ever experienced, and when the stress of 2020 was getting to be too much, I decided it was time to get back into the hobby. Looking forward to learning &...