Another Newbie, And First Time Poster

[mooster]

hi all, can some one put me right on my water levels! i have a 16 litre tank with live plants,some sort of stingray filter, an air stone and the tank has bin runnin for 6 weeks now. i have got quite a few fish ( 16 cos a mates tank split and we did a rapid fish rescue !)and everything seems ok, no deaths but my pal as set me off thinking about me levels and he has give me his test kit which is an api master test kit.

so if anyone could help and post on what levels i need to be at i would be very greatfull

thanks

 

[backtotropical]

Hi Mooster,

Welcome to the forum.

In response to your question

Ammonia should always be 0. Any other reading suggests a problem and can be deadly for your fish.

Nitrite should always be 0. Any other reading suggests a problem and can be deadly for your fish.

Nitrate can safely be anything between 0ppm - 100ppm. As a guide to an ideal value, if your tank water has a much higher reading than your tap water, that would suggest that more regular water changes are required.

PH, generally anything between 6 and 8.5 is ok, but a stable PH is most important.

Post your test results when you get them and we'll be able to help further.

BTT

 

[Tigerlilly]

Hi Mooster, welcome to the forum

 

[mooster]

Hi Mooster,

Welcome to the forum.

In response to your question

Ammonia should always be 0. Any other reading suggests a problem and can be deadly for your fish.

Nitrite should always be 0. Any other reading suggests a problem and can be deadly for your fish.

Nitrate can safely be anything between 0ppm - 100ppm. As a guide to an ideal value, if your tank water has a much higher reading than your tap water, that would suggest that more regular water changes are required.

PH, generally anything between 6 and 8.5 is ok, but a stable PH is most important.

Post your test results when you get them and we'll be able to help further.

BTT

hi again, just done a test on me water and i don`t know if it`s a big problem or not but my results are



amonia 2.0
nitrite2.0
nitrate 20

water has gone a little cloudy too but i`m due to do a water change today! will this help ?

please tell me this is not a big problem, if it is can someone give me pointers for a solution

thanks

 

[backtotropical]

Ammonia being at 2.0 is lethal for fish. Nitrite being at 2.0 is lethal for fish.

Your nitrate is fine if thats any consolation.

You need to get ammonia and nitrite down to 0.25 or below. The best way to do this is with water changes.

I suggest do a 75% water change now, and then another 50% water change just before you go to bed tonight.

Another 50% water change when you wake up in the morning and then test again.

What is your PH?

Unfortunately, you seem to have acquired a fish tank and no advice on how to maintain it. All too common i'm afraid. Keep asking questions on here and you will get sorted out.

 

[mooster]

Ammonia being at 2.0 is lethal for fish. Nitrite being at 2.0 is lethal for fish.

Your nitrate is fine if thats any consolation.

You need to get ammonia and nitrite down to 0.25 or below. The best way to do this is with water changes.

I suggest do a 75% water change now, and then another 50% water change just before you go to bed tonight.

Another 50% water change when you wake up in the morning and then test again.

What is your PH?

Unfortunately, you seem to have acquired a fish tank and no advice on how to maintain it. All too common i'm afraid. Keep asking questions on here and you will get sorted out.

hi again, done a couple of large water changes and my results are lookin better


amonia 0.50
nitrite1.0
nitrate10

will do another big water change tonite and then in mornin but my next question is, when my levels are down to what they should be, i`m afraid that my levels will go mad as soon as i stop the water changes! i will be doin tests every day cos i`m on edge now but if they start goin up again i`ll pull all me air out!!!! PLEASE SOMEONE PUT MY MIND TO REST

 

[rocknurworld2006]

Ammonia being at 2.0 is lethal for fish. Nitrite being at 2.0 is lethal for fish.

Your nitrate is fine if thats any consolation.

You need to get ammonia and nitrite down to 0.25 or below. The best way to do this is with water changes.

I suggest do a 75% water change now, and then another 50% water change just before you go to bed tonight.

Another 50% water change when you wake up in the morning and then test again.

What is your PH?

Unfortunately, you seem to have acquired a fish tank and no advice on how to maintain it. All too common i'm afraid. Keep asking questions on here and you will get sorted out.

hi again, done a couple of large water changes and my results are lookin better


amonia 0.50
nitrite1.0
nitrate10

will do another big water change tonite and then in mornin but my next question is, when my levels are down to what they should be, i`m afraid that my levels will go mad as soon as i stop the water changes! i will be doin tests every day cos i`m on edge now but if they start goin up again i`ll pull all me air out!!!! PLEASE SOMEONE PUT MY MIND TO REST

they may go up again because your tank is seriously overstocked it produces more waste than your filter can handle

are you getting another aquarium for them, i reckon yif not you will prrobably always have this same problem as it cant handle the bio load!

 

[mooster]

Ammonia being at 2.0 is lethal for fish. Nitrite being at 2.0 is lethal for fish.

Your nitrate is fine if thats any consolation.

You need to get ammonia and nitrite down to 0.25 or below. The best way to do this is with water changes.

I suggest do a 75% water change now, and then another 50% water change just before you go to bed tonight.

Another 50% water change when you wake up in the morning and then test again.

What is your PH?

Unfortunately, you seem to have acquired a fish tank and no advice on how to maintain it. All too common i'm afraid. Keep asking questions on here and you will get sorted out.

hi again, done a couple of large water changes and my results are lookin better


amonia 0.50
nitrite1.0
nitrate10

will do another big water change tonite and then in mornin but my next question is, when my levels are down to what they should be, i`m afraid that my levels will go mad as soon as i stop the water changes! i will be doin tests every day cos i`m on edge now but if they start goin up again i`ll pull all me air out!!!! PLEASE SOMEONE PUT MY MIND TO REST

they may go up again because your tank is seriously overstocked it produces more waste than your filter can handle

are you getting another aquarium for them, i reckon yif not you will prrobably always have this same problem as it cant handle the bio load!

wot about another filter? would that help

 

[rocknurworld2006]

if the filter is mature then yes

but if not it has to build up bacteria as well so could take just as long as the first one, may work in the long run,
the best thing you need to do is

1) get another large tank
2)find most of fish new home
3)see if lfs will take them

what kind of fish do you have in there??

did you cycle tank first??

and do you add dechlorinator when doing water changes??

Another thing which is good to help bring down ammonia levels is ammo chips that you put in your filter!!
but dont use any ammonia remover as this usually just turns it to non toxic ammonia and will still show on your test results as present ammonia, basically their useless!!
any more questions dontt be afraid to ask, as everyone on here is very helpful