First time testing my water...

[rjbelles]

Hi,

I just finished testing my aquarium water with the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. I have had my 29 gallon tank for three weeks. I have a gourami, two small corys, one black molly, five tetras, three danios. My tank temperature is 78 degrees. Here are my test results:

Ph - 7.2
High Ph - 7.8
Ammonia - .25ppm
Nitrite - 0 ppm
Nitrate - 0 ppm

I have no idea if these numbers are good or bad. Would someone kindly get back to me with an answer? Also, if any of the tests need supplements, please tell me what to get.

Thank you,

Richard Belles

 

[NannaLou]

Hi,

I just finished testing my aquarium water with the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. I have had my 29 gallon tank for three weeks. I have a gourami, two small corys, one black molly, five tetras, three danios. My tank temperature is 78 degrees. Here are my test results:

Ph - 7.2
High Ph - 7.8
Ammonia - .25ppm
Nitrite - 0 ppm
Nitrate - 0 ppm

I have no idea if these numbers are good or bad. Would someone kindly get back to me with an answer? Also, if any of the tests need supplements, please tell me what to get.

Thank you,

Richard Belles

Hello Richard, did you cycle your tank before adding fish..?
Ammonia and Nitrite need to be at zero ppm. So you need to do a water change to remove the ammonia reading. Make sure the water you are replacing is the same temperature and has been treated to remove chlorine and/or chloramphenicol.
EDIT: not sure how that final word became what it did! Should read chloramine.

 

[rjbelles]

Hello Richard, did you cycle your tank before adding fish..?
Ammonia and Nitrite need to be at zero ppm. So you need to do a water change to remove the ammonia reading. Make sure the water you are replacing is the same temperature and has been treated to remove chlorine and/or chloramphenicol.

Thank you. Are the PH readings OK. Is there something I can add to the water to reduce the ammonia?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Agree with the above, large WC, with a good conditioner, like Seachem Prime, or API Tap water conditioner....these will render the ammonia non-toxic for 24 hours, or so.

Test again in 24 hours. If ANY ammonia present, do another WC.

Do this daily until ammonia is 0 ppm.

 

[Byron]

I concur with others, generally, but with a reservation. First, please answer their question about cycling, as this could be that issue. Ammonia at so low a level may well be due to chloramine in the source water; this is quite common, we have had a few threads about it. Do you know if your water authority adds chloramine with or in place of chlorine?

Are there live plants in the tank?

Use the regular pH test going forward, not the high pH test; as you can see, the results are different and this might lead to confusion and issues down the road.

 

[rjbelles]

I concur with others, generally, but with a reservation. First, please answer their question about cycling, as this could be that issue. Ammonia at so low a level may well be due to chloramine in the source water; this is quite common, we have had a few threads about it. Do you know if your water authority adds chloramine with or in place of chlorine?

Are there live plants in the tank?

Use the regular pH test going forward, not the high pH test; as you can see, the results are different and this might lead to confusion and issues down the road.

Not sure about the chloramine in the source water. I have not cycled the water since I started it up three weeks ago.

 

[rjbelles]

Not sure about the chloramine in the source water. I have not cycled the water since I started it up three weeks ago.

there are no plants in the aquarium

 

[Byron]

This is thus likely a cycling issue, and others have advised about water changes. I would also check with your water authority, probably on their website, to see what exactly they are adding.

 

[NannaLou]

Thank you. Are the PH readings OK. Is there something I can add to the water to reduce the ammonia?

I don’t understand the PH reading enough myself to answer that one I’m afraid. I don’t think they are ‘dangerous’ in the same way that Ammonia and Nitrites are…but different species of fish need different water types (hard/soft) and being in the wrong water hardness can have health implications.
Some one else will come along and explain this to you.

It sounds like you have fallen into,the group of us that find ourselves doing a “fish in cycle” and there will be a sticky on here somewhere giving you all of the details on how to do this.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Richard, most importantly, read this, and post any further questions you have after doing so: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/rescuing-a-fish-in-cycle-gone-wild-part-i.433769/

You will be doing a "fish-in" cycle, not the easiest or most recommended, but it's not hard to do, with a proper test kit, water conditioner, and by following the directions in the link above.

If you are able, and have a faucet nearby the tank that will accompany this tool, I HIGHLY recommend it...you will be doing many water changes during the cycle, then weekly ones after that...IMO, this (or ones like it) are a must-have piece of equipment for freshwater fish keeping: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NXC/?tag=ff0d01-20

 

[Avel1896]

I have a gourami, two small corys, one black molly, five tetras, three danios

Ammonia apart ( must be undetactable, as nitrites) this is good for Molly, but not at all for others that are acid and soft water fishes : they should live in pH 6.5 to 7, GH and KH below 8. Didn't you check GH and KH ?

What are your tank measurements and volume ?

How do you filter, lighten it ?

Pics of tank would be helpfull.

 

[The_Labyrinth]

I'd ditch the black molly, as it is the main misfit here, to a friend or give back to the LFS and just shoot for 80F (although 78 is OK) and a pH of 6.8. The rest of the fish will be happier in that environment. And, what is your GH? It should be definitely be lower than 10 as well.

 

[Avel1896]

If you manage to :
- waterchange until ammonia and nitrite are zero and nitrates are below 15,
- add lots of natural plants including floatings ones,
- test regularly (once a week or every 10 days) pH, GH, KH, NH3, NO2, NO3,
- lower GH and KH (being respectively hardness and alkalinity) under 8 it should be ok.

 

[Byron]

Before we start lowering GH or pH, which may not be necessary, we need to know these numbers. The pH is 7.2, but the GH has not yet been stated. @rjbelles can you find the GH (general or total hardness) in the data on the website of your local water authority? No point in buying a tester you may never use once we know this, as GH is relatively static. And it will give us a clue as to what the pH may do in future.

 

[The_Labyrinth]

GH is relatively static.

NOT. It depends if you add in driftwood, almond leaves, etc. Knowing the GH from your tap is a great starting point, but it is not the end-all-be-all for the actual aquarium water quality. GH can also be affected by just topping off due to evaporation, etc depending on the mineral content of the water so it is not really static in a small volume aquarium. Typically fish put up with a very wide range which is why this parameter is less important unless you are trying to breed.