Fish Now Eating , But Ammonia And Nitrate Reading Help

[Deleted member 107737]

Hi All,
 
Been to my local fish shop and the top man has said feed my baby platies tetra wafer mix. Ive put one disk in the tank and all the fish come to surface and started nibbling immediately. WOW beats fish flake crushed anyday as it was going straight down to the bottom and i couldnt see if they were eating or not...
 
But also i tested the water this morning and have found 0.1ppm nitrite and 0.25 ammonia. I know both should be 0ppm but only transfered the established filter and gravel and babies to the new tank last night.
 
SHOULD i do a water change yet.
 
Fish shop guy said 2 times a week 25% until they have grown................... Is that correct??
 
 
Please help,
 
thanks,
 
dave
 
 

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Was the established filter just turned off, moved and turned on? If it was down for any length of time the beneficial bacteria will have died off.
 
I'd do a water change ASAP.

 

[Deleted member 107737]

it was swtiched off for about 5 minutes but kept wet in the old tank water, then restarted again


how much water change on a 54litre tank??, 20 litres of the 54litre currently in the tank was taken from the small tank which the fish were orignially taken from.

 

[Gilli]

Test every day and at least a 50% water change every day until stats are back to 0. If the  toxic levels rise make the daily water changes bigger. Also cut back on feeding as this will make things worse.

 

[Deleted member 107737]

Sorry to confuse the matter, but ive just checked the ammonia again and you know actually when i look at the results ina adifferent light, it does look like the ammonia is better than the 0.25ppm which i had displayed.
 
I think its closer to 0ppm than 0.25.
 
Do i still need to worry and do a water change??
 
Thanks,
 
Dave

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Always read the tubes in natural light whenever possible.
 
A WC is not a bad idea, regardless of the stats.
 
 
 
As far as the bacteria "dieing" if its left for "any length of time", that's just not true.

 

[Gilli]

Sorry to confuse the matter, but ive just checked the ammonia again and you know actually when i look at the results ina adifferent light, it does look like the ammonia is better than the 0.25ppm which i had displayed.
 
I think its closer to 0ppm than 0.25.
 
Do i still need to worry and do a water change??
 
Thanks,
 
Dave

Yes! unless you are sure it is 0.Best way to view it is in natural light sideways on

 

[Lunar Jetman]

I think you have all the advice you need above but just to reiterate, carry out regular water changes until Ammonia and Nitrite levels are 0.