Hello, Need Advice (quiet Urgent)

[indigoj]

LOL, that happens all too often.

 

[waterdrop]

OK, good to have caught it at 0.25ppm, perfect timing.

I'd change 50 to 70%, mostly since the nitrates are not low. Post up your tap stats, unless I've missed that. If the tap stats are good (like zero nitrates) then we'll have an advantage if we get in another change later today or one tomorrow and get you off to a good start.

Be sure to 1.5x or 2x dose your conditioner and roughly temp match with your hand and of course gravel-clean to get the water out in the first place.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[vincentclive]

OK, good to have caught it at 0.25ppm, perfect timing.

I'd change 50 to 70%, mostly since the nitrates are not low. Post up your tap stats, unless I've missed that. If the tap stats are good (like zero nitrates) then we'll have an advantage if we get in another change later today or one tomorrow and get you off to a good start.

Be sure to 1.5x or 2x dose your conditioner and roughly temp match with your hand and of course gravel-clean to get the water out in the first place.

~~waterdrop~~

thanks again, just finished a 50% change and thought i'd take some tests of my tap water while i let the pumps mix the water.

tap water:

PH 7.8
ammonia 0
nitrates 10
nitrites 0

done a test after the 50% water change

ammonia 0 (0-.25)
nitrates 20
nitrites 0

 

[waterdrop]

Good, you're right where you want to be and now you've got the kit so you can measure and make your own judgements about how well your percentage and frequency of water changes are helping to keep your ammonia and nitrite both below a max of 0.25ppm before you can change water again, that's the goal.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[vincentclive]

Good, you're right where you want to be and now you've got the kit so you can measure and make your own judgements about how well your percentage and frequency of water changes are helping to keep your ammonia and nitrite both below a max of 0.25ppm before you can change water again, that's the goal.

~~waterdrop~~

thanks chap, i'm feeling a bit more comfortable with the whole set up already. only thing i'd like to have done is being able to chose my own stock from the get go, but such is life least i got it all for free , shouldn't be to long, i intend to re-home the bala before he gets to big (which is a shame because of the 3 he's my favourite and i really like his size at the moment). dunno what to do with the kissing fish, i guess ideally i should re-home them too.

 

[waterdrop]

Great plan and you should relax and take some good pleasure from them as they are all quite nice fish in their own right! Its good though, for their sakes, to not let their growth get away from you, you can remember them as thanking you for it. --wd--

 

[vincentclive]

todays readings

ammonia 0
nitrites 0
nitrates 20/40

am i able to avoid a water change today? it's essentially little different to my tap water.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, good time to not change and then just see what happens.. takes a number of trial & errors to figure it out sometimes

 

[vincentclive]

Yes, good time to not change and then just see what happens.. takes a number of trial & errors to figure it out sometimes

great, nice to have a day off (if only from water changes )

 

[vincentclive]

hey guys, quick Q. to maximise room in my tank i'm considering buying an external filter on payday, would the hagan fluval 205 be suitable for the tank (juwel rio 125 litre) it's rated for 200 litre tanks. will i need to cover the intake/outlet with some kind of mesh (tights or something) when i change the stocking in the tank to smaller species?

does the filter box in juwel tanks just come right out (i've not tried or even looked at the one in mine yet)

or is there another external filter you'd suggest, probably a max budget of £60, £70 at a big push

 

[waterdrop]

I think a 205 sounds big enough. Might be similar to a Rena XP2 like we were talking about in some other thread recently...

 

[vincentclive]

I think a 205 sounds big enough. Might be similar to a Rena XP2 like we were talking about in some other thread recently...

having had a poke around it seems the tetratec ex700 would be a better bet?

 

[indigoj]

I'd even go for the tetratec ex1200 - not much price difference and if you use the spray bar then it doesn't cause a whirlpool. I an't remember if the flowrate is adjustable but I ran one on a 100l tank with no problems at all. Also means that when you upgrade the tank then you've a big enough filter already LOL.

You shouldn't need to cover inlets/outlets unless you go for tiny fish or have fry.

Never had a Juwel tank so can't help with whether the filter comes out easily but it can't be too hard as loads of people remove them.

 

[waterdrop]

Yeah, that's true, if you're in UK I think the Tetrateks are very available and lots here like them. Very low prices and I think there's perhaps only been one recall for failing outlet pipes (if I'm remembering maybe one post correctly?) but overall a good track record so far. Some of the very experienced members here have been very pleased with them.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[vincentclive]

thanks again guys, i think i'm going to go for the ex700, it's in my budget and it's rated to more than cope with my sized tank, thanks indigoj for the suggestion of a bigger filter in case of future upgrade, but i live at home at the moment (and for the foreseeable future) and the 125 is really the only thing i could safely keep in my bedroom and i have absolutely zero chance of being allowed a tank anywhere else in the house

tests for today:

ammo 0
nitrites 0
nitrates 20/40 (probably closer to the 40 mark today)