Help with testing

[jonnyc88]

And don't worry, the advice you'll get here will be helpful and is aimed at getting your fish a happy healthy home so you can enjoy them better. Daily water changes will seem a bit of a faff for now but it'll not be forever and once your cycle is completed you can relax a bit.

Spot on I'm a beginner as well and learnt lots here over last few months.
Daily water changes can be a bit of a challenge but for me it's good exercise too We have the same sized tank too so I know how it feels.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Best keep the fish in the tank, taking them out will be doubly stressful. Just use your syphon hose (fish generally ignore the syphon)to take water out into bucket until 70-80% taken and refill with fresh water at approximate tank water temperature and don’t forget to add tap safe / dechlorinator for the same amount of water you put back in the tank.

Not much more for me to add here, seems folks around here are giving good advice

 

[geddy]

Beat keep the fish in the tank, taking them out will be doubly stressful. Just use your syphon hose (fish generally ignore the syphon)to take water out into bucket until 70-80% taken and refill with fresh water at approximate tank water temperature and don’t forget to add tap safe / dechlorinator for the same amount of water you put back in the tank.

Not much more for me to add here, seems folks around here are giving good advice

So only add new water with the water condidtioner?

 

[Ch4rlie]

So only add new water with the water condidtioner?

yep

 

[kwi]

Add the conditioner to the water before putting it in the tank. (Just in case that's not obvious in the directions.)

 

[jonnyc88]

Add the conditioner to the water before putting it in the tank. (Just in case that's not obvious in the directions.)

I use a syringe to help with the dosing. I have a 10 litre bucket so it's pretty easy to work out the dose per bucket.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Should I leave the fish in the tank when I take the water out now?? Or put then in a bucket or something?

Yep, as @Ch4rlie said, netting them out and moving them is much more stressful than lowering the water while you do a big water change. Lower it to a height the angel can safely remain upright, so 75-80% should be okay, and it's only for a couple of minutes while you prep the first bucket and top it up again, they'll be fine

I forgot you had a very tall fish though, so remove as much as you can without the angel having to tip on it's side, which should still be a lot of the water, then estimate how much of the percentage that is. I can easily remove 85-90% of the total water, but my fish are guppies so they're skinny, lol

 

[Essjay]

You need to test the water every days and every time nitrite shows a reading above zero, do another large water change. This could mean water changes every day, or even more than once a day to keep the fish safe.

 

[geddy]

You need to test the water every days and every time nitrite shows a reading above zero, do another large water change. This could mean water changes every day, or even more than once a day to keep the fish safe.

Should I change the filter too? I just did another big water change.

 

[kwi]

Should I change the filter too? I just did another big water change.

No, the filter is where most of the bacteria that deal with Ammonia and Nitrite live. Clean it by rinsing in dirty tank water you've removed during water changes every now and then.

 

[geddy]

You need to test the water every days and every time nitrite shows a reading above zero, do another large water change. This could mean water changes every day, or even more than once a day to keep the fish safe.

Hey so I have done 2 major water changes like 80% and here where I am at now with my test strip...how is I looking now? Should I do another water change???

 

[mbsqw1d]

Hey so I have done 2 major water changes like 80% and here where I am at now with my test strip...how is I looking now? Should I do another water change???

Do you have an ammonia test? Nitrites do look a little high so yes, worth removing that by doing a water change. Is a good sign you're getting nitrites though

 

[geddy]

Do you have an ammonia test? Nitrites do look a little high so yes, worth removing that by doing a water change. Is a good sign you're getting nitrites though

Do another big 80% water change? Or a smaller one?

 

[mbsqw1d]

Do another big 80% water change? Or a smaller one?

Nitrite looks to be around the 3ppm mark so yes, would recommend a large 80% one

 

[Ch4rlie]

Anytime you ever see ammonia and/or nitrite showing any readingover zero, do a water change.

Obviously the higher the reading, the more toxicity the livestock are being exposed to so therefore means the larger the water change you need to do.

By the way, this strip dip test sticks are not the best for accuracy or reliability imho, so many variables can affect the readings of these types of test.

Would suggest, if you can, to purchase a liquid test kit such as API Master Freshwater Test kit, not bad value as tests include ammonia, nitrite, nitrates and pH.