rails4ever
New Member
OK,
Here is where I will start -
I purchased myself a 5 gallon fish tank. I used API Quick Start, dechlorinator, and conditioner and let it cycle for several days.
After letting it cycle I added a heater which keeps the tank around 78-80 degrees consistently.
I then added some decorations into the tank.
After all of that above, I tested the water and got the following readings
pH 6.8
Ammonia 0 PPM
Nitrite 0 PPM
Nitrate 10 PPM (Coming from source water which is my tap)
I added in 3 guppies and 2 mollies, which since learned that mollies can NOT be in a 5 gallon tank happily.. and instead of removing them I am letting them run their course, instead of trying to fish them out and bring them back to the store... The 2 mollies are hanging out lethargicly at the top of the tank for a while, then swim around, then hang out at the top of the tank for a while and swim again. I know this can't be an oxygen problem since the 5 gallon tank I use, the filtration system adds air into the water... I purchased the National Geographic 5 Gallon glass tank... unless I need to also add in an Air stone? The filter produces plenty of bubbles as it splashes down into the water.
So, now I realized that my Nitrates have spiked to 20 PPM, but never one time did I get ammonia readings or nitrite readings... which really confuses me... It should STILL be at 10 PPM, not 20.... Unless the plants are adding nitrates? If the fish were adding nitrates through their waste, there would definately be ammonia and or nitrites in the water, but I don't think over 5 days that bacteria has built up..
The other 3 guppies are happily swimming around and seem just fine.
In regards to my source water having 10 PPM of nitrates in it... what should I use to do the 10-15% cycle of water? Distilled water? Is there something I can add to the water to reduce nitrates?
If I showed some ammonia or nitrites I'd assume the tank is cycled but never once did I get readings of Ammonia or Nitrites.
I seriously don't know what is wrong.. The water has also gotten a little cloudy but nothing too rediculous.
Should I definitely add an air stone even having the stock filter that came with the tank?
What should I do about the water.. can I use Distilled water to do 20% water changes?
What is going on with the Mollies... the other fish are swimming around just fine, yet the 2 mollies seem to be hanging out at the top and they are very lethargic.
What else can folks suggest here?
Here is where I will start -
I purchased myself a 5 gallon fish tank. I used API Quick Start, dechlorinator, and conditioner and let it cycle for several days.
After letting it cycle I added a heater which keeps the tank around 78-80 degrees consistently.
I then added some decorations into the tank.
After all of that above, I tested the water and got the following readings
pH 6.8
Ammonia 0 PPM
Nitrite 0 PPM
Nitrate 10 PPM (Coming from source water which is my tap)
I added in 3 guppies and 2 mollies, which since learned that mollies can NOT be in a 5 gallon tank happily.. and instead of removing them I am letting them run their course, instead of trying to fish them out and bring them back to the store... The 2 mollies are hanging out lethargicly at the top of the tank for a while, then swim around, then hang out at the top of the tank for a while and swim again. I know this can't be an oxygen problem since the 5 gallon tank I use, the filtration system adds air into the water... I purchased the National Geographic 5 Gallon glass tank... unless I need to also add in an Air stone? The filter produces plenty of bubbles as it splashes down into the water.
So, now I realized that my Nitrates have spiked to 20 PPM, but never one time did I get ammonia readings or nitrite readings... which really confuses me... It should STILL be at 10 PPM, not 20.... Unless the plants are adding nitrates? If the fish were adding nitrates through their waste, there would definately be ammonia and or nitrites in the water, but I don't think over 5 days that bacteria has built up..
The other 3 guppies are happily swimming around and seem just fine.
In regards to my source water having 10 PPM of nitrates in it... what should I use to do the 10-15% cycle of water? Distilled water? Is there something I can add to the water to reduce nitrates?
If I showed some ammonia or nitrites I'd assume the tank is cycled but never once did I get readings of Ammonia or Nitrites.
I seriously don't know what is wrong.. The water has also gotten a little cloudy but nothing too rediculous.
Should I definitely add an air stone even having the stock filter that came with the tank?
What should I do about the water.. can I use Distilled water to do 20% water changes?
What is going on with the Mollies... the other fish are swimming around just fine, yet the 2 mollies seem to be hanging out at the top and they are very lethargic.
What else can folks suggest here?
