Molly with droopy tail. Tb??

[Byron]

Is that good? The strips told me everything was at a dangerous level after a water change etc I just got this kit and that's the results does that mean the tank is cycled ?

Not necessarily. If several consecutive days have test results indicating zero ammonia and nitrite and some nitrtate, then it is likely cycled. Your ammonia at 0.25 is something to try and sort out. But something else earlier caught my attention just now in reading through this thread again:

Also I use extra prime by seachem to fight the chemicals and the ammonia and nitrites.

What "chemicals" are you referring to? Prime will not affect chemicals.

Prime is not a medication and should never be used except as a fresh water conditioner. It does have detrimental properties to fish if used excessively, and frankly even just as recommended. It will detoxify heavy metals, and temporarily detoxify ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. The latter three will still show in tests like the API, even though "harmless" initially. After roughly 24-36 hours, all three if still present will revert back to their toxic form.

 

[Avictory2896]

I read it wrong ammonia is 0ppm. Also the chemicals in tap water couldn't think of the word.

 

[Avictory2896]

Dechlorinate.

 

[Byron]

Dechlorinate.

OK, fine. But only use Prime at the minimum recommended dose, which is the amount to dechlorinate the fresh water added, not the whole tank..

 

[Avictory2896]

Ok thx. So test my water a few days after today and if things stay the same my tank is Cycled? Also can I put my carbon back in since the ich was treated and gone? I used the carbon filter when I found out I had ich is it safe to use still??

 

[Byron]

Ok thx. So test my water a few days after today and if things stay the same my tank is Cycled? Also can I put my carbon back in since the ich was treated and gone? I used the carbon filter when I found out I had ich is it safe to use still??

Test every day (at the same time of the day is advisable, doesn't always matter depending upon the test subject but a good habit to get into) for several days in succession, and if ammonia and nitrite remain zero, you should be cycled.

Carbon is recommended to be removed during treatments because it can adsorb the medication (depending what is used). If you used salt and heat and no other ich treament medication, the carbon is fine as far as that goes. Carbon does eventually lose its effectiveness to adsorb (it is adsorb, not absorb here) and this period depends upon how much "stuff" it is adsorbing. If you have live plants, carbon is not recommended. Without live plants, some use it and some don't. It can't hurt, but just remember its effectiveness is not permanent.

 

[Avictory2896]

Thank you very much guys !! Hopefully I don't have to get back on this subject. The Molly is clearing it's eyes and swimming better top fin still clamped but it's tail is starting to open again.

 

[Avictory2896]

Nevermind his top fin is unclamping too

 

[Avictory2896]

Tail still kinda droopy though. Is he okay?

 

[Colin_T]

The new water test results (0.25 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate) would suggest the filter has cycled but you should not have any ammonia.

Did you feed the fish before doing the test?
Make sure you rise the test phials out 3 times with water you are testing before doing the test. And with clean tap water after you have tested it. Do not have your finger on top of the phial when shaking it up or swirling the water and test solution around. Skin acids and dirt on your fingers can contaminate the sample.
*NB* Chemicals used in test kits are pretty hazardous. So make sure kids can't get to the test kits and wash your hands with soapy water after using them.

Check your tap water for ammonia, nitrite & nitrate. Some tapwater has low levels of nitrate. After checking a sample of tapwater, dechlorinate a sample of tapwater and retest for ammonia. If you get an ammonia reading after dechlorinating it, you have chloramine in the tap water and this could be causing the low level ammonia readings. However, the filters should pick up any trace ammonia after water changes.
Some water conditioners bind with the ammonia in tapwater and prevent the filters being able to use it. If this is the case, the ammonia that is bound is normally harmless to the fish.

 

[Avictory2896]

Thank you. I read it wrong it was actually yellow so 0. The colors on the ammonia are so close I had to look under really good lighting. How can I bring my readings down on my new tank. Doing a fish in cycle ammonia is 1ppm nitrites .50ppm nitrates about 5. It is a 120 gallon the fish are doing well did a 1/3 water change with a super gravel clean. Anything else ? Also used stress coat api conditioner

 

[Avictory2896]

The old tank is cycled now from what you guys are saying. But i have the new tank now.

 

[Colin_T]

The easiest way to reduce any chemicals in an aquarium is to do a water change. 50% or more water changes will dilute anything in the water by half. If you get high levels of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate you can do 75-90% water changes.
Just make sure any new water being used is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the aquarium.