My First Water Test, How Did I Do?

[ITHURTZ]

I bought some Mardel test strips while I was at work ( was going to home depot so mine as well hit petsmart to)

Here are my results

Ammonia .25
Nitrate- 50
Nitrite - 0
hardness- 200
AK 300+ ( my reading was blue, green was highest on scale)
PH 8.4+

I just did a 40% water change sunday, well water. Next saturday I plan to do a 50% change as I usually do every week

 

[Tessla]

Ammonia should be zero at all times, how long have you had the tank set up, what size and what is the stocking? pH is also a bit high unless you've got hard water fish, it may be worthwhile using a bit of rainwater or RO water, filtering over peat or adding some bogwood to the tank. But I'd be wary of the test results, get yourself a good liquid test kit, API makes a good freshwater master. I've got some of those same Mardel strips and the readings are always off from those of my API kit, the things are practically worthless.

40-50% water changes are pretty drastic to be doing weekly and might be stressing your fish a bit much. If you really need to change that much water in your tank, 20% changes twice a week would be better, but you shouldn't need to unless your tank is very overstocked or having ammonia or other troubles.

 

[sparts]

Ammonia should be zero at all times, how long have you had the tank set up, what size and what is the stocking? pH is also a bit high unless you've got hard water fish, it may be worthwhile using a bit of rainwater or RO water, filtering over peat or adding some bogwood to the tank. But I'd be wary of the test results, get yourself a good liquid test kit, API makes a good freshwater master. I've got some of those same Mardel strips and the readings are always off from those of my API kit, the things are practically worthless.

40-50% water changes are pretty drastic to be doing weekly and might be stressing your fish a bit much. If you really need to change that much water in your tank, 20% changes twice a week would be better, but you shouldn't need to unless your tank is very overstocked or having ammonia or other troubles.

Test strips can be very variable in there results, if i were you i would invest in an API master kit which has liquid tests you can use which i find very accurate if you follow the instructions, i have run both and found the api to be the best type to use, and i keep discu so i need to have accurate readings with water paramiters being as constant as possible.

hope this helps a little

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Test strips can be very variable in there results, if i were you i would invest in an API master kit which has liquid tests you can use which i find very accurate if you follow the instructions, i have run both and found the api to be the best type to use, and i keep discu so i need to have accurate readings with water paramiters being as constant as possible.

hope this helps a little

agreed, test strips are pretty rubbish IMO

 

[Maxta]

What is the importance of Nitrate levels, what should they be at when fish are in the tank? The 190L tank downstairs results i took yesterday:

pH - 7.2
ammonia - 0
nitrate - 20-40

 

[Miss Wiggle]

nitrate is what your filter converts ammonia and nitrite too. there will be some already present in your tap water, it's dangerous in very high quantities but not half as toxic as ammonia or nitrite. it's rare you get tanks with 0 nitrate.

people will give you different figures for what is a 'safe' level of nitrite. Unless it's over 100 you don't need to really panic. It can give a good indication of how your stocking and maintenance is going, if it's rising more than 40ppm between water changes then you need less fish or more maintenance.

it's worth mentioning as well that nitrate test results are always dodgy. the technology needed to test accuratley just isn't available to the average aquarist. The test results should be viewed more as an indication of the level rather than an accurate reading and you should always follow the instructions very accuratley even if they seem quite onerous.

 

[Maxta]

So basically when cycling, dont really take much notice of the nitrate levels if theyre under 100. Its just ammonia, pH and nitrite i need to be looking at.

So what levels of nitrite should i be getting:

>> during cycling?
>> when cycling is complete?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

thats my opinion yes, some people will tell you that 100ppm is very dangerous and to keep it lower. I'll leave it down to you to make your own mind up, if you search for posts from andywg and bignose on the subject of nitrate you should find all the info you need.

nitrite during cycling will go up then down, once you've finished cycling it should always be 0

 

[Maxta]

Thanks for the info. One last question, i thought pH was meant to raise when you added ammonia to the water? Before i added ammonia the pH of my water was 6.6. Now that iv added ammonia, 12-14 hours on, the pH of my water is still 6.6, possibly a little higher but not much.

 

[BigIan]

NOPE THE PH WILL REMAIN THE SAME...
it may drop towards the end of the cycle due to nitrates building up in the water.

If this happens it can cause your cycle to stall and you may need to do a partial water change to re start t again

 

[ITHURTZ]

Ammonia should be zero at all times, how long have you had the tank set up, what size and what is the stocking? pH is also a bit high unless you've got hard water fish, it may be worthwhile using a bit of rainwater or RO water, filtering over peat or adding some bogwood to the tank. But I'd be wary of the test results, get yourself a good liquid test kit, API makes a good freshwater master. I've got some of those same Mardel strips and the readings are always off from those of my API kit, the things are practically worthless.

40-50% water changes are pretty drastic to be doing weekly and might be stressing your fish a bit much. If you really need to change that much water in your tank, 20% changes twice a week would be better, but you shouldn't need to unless your tank is very overstocked or having ammonia or other troubles.

Tanks been around since July/August 2006. Stats are in my sig. I have driftwood in the tank.

Thats stupid that the test strips suck haha, Ill have to use these up fast. If 20% water changes in a 55gal is much better than 40-50 then I shall do it like that as long as its the same. Im just a little worried as 20% will dirty to fast as I dont really have the cleanest fish around.

 

[Tessla]

Hmm, didn't see your sig before. There are a few problems with your tank, the first being you have too many goldfish in there. For fancy goldfish, you need an absolute minimum of 20 gallons (I'd say 30 myself) for the first fish plus 10 gallons for each one after. Comets are bigger and more active, I wouldn't put a single comet in anything smaller than 75 gallons (though it could be kept with other fish.) Commons just get way too big and really ought to be kept in ponds. That gives you enough space for four fancy goldfish; not counting your two fancies you have four goldfish that get too big for the tank. Fantails should also not be kept with the more streamlined commons or comets as they will be outcompeted as the commons or comets grow. In addition you've got a pleco (assuming a common or sailfin?) which is also a large, heavy waste producing fish.

You've got the tank heated to a tropical temperature which isn't at all good for the goldfish. I'd remove the heater altogether and if you live in an area with hot summers, you may even need a chiller. The tropical fish shouldn't be in the same tank with the goldfish, that would be everything but the minnow, and the minnow will likely become food when the goldfish get bigger.

Now before you go "but they've been fine for the past several months," the lifespan of a common or comet goldfish is 30-40 years, fancies aren't quite as long lived, but they still live for a good 20 years at least, a few months is nothing. The problems with your tank will likely not cause any short term issues with your fish, but will affect the long term health and lifespan of your fish. I'd suggest rehoming all but your fantails and getting another one or two fantails, nothing more. Or you could rehome all of the coldwater fish and the plec if a common or sailfin (gets much too large for your tank) and make a tropical community out of your tank.

With your current stocking, I'd do 20% changes twice weekly and get one of the good test kits. Down to a reasonable stocking level (assuming you went with goldfish), you could do 20-25% every week.

 

[ITHURTZ]

I am aware of these fish's size, as stated before hopefully be fall/ early winter they will have a 250gal home..

Pleco is a common I beleive, and my fantails have no problem getting food as they are the smallest in the tank next to the minnow. They all share

The tank was at a 67-68 degree temp for the longest time, I added a heater and its mostly around 75 and they are all more active and love it. 75 is fine for all these fish. As for chillers, we have air a conditioning house, itself will never get above 68

I defy odds by putting cold with tropical water, and yes I beleive my tinfoils already ate 1 of my minnows back in the summer time when they were super small.

You guys need to learn ,just because its a 55gal, doesnt mean that the final size of all tanks. A 250gal 8 foot long is in the not distant but not so near (6months min) future and everyone will have more water than they know what to do with. For right now they all swim together, hang out etc. They have been like this for way over 6-7months, and they all love each other! Ill do a few more water changes a week just to keep things cleaner

 

[Tessla]

They have been like this for way over 6-7months, and they all love each other!

I believe I previously stated:

Now before you go "but they've been fine for the past several months," the lifespan of a common or comet goldfish is 30-40 years, fancies aren't quite as long lived, but they still live for a good 20 years at least, a few months is nothing. The problems with your tank will likely not cause any short term issues with your fish, but will affect the long term health and lifespan of your fish.

Even in a 250 gallon tank, you'll still have problems with your current stocking. Commons and fantails will have competition issues over the long run (not months, years) your fish aren't likely anywhere near their full adult size yet unless you purchased them very large. The other fish except for the pleco will also likely end up as lunch for the goldfish, hopefully the plan is to keep the smaller fish in the 55 gallon and only move the goldfish. Not to mention that goldfish need room to grow and I wouldn't be suprised if stunting occurs from the current tank conditions well before the 250 gallon is set up.

The reason for keeping water temperatures at the preferred level of the fish is not because "they appear to do fine," but because it allows their immune systems to function at an optimal level. This is another one of those long term problems, you're opening yourself up to more disease.

 

[ITHURTZ]

How will I have stocking problems with these fish in a 250gal?!! I am assuming when they are all full grown correct?

The only small fish in there is the minnow, it was a feeder fish for fishing I took a few from my brother so its not like it was bought.

My tinfoils can grow just as large as the goldfish can and I dont not plan to run mutiple tanks, they will all be moved to a larger tank

As for the size, I beleive my biggest goldfish at the moment is 5-6" and tinfoil 4.5". The other comet and commons are pretty close in size.