My Strange Water Test Results

[rbnfrance]

Hi,

I have had my new tank for 1 week, and it was given to us as a completely new tank with fish to put in it. We took some of the original fish back after a few fish had died, and followed advice on here to change water regularly. We also got some old filter media from the shop and put that in. Well the testing kit has now arrived (we live in China and they are not easy to get)and I was expecting to get reasonably high Ammonia levels. The test shows this:

Ammonia - in between 0 and 0.25 ( I would say about half way between)
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - around 20-25

I did not think it is possible for the tank to start a cycle that fast, but is that what these test results are showing? I did not expect to find any Nitrate yet. Maybe I am not understanding the process?


Thanks,

Robin

 

[Cossie1111]

Are you using a liquid test kit?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

This is pretty much text book, ammonia should start being used approx 7 days in. What's your tank size and stocking?

 

[rbnfrance]

Are you using a liquid test kit?

Yes I am. Its an API Freshwater Master Test Kit. Thanks for the help.

 

[rbnfrance]

This is pretty much text book, ammonia should start being used approx 7 days in. What's your tank size and stocking?

Hi,

Its 108 litres. I have 6 Zebra Danio's,7 Platys, 6 Tiger Barbs,3 Albino Tetras which I have been told are falsely coloured with dye of some sort (sounds cruel). The tank strated with more fish than that. We were given 2 fancy goldfish (I know they are cold water fish, but the store gave them to us before we knew) and 2 Pleco Fish. They have now gone back to the shop as we were told they were best off back there.
Can you clarify what you mean when you say "ammonia should start being used approx 7 days in". Do you mean that thats when it is used by the bacteria, or that when we should start using it (as in adding it)?

Thanks for your support.

 

[Smells a bit fishy]

The bacteria should start eating it at 7 days. You should start to see your nitrites going up now, so you will need to be on top of your daily water changes, just like with ammonia, they must not rise above 0.5 and should be kept as much as possible below 0.25.

Also that is alot of stock for an uncycled tank.

 

[rbnfrance]

The bacteria should start eating it at 7 days. You should start to see your nitrites going up now, so you will need to be on top of your daily water changes, just like with ammonia, they must not rise above 0.5 and should be kept as much as possible below 0.25.

Also that is alot of stock for an uncycled tank.

Ok, thanks. As I say, the fish came with the tank on advice from the store. Sad to say that here, I don't think people worry so much about the wellbeing of the fish. I have seen platys inside key-rings for sale!

So, are those Nitrate levels normal to find? I thought that the nitrates only show up when the nitrites start to go down.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Ok so to confirm you have 108 with 6 Zebra Danio's,7 Platys, 6 Tiger Barbs,3 Albino Tetras now.

You are now in what we call a fish in cycle have a read

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/224306-fish-in-cycling/

Here is how your fish in cycle will work

 

[Smells a bit fishy]

Those nitrates are normal, it's probably what's coming out of your taps. Once you start generating nitrite, then it will be nitrates. And they will jump quite quickly, then you know you have at least got your bacteria in place, and then it is said in perfect conditions they double every 24 hours.

So keep testing water daily, and be prepared to do daily water changes of up to 90%.

A platy in a key ring!!!! OMG I want one. No just playing, that is horrendous!!!!

 

[rbnfrance]

Those nitrates are normal, it's probably what's coming out of your taps. Once you start generating nitrite, then it will be nitrates. And they will jump quite quickly, then you know you have at least got your bacteria in place, and then it is said in perfect conditions they double every 24 hours.

So keep testing water daily, and be prepared to do daily water changes of up to 90%.

A platy in a key ring!!!! OMG I want one. No just playing, that is horrendous!!!!

Thanks. Yes it is horrendous, they are sold in our local supermarket. No bigger than a golf ball. I'm guessing they die very quickly so I can't see the point of it. Unless it is just to go round with a dead rotting fish in your pocket!

Thanks to you too, BigBruiser, I'll have a read of that. Wish we had done a fish-less cycle, but I'm an idiot and just followed advice from the store it came from. The tank was a gift from my dad for my daughter, which is a lovely present but we just didn't know anything about it. Should have realised when we saw the keyring that the store really does not care about the fish!. Aquariums are a massive hobby over here, and there are big aquarium sections in every supermarket. I think the fish are viewed as 1 step up from plants though. Put them in water and chuck some food in every now and then. If they die replace them, and if they are too dull in colour inject them with dye. If they do die, you could always put it in a keyring or maybe wear them as earrings! Just kidding.

Thanks All

 

[Steve H.]

Hi,

I have had my new tank for 1 week, and it was given to us as a completely new tank with fish to put in it. We took some of the original fish back after a few fish had died, and followed advice on here to change water regularly. We also got some old filter media from the shop and put that in. Well the testing kit has now arrived (we live in China and they are not easy to get)and I was expecting to get reasonably high Ammonia levels. The test shows this:

Ammonia - in between 0 and 0.25 ( I would say about half way between)
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - around 20-25

I did not think it is possible for the tank to start a cycle that fast, but is that what these test results are showing? I did not expect to find any Nitrate yet. Maybe I am not understanding the process?


Thanks,

Robin

Hi Robin!
Everyone is spot on with their advice about fish-in cycle. But everyone seemed to miss the fact that you were able to obtain some filter media from your lfs.
This is going to rapidly jump start your cycle. In which case I don't find your water test results to be strange. Having been able to add some already cultured bacteria they are doing their job. That is why I think you are getting a reading for nitrates, and you are getting low ppm's on the others. The bacteria might need some time to grow to your stocking level before you get your ppm's all the way to 0.
However, being that you are in China, I would test your water out of the tap for nitrates. Just to see if your tap water contains nitrates already.

Good luck!

 

[rbnfrance]

Hi,

I have had my new tank for 1 week, and it was given to us as a completely new tank with fish to put in it. We took some of the original fish back after a few fish had died, and followed advice on here to change water regularly. We also got some old filter media from the shop and put that in. Well the testing kit has now arrived (we live in China and they are not easy to get)and I was expecting to get reasonably high Ammonia levels. The test shows this:

Ammonia - in between 0 and 0.25 ( I would say about half way between)
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - around 20-25

I did not think it is possible for the tank to start a cycle that fast, but is that what these test results are showing? I did not expect to find any Nitrate yet. Maybe I am not understanding the process?


Thanks,

Robin

Hi Robin!
Everyone is spot on with their advice about fish-in cycle. But everyone seemed to miss the fact that you were able to obtain some filter media from your lfs.
This is going to rapidly jump start your cycle. In which case I don't find your water test results to be strange. Having been able to add some already cultured bacteria they are doing their job. That is why I think you are getting a reading for nitrates, and you are getting low ppm's on the others. The bacteria might need some time to grow to your stocking level before you get your ppm's all the way to 0.
However, being that you are in China, I would test your water out of the tap for nitrates. Just to see if your tap water contains nitrates already.

Good luck!

Hi,

Good idea. I was confused about the nitrates but I will do just that and test the tap water. When I originally filled the tank, I used distilled water as that is what we drink here and its very cheap to buy. With so many water changes, however, I have started using some tap water after treating it with conditioning liquid and de-chlorine stuff. Thanks for the tip.