My Tanks Water Conditions - Fish-in Cycle

[waterdrop]

That's good. Stay on top of it so that the ammonia doesn't go any farther beyond the 0.25 than it has to.

BTT has given you a good explanation and good advice above. The fact that you have ammonia in your tap water will also mean a small change potentially to your maintenance routine after the filter gets cycled. As BTT said, your working biofilter will remove the tap water ammonia fairly rapidly. But it will be a good idea to consider making your water changes smaller and more frequent than the normal recommendations you will hear on the forum. So if someone recommended that you do a 50% change each weekend, then you might mentally think: "Oh, well two 25% changes, one in the middle of the week, would be better in our situation." That's because smaller percentages mean more dilution and your incoming water definately has something that is better if its diluted! Make sense?

~~waterdrop~~

 

[backtotropical]

That's good. Stay on top of it so that the ammonia doesn't go any farther beyond the 0.25 than it has to.

BTT has given you a good explanation and good advice above. The fact that you have ammonia in your tap water will also mean a small change potentially to your maintenance routine after the filter gets cycled. As BTT said, your working biofilter will remove the tap water ammonia fairly rapidly. But it will be a good idea to consider making your water changes smaller and more frequent than the normal recommendations you will hear on the forum. So if someone recommended that you do a 50% change each weekend, then you might mentally think: "Oh, well two 25% changes, one in the middle of the week, would be better in our situation." That's because smaller percentages mean more dilution and your incoming water definately has something that is better if its diluted! Make sense?

~~waterdrop~~

Thanks for the back-up, Waterdrop. It makes my posts sound less like I just made them up and hoped for the best.

That's a good point about the on-going maintenance with the ammonia in the tap water. Well made too!

Az, did you manage to get any Ammo Lock?

 

[Aquatic_Az]

waterdrop makes perfect sense, thanks, I think that maintenance routine will be the way to go

BTT unfortunately no been quite busy lately to be honest, but im gona either try quickly pop to my LFS in my lunchtime if I can or if my mum gets any free time in hers, if not itll have to wait till the weekend at the very latest. Although after work everyday im checking the water conditions and changing the water if needed to control the levels

 

[backtotropical]

Not to worry Az, it's not essential by any means. I don't normally recommend buying chemicals to fix things, but Ammo Lock seems to be one of the few out there which actually serve an actual need in the hobby.

Don't worry if you can't get it, so long as you stay on top of the water changes to control the ammonia.

 

[Aquatic_Az]

Cheers BTT, well done another test today and good news:

PH - 7.6
Ammonia - 0 ppm (deffinate drop to 0 today! )
Nitrite - 0 ppm
Nitrate - 10 ppm (although wasnt quite the colour of 10 but deffinately not 5, however it couldnt have gone down from doing nothing so ive put it as 10)

So looks like the tank is starting to settle down

 

[rabbut]

New stats look good Exaclty where you want them

 

[Aquatic_Az]

Well I got back in from being out with mates and thought id test my water conditions to see how my little fishies are getting on and...

ARGH! My tanks water stats have gone crazy obviously the tank hasnt been cycled before, so I suppose im now in a fish-in cycle

Water stats before water change:

PH - 6.0 - 6.4 (How the hell has this crashed so low compared to what it was!?)
Ammonia - 1 ppm
Nitrite - 0.25 ppm
Nitrate - 10 ppm

I immediately done a 50% water change to try and get levels down to an acceptable level and the current stats are now:

PH - 7.6
Ammonia - 0.25 ppm (0.25 ppm is present in my tapwater)
Nitrite - 0 ppm
Nitrate - 10 ppm (not sure why this didnt reduce?)

A big concern is why the PH dropped so rapidly?

Help and advice is appreciated as usual

 

[backtotropical]

The cycling process drives the pH down. This happens slowly in all biologically filtered tanks, but especially quickly when tanks are cycling as there is more nitrification (conversion of ammonia to nitrite and eventually nitrate) going on.

Just keep an eye on the pH until the tank is cycled.

Well done on the water changes, that was exactly what was required. Keep up the good work.

BTT

 

[Aquatic_Az]

Ah not so bad then, thanks again BTT, will keep everyone updated as I go along

Now im off to bed which I was going to do over half hour ago

 

[Aquatic_Az]

Yet another daily water check and water change

Before water change:

PH - 7.6
Ammonia - 0.5 ppm
Nitrite - 0.25 ppm
Nitrate - 20 ppm

After 30% water change:

PH - 7.6
Ammonia - 0.25 ppm
Nitrite - 0.25 ppm
Nitrate - 10 ppm

Didnt reduce as much as I was hoping, looks like a bigger water change was needed but im dead on my feet after work today so the next water change will be tomorrow now

Also I ran out of my usual de-chlorinator so had to use some old de-chlorinator I had lying round that was god knows how old, but it was better than nothing, so thats another thing to buy on the weekend.

 

[Dublin_Lad]

I'm really clueless on this myself. I did a change on Sunday and the results were pH: 7.2, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 20, Ammonia: 0. I did a 25% water change on Tuesday and a 50% change yesterday. Tested again today and the results were identical. Is that Nitrate level too high? If so, how do I change it as I thought the water changes would have altered it?

 

[pippoodle]

what is the nitrate level of your tap water at the moment
mine varies from 10-20
test the tap water for a baseline result hun

 

[backtotropical]

Also I ran out of my usual de-chlorinator so had to use some old de-chlorinator I had lying round that was god knows how old, but it was better than nothing, so thats another thing to buy on the weekend.

Has anyone mentioned pond dechlorinator to you, Az? It'll save you a fortune!

I'm really clueless on this myself. I did a change on Sunday and the results were pH: 7.2, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 20, Ammonia: 0. I did a 25% water change on Tuesday and a 50% change yesterday. Tested again today and the results were identical. Is that Nitrate level too high? If so, how do I change it as I thought the water changes would have altered it?

what is the nitrate level of your tap water at the moment
mine varies from 10-20
test the tap water for a baseline result hun

Pippoodle gives good advice there. It is quite common for tap water to have a nitrate reading of 20, and if it does, all the water changes in the world won't get it lower.

A nitrate reading of 20 is very reasonable anyway, and shouldn't ring any alarm bells whatsoever. It would only become a problem if it was rising and kept rising despite water changes. This would suggest that water change volume and / or frequency should be increased.

As Pippy says, test the tapwater for a baseline, and then you know what you are aiming for.

Cheers

BTT

 

[Aquatic_Az]

Also I ran out of my usual de-chlorinator so had to use some old de-chlorinator I had lying round that was god knows how old, but it was better than nothing, so thats another thing to buy on the weekend.

Has anyone mentioned pond dechlorinator to you, Az? It'll save you a fortune!

No never been told about it to be honest, any more information?

 

[Dublin_Lad]

As always, great advice. Thanks troops. I'll test the tap water and see. Good to know Nitrate of 20 isn't too high as I have had some problems with deaths recently.