Neon looking very odd

[TNG]

Just curious, the stick on thermometer reads 32C. Is that correct?

 

[ella777]

The temperature in the tank is 26°c

Nitrates 25 ish
Nitrites 0

 

[sharkweek178]

The temperature in the tank is 26°c

Nitrates 25 ish
Nitrites 0

The nitrates number is pretty high. Can you do a test on your source water and see what the levels are there?

 

[sharkweek178]

The temperature in the tank is 26°c

Nitrates 25 ish
Nitrites 0

That nitrate level is pretty high. I'd do a daily water change until you get it down. Then weekly water changes to maintain it.

 

[ella777]

That nitrate level is pretty high. I'd do a daily water change until you get it down. Then weekly water changes to maintain it.

It wasn't high before I did a water change. It was around 10 before.

 

[Essjay]

What is the nitrate level in your tap water?

Unless your tap water has very high nitrate, doing a water change should reduce the nitrate not increase it.

 

[ella777]

What is the nitrate level in your tap water?

Unless your tap water has very high nitrate, doing a water change should reduce the nitrate not increase it.

The strips are terrible. They dont give me the correct result.
It's now saying the fish water is 10-25 nitrates, 0 nitrites.
Tap water is 0-10 nitrates, 0-0.5 nitrites.

 

[Slaphppy7]

The strips are terrible. They dont give me the correct result.
It's now saying the fish water is 10-25 nitrates, 0 nitrites.
Tap water is 0-10 nitrates, 0-0.5 nitrites.

You need to get one of these: https://apifishcare.com/product/freshwater-master-test-kit

 

[sharkweek178]

The strips are terrible. They dont give me the correct result.
It's now saying the fish water is 10-25 nitrates, 0 nitrites.
Tap water is 0-10 nitrates, 0-0.5 nitrites.

On the plus side, that seems to indicate that your source water isn't full of nitrates. Which means that water changes will solve the high nitrate level in your tank.

 

[ella777]

On the plus side, that seems to indicate that your source water isn't full of nitrates. Which means that water changes will solve the high nitrate level in your tank.

The nitrates are around 10, not very high I thought?

 

[sharkweek178]

The nitrates are around 10, not very high I thought?

Well 10-25. If they're closer to 10 that's not too bad. But if it's closer to 25 then that isn't good.

 

[ella777]

Well 10-25. If they're closer to 10 that's not too bad. But if it's closer to 25 then that isn't good.

At first it says 10, but 3 seconds later its closer to 25.

 

[sharkweek178]

At first it says 10, but 3 seconds later its closer to 25.

Honestly, if you haven't been doing water changes I'd bet on the higher number.
Some people like test strips. But the test kit that Slaphppy7 recommended here is more popular.

You need to get one of these: https://apifishcare.com/product/freshwater-master-test-kit

I think most people find them to be more accurate and you can get a better read that isn't such a wide range.

 

[ella777]

Honestly, if you haven't been doing water changes I'd bet on the higher number.
Some people like test strips. But the test kit that Slaphppy7 recommended here is more popular.

I think most people find them to be more accurate and you can get a better read that isn't such a wide range.

Before I did a water change the results said 0-10 nitrates. Its only gone up since I did a water change.
I've heard the water testing kit is good but it's also £50...

 

[Essjay]

You can buy a nitrate tester on its own.

The brands that have liquid reagents come as 2 or occasionally 3 bottles. One of the bottles contains a reagent which settles onto the bottom of the bottle and instructions will say to shake this bottle and the test tube. This is important as the shaking gets that reagent back into the liquid.
Or get the Salifert nitrate tester which I think has a powder instead of that bottle.