Strange Water Fluctuations

[marcybeth0281]

Hey... normally these things work themselves out and it's no big deal, but I have (2) bristlenose plecos being shipped in Thursday and I would hate to throw them into a tank that is unsafe.

I've been monitoring my tank pretty close because I have a preggo platy. I have an established tank (set up for about 4 months now and cycled - see specifics in my signature). My normal readings are: NH: *close* to 0, NO2: 0, NO3: 5ppm, pH: 6.5

Yesterday I noticed that the ammonia was higher than normal (around .50ppm) so I did a 40% water change. Usually I just do a 25%, but I did a bit more to try and induce little one to give birth.

Today I just checked the water and this is the reading: NH: .25ppm, NO2: 0, NO3: 7ppm, pH: 6.0 (it's yellow - could be lower)

I would have thought the 40% change would have ridded me of the ammonia - and what is up with the dropped pH and the raised nitrates??? Should I take any action or just wait and see if there is any change tomorrow? The fishies don't seem stressed more than usual. I feed once a day, and obviously my tank isn't overstocked - it's rather understocked.

?

 

[Geoff1991]

Have you tested your tap water?

 

[MewMew42]

seconded above^

but what you have in your tank isn't ammonia its actually ammonium [as your PH is below 7] and is not toxic to fish....has your PH always been low? or does it change?

just keep an eye on your nitrites and your PH if it goes above 7

[no ammonia no nitrites! but if your PH changes then its a problem]

i hope that made sense!

 

[marcybeth0281]

pH of my tap water is always low - 6.5

my tank pH usually tests at 6.5 - always a bit acidic, but usually is in the greenish color. this time it is as pale yellow as can be.

not sure why i would check to see if my pH goes above 7 - the problem is it going *below* 6. my pH is always acidic....never even approached 7 in either of my tanks.

 

[MewMew42]

if it goes above 7 that means your ammonium will now be ammonia and that is toxic but since you said that has never been 7 i should see no reason to worry!

 

[afishdude]

May I ask what a fluxuation is? Is it a British term?

if it goes above 7 that means your ammonium will now be ammonia and that is toxic but since you said that has never been 7 i should see no reason to worry!

WHAT? Last time I checked it went ammonia-ammonium-no2-no3.

 

[marcybeth0281]

I actually misspelled it. Fluctuation is the actual spelling. Means "changing".

 

[afishdude]

Oh it makes sense now. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Bignose]

if it goes above 7 that means your ammonium will now be ammonia and that is toxic but since you said that has never been 7 i should see no reason to worry!

No, No, No, No, No, a thousand times, NO! This is NOT right.

There is ALWAYS some ammonia and some ammonium. How much of each is dependent on pH and temperature, but a pH of 7 is not some magic number where suddenly all the molecules of ammonia flip to ammonium and vice versa.

Please, please, please read my article on the ammonia-ammonium balance:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=154313

If there is anything you don't understand, please don't hesitate to ask me. Ask in this thread, or PM me. But please learn that there is nothing special at all about the pH of 7.0.

I actually misspelled it. Fluctuation is the actual spelling. Means "changing".

I fixed the title for ya

 

[marcybeth0281]

I'm still not really sure if I should be worried that my pH is testing so yellow it may be below 6.0. and should i do another water change again tomorrow to try and get my NH level back closer to 0?

my whole concern is for the new plecos that will be introduced on Thursday.

 

[marcybeth0281]

NH is at .50 ppm today. all others are the same as yesterday. pH is still ridiculously low - testing at a pale yellow. bristlenose plecos are coming tomorrow in the mail, so i put some "pHup" in the tank to see if i could raise it a bit before they get here. Guess I'll do a 25% water change tonight as well to rid some of the ammonia.

What do most of you guys' ammonia readings usually end up? What is "unsafe" for you???

 

[afishdude]

In cycled tanks, mine are rarely above 0. My water company is adding ammonia to the water (1.5ppm) so I've had a little ammonia in all my tanks but they are usually back to 0 with in a day.

 

[doktor doris]

if it goes above 7 that means your ammonium will now be ammonia and that is toxic but since you said that has never been 7 i should see no reason to worry!

No, No, No, No, No, a thousand times, NO! This is NOT right.

There is ALWAYS some ammonia and some ammonium. How much of each is dependent on pH and temperature, but a pH of 7 is not some magic number where suddenly all the molecules of ammonia flip to ammonium and vice versa.

Please, please, please read my article on the ammonia-ammonium balance:
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=154313"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=154313[/URL]

If there is anything you don't understand, please don't hesitate to ask me. Ask in this thread, or PM me. But please learn that there is nothing special at all about the pH of 7.0.

I actually misspelled it. Fluctuation is the actual spelling. Means "changing".

I fixed the title for ya

Thanks bignose,

That is just what I was about to say!

doris

 

[Bignose]

NH is at .50 ppm today.

It is a little thing, but I think it is important to note that the chemical formula for ammonia is NH3 (written completely properly, the 3 is subscripted behind the H). You have the formulas for nitrite and nitrate right (NO2 and NO3), but not ammonia. Just figured you'd want to know.

 

[afishdude]

NH[sub]3[/sub] Is correct.