test readings

[trace1]

hiya guys just done my first test reading 2day n this is wot i got, would be very grateful for any advise on it thanks.
ammonia 0ppm
ph level 6.8
nitrIte 2.0
nitrAte 5.0.
have also put a piece of bog wood from established tank in 2nite as well, will this help things along thanks again
trace

 

[tttnjfttt]

Right now, your ammonia and nitrAte look good. Ammonia should always be 0, and nitrAte should be kept below 40. Your pH is also fine. The big thing to watch out for with pH is rapid changes or large changes, so it is more something to keep in the back of your mind.

Your nitrIte does pose a problem. Nitrite is toxic to fish, just like ammonia. It should ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS be zero. Right now, do daily water changes until the nitrIte returns to zero. You are right, adding the piece of bog wood will definately help speed things along.

 

[trace1]

thanks, have got guppies, neons n 2 albino corys in there at moment cos lfs said the stuff he gave wud b ok 2 add fish. now thinkin that i got wrong advise.
will do another water change 2moz. got another tank just set up 2 nite but not puttin any fish in there now till i know its spot on, so now doin fishless cycle on new tank

 

[tttnjfttt]

Why not do the water change tonight and set up the other tank tomorrow? Its better to deal wiht the bad water problems before starting a new project.

In general, the ONLY product that works to quickly cycle a tank is Bio-Spira, which needs to be refrigerated until it is bought.

Also, on a side note, would you mind actually typing out all your words? Reading the internet slang can be really difficult at times.

 

[trace1]

yeah sorry about spelling, txt freak lol. already done water change on other tank, desparate to get water perfect for my little mates. so thats why doing another change tomorrow. is it best to do test daily as well till water levels are ok

 

[platyfreek]

yes i think you should test the water daily until the nitrite is nip. then slow down to once every 3 days just to make sure nothing goes wrong. then once a week is good.

 

[trace1]

thanks platy, will do water change 2morrow then test later on so water can settle.
will keep posted as 2 how things are going

 

[laurasmithuk]

im having same problem but its prob my own fault cuz tank is overstocked.....looking to rehome some but cant bear to part

 

[emma12321]

Some good advice given there by tttnjfttt just keep up the water changes.

Laura if you can't bear to part with your fish just get a bigger tank that way if you keep both tanks running you will be able to get a few more fish as well. This is how multiple tank syndrome starts. I started off with a 15 gallon and upgraded to the 29 gallon then got the rio 400 and the vision 180 and now i want another 15 gallon for the bristlenose plec fry.

I just wish my boyfriend was into fish, i am going to have to sneak the spare tank in which will be interesting as he works from home. Its a good thing he doesn't go in the spare room much. I still have the empty 29 gallon sitting in there and he has banned me from setting it up, he says it has to go in the shed.

Emma

 

[trace1]

ok now i'm confused, inherited a tank with 3 big common plecs & 2 bristle nosed cat fish, now even i know that these were to big to be in a tank of less than 4 foot which is what they were in, so done the good thing & passed them to lfs. then cleaned tank put new gravel in & clean water but left old filter in without cleaning it tested water today & levels were :
ph. 7.0
ammonia. 0
nitrIte. 0
nitrAte 5.0.
only did clean water & gravel last night, so are these readings true or is it giving me false readings???
thanks & sorry for sounding simple

 

[tttnjfttt]

It is suspicious that your nitrAte hasn't increased with your nitrIte having gone to zero. Go ahead and re-test the water. Also, it is possible that you aren't seeing the increase in nitrAte because of the the color change would be so miniscule.

What type of test kit are you using? It is generally accepted that the liquid based test kits (adding drops of chemicals to test tubes of your water) are the most accurate and reliable. Dip Sticks tend to be more inaccurate.

 

[trace1]

using a freshwater master test kit, & it is the drops that you put in a little test tube, so well weird. even picked up some ammonia today so we could cycle the tank proper. think i will take sample the lfs just to make sure i'm doing it right.
theres no fish in that tank at the moment so not to worried about it just yet

 

[tttnjfttt]

Ok, i thought we were dealing with fish in the tank. So, since you are doing a fishless cycle, this changes ALOT of things. If I were you, I would add enough ammonia to get your tank up to 5 ppm. (I'm assuming you have checked to make sure the ammonia is pure ammonia, a clear liquid, doesn't bubble when shaken, no added scents). Once it is there, leave the tank go for 24 hours, and check all the readings. If they have gone to zero, your fishelss cycle is over and you are ready to add fish.

Don't worry about asking lots of questions. I'm really impressed actually. Alot of time, especially in the newbie section, the goal is saving fish from people who have jumped in with a fishless cycle, don't use dechlorinator, etc. It sounds like you are doing a great job.