Water Conditions

[Gambl0r]

Hey,

I've got a basic understanding of test results (Ammonia Bad, that kinda thing) but I would like to know more about how it all works and what conditions affect what.

For example the water in my tank recently dropped it's GH to <3d. Is that a bad thing or a good thing?

I had a slightly elevated Ammonia level for a while and I added some Ammo Lock that of course increased my Nitrates and Nitrites. What's the consequences of that?

Anyone know where I can get some more comprehensive info on water conditions?

Thanks in advance

Gambl0r

 

[tstenback]

Here are some links on water chemistry that should give you useful information. First this one describes the various hardness types. Second this one explains the nitrogen cycle and finally there are a couple of pinned articles at the top of the beginner forum about cycling and new tank syndrome that would help in understanding how to spare your fish the trauma of enduring the nitrogen cycle.
To answer some of your questions, a GH of 3 is soft water that is recommended for fish like angels and many tetras. There is no inherent danger in a lower GH reading.
The adding of the ammo lock is not what created the increase in nitrites and nitrates, it was most likely the nitrogen cycle having just completed the ammonia spike phase and the subsequent nitrite spike and steadily increasing nitrates are just the natural progression of the cycle. The consequences of this will eventually be a cycled tank where ammonia is 0, nitrites are 0 and a positive nitrate reading that should be kept around 20-30 by water chnages after the tank has cycled. HTH

 

[Gambl0r]

Thanks a million,

Those two articles are perfect.

I think my Nitrates and Nitrites might actually be ok after all.. I didn't realise that about 20-30 for Nitrates was ok, I thought that was too high. The whole KH GH and pH Article is what I am really after. I am trying to condition the tank so my Guppies and Platys will make sweet love and have the babies

My problem is very like the guy describes at the start of his article. I added pH 7.5 and it will only go up to about 6.8 and the GH has gone down and KH seems to be floating at a very low level..

Thanks again.

Gambi

 

[tstenback]

No problem. I think the recipe for guppies and platties to make sweet love is just add fish to tank, wait 28 days and have lots of space to raise young. Good luck!