Wrong Advice From Fish Store! Help!

[medwar1]

Hi guys, this is my first post,

5weeks ago i bought a 240ltr tank from my Local fish shop, at the same time I ordered 3nr red belly piranha, as Ive had them before and loved them! (previously where in an existing tank)
the assistant told me that in 3weeks i would be able to introduce the fish into the aquarium as they will only be appox 3/4" small.
On the third week i went in to collect the fish and they had sold them, so i waited another week until more came in.
This was last thursday, so I took them home did the usually introduction of the fish and all was fine,
Sunday I went into the store to pick up some bits and thought i would get a water test kit just incase.
Went home and measured and my results are as follows-
PH 6.8
AMMONIA 0
NITRITE 100mg/l
Nitrate 100mg/l

So obviously 3 weeks was not the required time for my fish, weather I was niave or not its too late now.
Basically I need to get my nitrites down to 0, but the strange thing is the fish dont look stressed or skittish at all!? They eat twice a day (as there tiny) they dont get skittish when your close to the tank, there scales/gills look good.

In my tank I have large peices of Bog wood, 4 java ferns, 3 amazon swords so plenty of places for them to shelter if they wish.

So what are my options now? with fish in the tank?

Many thanks

 

[ZoddyZod]

Hello and welcome,

Sounds like you received the pretty standard shop advice of "leave the tank running for a couple of weeks, then it will be ready for fish", which sadly is not true at all.

What they haven't told you about is 'cycling' which basically means setting up a bacteria colony in your filter that can process the waste (ammonia) produced by your fish.

Have a read through these links which will give you a lot of detail of what happens during cycling and then members of this forum will be happy to help guide you through the process. You are now in a "fish-in cycle" so that's the part you'll need to read.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=141944

 

[medwar1]

Hello and welcome,

Sounds like you received the pretty standard shop advice of "leave the tank running for a couple of weeks, then it will be ready for fish", which sadly is not true at all.

What they haven't told you about is 'cycling' which basically means setting up a bacteria colony in your filter that can process the waste (ammonia) produced by your fish.

Have a read through these links which will give you a lot of detail of what happens during cycling and then members of this forum will be happy to help guide you through the process. You are now in a "fish-in cycle" so that's the part you'll need to read.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=141944

thanks for that, looks like im not the only one! is 10ppm equal to 100mg/l?

 

[KittyKat]

Do read about fish-in cycling. In short, you will probably end up doing 50% water changes every day for a few weeks.

Someone might correct me, but I think piranhas have to be kept in groups of 6+ to spread aggression? Would not 240 litres be too small for them?

 

[RustedKnight]

Hello and welcome,

Sounds like you received the pretty standard shop advice of "leave the tank running for a couple of weeks, then it will be ready for fish", which sadly is not true at all.

What they haven't told you about is 'cycling' which basically means setting up a bacteria colony in your filter that can process the waste (ammonia) produced by your fish.

Have a read through these links which will give you a lot of detail of what happens during cycling and then members of this forum will be happy to help guide you through the process. You are now in a "fish-in cycle" so that's the part you'll need to read.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=141944

thanks for that, looks like im not the only one! is 10ppm equal to 100mg/l?

No you're not the only one at all.

And correct me if I'm wrong, but 100mg/l is 100ppm.

And before everyone jumps on the you need 0 nitrate bandwagon, there is now plenty of people talking about nitrAtes being safe even as high as 800ppm. I used to panic over my nitrates constantly, but after reading the above numerous times in different places I decided to see what would happen if i let my nitrates rise to 100. Nothing happened. At all. Fish are thriving.

NitrItes on the other hand, probably should come down, and quickly. The only way is large water changes daily mate.

 

[medwar1]

Kat ideally 6 but there are ample ammounts of people who keep 3 - 4 with no effects of aggression as I think they can still create a hierachy between themselves.

So will 50% water changes daily be my only answer?

Last night I thought id do a test on my normal tap water, as are water is crap where I live, PH was 8.2, and nitrites where showing at the 100ppm mark? does this sound right,

It was defo nitrITES not nitrate.

 

[ZoddyZod]

just to add, your nitrIte reading is off the scale. That is indeed 100ppm. Even 0.25ppm is considered toxic to fish (0 reading at all times is the goal). However, I highly doubt that reading. Can I ask what test kit you are using? Is it a strip or liquid based kit?

as Rusted Knight stated, the target for nitrAtes is to keep them as low as possible. 100ppm isn't ideal, but it should not be an issue for your fish. My tank usually gets to 80ppm before each water change. NitrAtes are the end product of the waste process (ammonia > nitrite > nitrate) so there will always be some present in your tank. We perform partial water changes regularly to keep the nitrate level down (and to syphon up fish poo!)

 

[RustedKnight]

no thats 10x the legal maximum Nitrite level in tap water (for UK). That is dangerous to your health. And definately Illegal.

I highly suggest you get on the phone to your waterboard and tell them that the water parameters declare the tap water as illegal.

Nitrites that high can cause "blue baby syndrome", a healthy adult is highly unlikely to be affected, but an unwell adult, or a baby, it could be severe, even fatal.

 

[ZoddyZod]

Last night I thought id do a test on my normal tap water, as are water is crap where I live, PH was 8.2, and nitrites where showing at the 100ppm mark? does this sound right,

It was defo nitrITES not nitrate.

that really does not sound right for tap water. 100ppm is very high indeed, in fact I'm surprised your test kit takes readings that high. Again, what is your test kit?

 

[medwar1]

I have a liquid ammonia test kit & a tetra litmus paper test kit which does ph/kh/gh/cl/nitrate/nitrite

 

[ZoddyZod]

I have a liquid ammonia test kit & a tetra litmus paper test kit which does ph/kh/gh/cl/nitrate/nitrite

paper based ones are notorious for being wildly innaccurate. I'd strongly suggest not bothering with that one anymore.

You need a good liquid one for both nitrite and nitrate (pH is not that critical right now).

Since the fish have been in an uncycled tank for 5 days, I would alos recommend a 50% water change today whilst you wait for an accurate reading on the nitrites

 

[RustedKnight]

I have a liquid ammonia test kit & a tetra litmus paper test kit which does ph/kh/gh/cl/nitrate/nitrite

paper based ones are notorious for being wildly innaccurate. I'd strongly suggest not bothering with that one anymore.

You need a good liquid one for both nitrite and nitrate (pH is not that critical right now).

Since the fish have been in an uncycled tank for 5 days, I would alos recommend a 50% water change today whilst you wait for an accurate reading on the nitrites

Wildly innacurate or not, it's not going to be 90ppm out. Contact the water board and tell them. Then do as suggested above ideally.

 

[ZoddyZod]

Wildly innacurate or not, it's not going to be 90ppm out. Contact the water board and tell them. Then do as suggested above ideally.

I'd suggested testing with a proper kit first, it's got to be quicker than contacting the water board and you might be barking up the wrong tree.

 

[medwar1]

I will do it tonight, also is any tap water conditioner ok? or is there a specific one to use?

Im also using a fluval 305 filter, which came supplied with 4 nr foam (verticle) then carbon for bottom tray & bio rings for top, ive not used the carbon, is it worth buying more bio rings and fill every cannister up with it?

 

[Skins]

I use tetra aqua safe to dechlorinate my water , yes i would fill your empty media baskets up with biomax