cicatriz

hi all,

i had posted previous requests for help and everyone asked for more detailed info on my tank... so here it is

i have a 10gal tank and it is currently occupied by one tiger barb, 2 dwarf puffer fish and a snail.

these are the read outs i got:

ph=8
ammonia=1.2
nitrite=1.6
nitrate=50

all readings except ph are in mg/l (ppm)

the test box said if nitrites are high the nitrate reading may be inaccurate.

can anyone tell me if this is on the right track and how to fix any problems that you see in these readings. (is the ph too high?)

i have been changing the water quite regularly (about 20%) and using that bottled cycle and waste control stuff in addition to using tap water conditioner.

i did not use the cycle bottle on my last water change as i discovered with the tests i have quite a bit of nitrites in the water and it is my understanding that there are nitrifiers in the cycle bottle. so to help lower the nitrite level i skipped using this on my last water change.

Isabella

Nitrate is of small concern if you have ANY nitrite and ammonia in your water. When you have fish in your tank, and ANY ammonia and nitrite (however small the amounts of these 2 compounds are), you need to perform about 50% DAILY water changes to be removing the accumulating nitrite and ammonia, UNTIL they both = 0. Even smallest amounts of ammonia and nitrite CAN kill your fish or make them very sick. If you had no fish in your tank, you wouldn't need that many and that large water changes, but if you want to increase the chances of your fish surviving, go for the water changes until ammonia = 0 and nitrite = 0.

I am assuming your tank is still cycling.