newfishlover

okay so yesterday i did a water change, today i used test strips to check the water its saying that nitrate is less than 20 and nitrite is about 3.0- this is what it was yesterday too before the water change and still my fish are all okay, 9 days now. why is the water the same even after water change?

Lucy

I don't really trust the test strips, but it looks like what's happening is between yesterday's water change and now the bacteria has converted more ammonia into nitrites bringing your reading back up since yesterday's water change.

newfishlover

so then i do another water change?

Fishies-for-me

Yes you should do another water change ...maybe 30% or so and use prime water conditioner to help detox the nitrites and ammonia in the water...good luck.

Dozey

50% water changes every day until ammonia and nitrites hit zero.

bryan87

50% every day with prime or stess coat +

newfishlover

okay thank you everyone. also what would my ammonia be cus my test strips don't test for that

Dozey

Only a test kit that tests for ammonia will answere your question. You want it to be zero but there is no way to tell without an accurate test kit.

newfishlover

okay thank u again.

agabr123

API freshwater master test kit is the best one IMO, and i think a lot of other members would agree with me on that

Dozey

That would be safe to say. I'm not sure that I've ever heard someone suggest any other test kit.

Red1313

Nutrafin has a test kit.
It's the one that most availible in my area anyway. Not alot of API kits in stock.