Feedback on Water Test

HI All,

Just did my first water test and was hoping for some feedback.

I did some research and all looks ok but wanted to double check:

PH 7 - 7.5
Amonia 0.6
Nitrite 0.0
Nitrate 5

Many thanks,
James

 

How long have you been cycling the tank?

 

How long has your tank been running ?

You should not see any ammonia at all once your tank cycles, your nitrite will be 0 as well, and your nitrates should be low too - under 20 is usually recommended as a good value.

 

How long have you been cycling the tank?

How long has your tank been running ?

I've had the tank 4 months now, fish all been there since the beginning

 

How long has your tank been running ?

I've had the tank 4 months now, fish all been there since the beginning

That's unusual, normally you would see a cycle by now, and there isn't one.

What kind of filter are you using ?
Is it one that has those replaceable filter pads inside it ?

 

Well basically you just did a fish in cycle process. Basically you're still cycling. You don't want to see any ammonia. The fact that you have ammonia and nitrates shows that you have been cycling. So not much longer and I think you'll be done.

I also hate to be the bearer of bad news but you also need to work on your stock. Most of those fish cannot live in a tank that small.

-rehome the balas, they get over a foot long.
-pick one type of cory cat and get around 5 total of that one kind (ideally pygmys, pandas, etc) They are shoalers and like to be with their own kind
-CAE (chinese algae eater) probably will get on your nerves after a while they really don't eat much algae. I have one in a 29 gallon and he's about 4" long
-I would also reccomend rehoming the cockatoo cichlid. I don't know much about them but from what I do know I've heard they prefer to be in larger tanks.

 

That's unusual, normally you would see a cycle by now, and there isn't one.

What kind of filter are you using ?
Is it one that has those replaceable filter pads inside it ?

Yeah just an internal filter with pads. Why do you say that tank isn't fully cycled yet?

 

Well basically you just did a fish in cycle process. Basically you're still cycling. You don't want to see any ammonia. The fact that you have ammonia and nitrates shows that you have been cycling. So not much longer and I think you'll be done.

I also hate to be the bearer of bad news but you also need to work on your stock. Most of those fish cannot live in a tank that small.

-rehome the balas, they get over a foot long.
-pick one type of cory cat and get around 5 total of that one kind (ideally pygmys, pandas, etc) They are shoalers and like to be with their own kind
-CAE (chinese algae eater) probably will get on your nerves after a while they really don't eat much algae. I have one in a 29 gallon and he's about 4" long
-I would also reccomend rehoming the cockatoo cichlid. I don't know much about them but from what I do know I've heard they prefer to be in larger tanks.

I probably should have mentioned but I also have a Fluval 240ltr(long) tank that is empty right now. Most of these guys will be moved in there once they get bigger, right now they're all juvies.
Also I want to be a bit more experienced before populating that tank.

 

Yeah just an internal filter with pads. Why do you say that tank isn't fully cycled yet?

A tank with ammonia is not fully cycled - it should be fully converted to nitrate and have only nitrates appear on the testing kit.

What does the water from your tap (or whatever your water source is) read as for water parameters?

 

A tank with ammonia is not fully cycled - it should be fully converted to nitrate and have only nitrates appear on the testing kit.

What does the water from your tap (or whatever your water source is) read as for water parameters?

Ah ok thanks, I'll run a check on my tap water. I guess when I washed the test tubes it may have influenced the tests

 

Ya, what they said. Your readings in a cylced tank should be ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate less than 20. Do you have ammonia in your tap water that might be causing the initial ammonia bump. I know I have some in my water (yuck, and they want us to drink that stuff).

 

I probably should have mentioned but I also have a Fluval 240ltr(long) tank that is empty right now. Most of these guys will be moved in there once they get bigger, right now they're all juvies.
Also I want to be a bit more experienced before populating that tank.

Even that is too small for the balas. They need around 150 gallon tanks. Also just something to keep in mind larger tanks are actually easier IME than smaller tanks. Just something to think about

 

I have 1.0 ppm ammonia in my tap water, but it's not an issue in a cycled tank. I treat any water I put into the tank with Prime and by the next day the biological filter has taken care of it and the tank tests 0 ppm ammonia. You need to test your tap water for both ammonia and nitrates. It is not unusual for tap water to test positive for nitrates.....if it tests 5.0 ppm nitrates then the nitrates in your tank are from the tap water and your tank is not cycled at all.

 

Yeah just an internal filter with pads. Why do you say that tank isn't fully cycled yet?

Do you change out those filter pads regularly with new ones ?




And I say it isn't because the water parameters you posted show it isn't - you should not show any ammonia in a tank that is cycled.

 

I probably should have mentioned but I also have a Fluval 240ltr(long) tank that is empty right now. Most of these guys will be moved in there once they get bigger, right now they're all juvies.

Fish will not outgrow the tank they are in, but they will become stunted if kept in too small of a tank. The problem with having them in too small a tank is that you run the risk of them becoming stunted before you realize it's time to move them into the bigger tank.

And as mentioned, it is easier to keep a larger tank, than a smaller tank since changes in water chemistry happen slower in a larger tank giving you more time to make any corrections. The only harder with a larger tank is that the partial water changes are larger.

 

Thanks all for the replies, I have some testing to do!

 

No, those levels aren't ok. They're not terrible, but they're not at what they should be by now.

Some explanations for why you're seeing a minI cycle:

1) Overfeeding
2) Power outage killed off bacterial colonies in the filter
3) You replaced the filter media, or cleaned them off too much with untreated tap water
4) You added more fish
5) Your tap water has ammonia

0.6 ppm of ammonia may not seem like a lot, but anything greater than 0 is not good for your fish. I'd do daily water changes, not add any more fish, and cut back on feeding until ammonia (as well as nitrites) read 0.

 

4 months is plenty of time for your tank to cycle... You are overstocked this could cause your ammonia to be high or an insufficient filter. Unless u just dumped a bunch of fish in then u have to give the tank time to make up for newcomers...