Tropical Fish Forum
Think Fish Tropical Fish Forum => Introductions and hello's => Topic started by: Orientnut on May 21, 2020, 10:23:13 PM
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Hi. I'm an amateur with 60L tropical tank. I have a few live plants and some fish who seem OK, but I wanted to be sure my water is OK. So I bought a 6 in 1 test (strips), by Colombo. My readings were chlorine 0.8, PH 7.6, KH 20, GH >21, Nitrate 25 (according to their colour chart system). Are these OK? I don't really understand their instructions on what the readings tell me!? I'm juts looking for reassurance that I've started OK. Really appreciate some guidance as when I look on the Internet for answers, my head starts spinning! Thank you. Paul
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@Orientnut is this a sample of tap water you have tested or tank water? Also so we can advice suitability what fish do you currently have please?
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It's my tank water. My tank had been operational for about 10 days following my initial water treatment before adding fish. I have mollys, guppy, tetra, corydoras, Bolivian Ram. Thank you.
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Hi @Orientnut
A few quick thoughts. Aquarium test strips are generally inaccurate. But, your chlorine figure is a bit high. Did you use a tap water conditioner? If so, which one? Have you 'cycled' the tank? If so, please let us have a few details.
That'll do for starters.
JPC
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Hi. It was tap water, I then used l❤️VE fish "tap safe". Guy in the store said 48 hrs was enough of a cycle. Starting to think it wasn't from stuff I've read since.
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An ammonia test is absolutely crucial - buy a liquid-based test one to get accurate results. The key tests are ammonia, nitrite and nitrates - it's important than ammonia and nitrite remain at 0 at all times (any level above that is toxic) and that nitrates are no higher than 20 above tap water nitrate levels.
Hope that helps.
...and welcome to the forum. :wave:
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Hi @Orientnut and welcome to the forum. :wave:
We'll probably be asking lots of questions initially, but this will help us get to know your tank, your situation, and provide suitable advice.
Normally we'd recommend fishless cycling of a tank, which can take several weeks, but it's very common for shop staff to tell people that they can add fish quite quickly after setting up a tank, usually in a matter of days.
I tend to use the API Freshwater Master test kit, which can be purchased online.
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Thank you. Yes it does seem like I was given bad advice in the shop and I'm now a little back to front. I'm doing water changes every couple of days
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Hi and welcome :wave:
I’m back in the hobby after a break and the guys & gals here are so friendly and helpful. I’m not that far out of the cycle process myself. I would change your water daily (maybe 20-30% depending) in the absence of a api liquid test kit (which I use and recommend) just to keep the Ammonia low as possible until you can monitor it regularly with the test kit.
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It was tap water, I then used l❤️VE fish "tap safe". Guy in the store said 48 hrs was enough of a cycle.
Hi @Orientnut
I guess you made your purchases at P@H. I already suspected that but the '❤️' gives the game away.
The "tap safe" just deals with the (fish) nasties in tap water. Cycling a tank needs to be done before any fish or other creatures are added to the tank. So, this is a tricky situation in which you find yourself. In the first instance, I'd be tempted to add 50ml of Tetra SafeStart, which you can get from Amazon UK. You may need more than 50ml so I suggest you buy the most economical size that suits your pocket.
If you try this, there is no guarantee that all your fish will survive - but it can only help. But, the live plants will absorb some of the toxic ammonia and nitrite so this could help. If you do get a bottle of Tetra SafeStart, give it a jolly good shake before adding it to the tank water. And, as @fcmf said, you will need to test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. The API Freshwater Master test kit mentioned by @Littlefish would be a wise choice.
Please keep us updated.
Fingers (and toes) crossed!
JPC
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Hi @Orientnut
The following excellent suggestion is something you could start doing as of now. It will buy some time whilst you perhaps follow up on some of our other suggestions:
I would change your water daily (maybe 20-30% depending) in the absence of a api liquid test kit (which I use and recommend) just to keep the Ammonia low as possible until you can monitor it regularly with the test kit.
Please don't forget to use the I❤️Fish "tap safe" on your tap water when doing the water changes.
JPC
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OK, so I've done some bits as advised. I now have 0 chlorine, 7.2 pH, 20 KH, >21 gh, 25 Nitrate, 2 Nitrite and 0 Ammonia (liquid test). Everything looks happy in the camp, fish look happy and water nice and clear. Are those numbers generally good to carry on with?
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The key tests are ammonia, nitrite and nitrates - it's important than ammonia and nitrite remain at 0 at all times (any level above that is toxic) and that nitrates are no higher than 20 above tap water nitrate levels.
Good that the ammonia test is at 0. As nitrite also needs to be at 0 as it will be otherwise toxic for the fish (even the level of 2 that you have), then larger and more frequent water changes will be required to get that down to 0.
Hope that helps.
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The results look good, but you need to work on Nitrite levels, as fcmf has correctly mentioned you need to increase your water changes. I would suggest min 50% every day then re test to see what the results for all the test and then perhaps change it to 50% every two days depending on results. Remember your de-chlorination and temp is within 0.5°c of your tank.
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Hi @Orientnut
It's always wise to ensure that your tank water is well-oxygenated/aerated. You don't necessarily need an air pump/air stone to do this. Just ensure that the water surface is mildly agitated. You don't want it like a mirror, if you see what I mean. Careful positioning of your internal filter or external filter outlet pipe should take care of this. I would also advise against adding any plant fertilizers at this stage.
What do you intend to do about the Tetra SafeStart? It really is worth adding some to your tank.
JPC
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Do I add that in as well as the tap safe solution then?
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Great advice from Leakyslab about a way forward for water changes. Have you managed to do another water change since then to get the nitrite down to 0? Time is of the essence as far as any ammonia or nitrite is concerned given how toxic they are.
If you already have Tetra Safestart, then you could dose it as well as using Tap Safe.
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I did a liquid Ammonia test today and it was zero. I'm now doing daily water changes following advice on here. Thanks
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Great to hear that your ammonia is reading zero.
Well done & keep up the good work. :)
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I did a liquid Ammonia test today and it was zero. I'm now doing daily water changes following advice on here. Thanks
Great news, I’d test Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate daily too. With Nitrate follow the instructions to the letter if using the API test kit as it would/could give inaccurate results.
Keep up the good work and keep us updated :cheers:
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Hi @Orientnut
It's always wise to ensure that your tank water is well-oxygenated/aerated. You don't necessarily need an air pump/air stone to do this. Just ensure that the water surface is mildly agitated. You don't want it like a mirror, if you see what I mean. Careful positioning of your internal filter or external filter outlet pipe should take care of this. I would also advise against adding any plant fertilizers at this stage.
What do you intend to do about the Tetra SafeStart? It really is worth adding some to your tank.
JPC
I second this good advice, I currently run a internal filter and a sponge filter with air pump
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It is important to keep nitrite down. Nitrite binds to the oxygen receptors in the fish's blood and stops oxygen binding. The blood turns brown and nitrite poisoning is sometimes referred to as brown blood disease. Basically, it does to fish what carbon monoxide does to us.
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Thanks all. I added the 50ml tetra startsafe earlier today as well. How often (if at all) do you add more startsafe? Nitrite has come down by 0.5 since yesterday.
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I’m not familiar with that product but the instructions on the bottle should be followed to avoid unnecessary wastage or pollution of the water.
Good news it is on the right track and we’re working towards a 0 reading.
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I think that Safestart is one of those products that say they contain all the bacteria required for a tank. If that is the case then you shouldn't need to add any more after the first time, even though the bottle says to add some after every water change.
@Sue is our tank cycling expert, so I'll leave it to her to explain whether the product contains the correct bacteria as she is far more knowledgeable with regards to these things.
As for having to use it again, especially with water changes, I wouldn't have though there was any need to. Once you have grown your bacteria & finished cycling your tank you shouldn't need the product, unless you do something like rinse the filter media in tap water rather than old tank water, or do something else that may disturb the bacteria.
Glad to hear that your nitrites have come down. :)
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What Littlefish is referring to is that when bottled bacteria products were first brought out they contained what they thought was the right species of nitrite eaters but we now know is the wrong species. Dr Tim Hovanec did research into this while working for Marineland and discovered which the right species was. Marineland and Tim Havonec copyrighted the use of this species. Marineland was taken over by Tetra who rebranded Marineland's product as Safe Start. Tim Hovanec left the company,and set up his own, which makes Dr Tim's One and Only (which is harder to get in the UK). For years only these two companies had the rights to use the correct species.
These two products Tetra Safe Start and Dr Tim's One & Only, are known to contain the correct species of both bacteria. It may be that other brands are also using the correct species now under some agreement, but we don't know which they are.
You may as well use all the Safe Start that you have to cycle the tank, but once cycled you don't need to use it unless you do something to kill the bacteria (some medications do this, and not dechlorinating the new water at a water change during the first year or so can also kill them)
The product instructions will tell you to use it routinely but then they want your money.
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Would I be right in thinking my aqua one PFI100 filter isn't very good? I'd be happy to upgrade to something better. This is the one that came with my tank when I bought it.
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I can't find that filter by googling it. What is the name of the tank? Aqua One's website should have the manual, which will include the filter.
What is the media inside the filter? Sponge is just about the best medium for small filters, but many contain nothing but carbon cartridges.
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I've managed to find a picture of it at https://www.gumtree.com/p/pet-equipment-accessories/aqua-one-pfi-100-internal-aquarium-filter-brand-new-unused-/1303852360 and its 'service pack' at https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/aqua-one-service-pack-for-aqua-aspire-55-aquarium
To me, this filter seems perfectly fine - although service packs often advocate changing the filter media, I wouldn't bother ever changing the sponge part - best to keep it to retain the beneficial bacteria to process the fishes' waste (unless of course it completely falls apart). The phosphate and carbon pads might be useful, but would need regularly replaced once they become saturated. I'd remove the carbon pads and possibly the phosphate pads too, and replace both with more filter sponge, then keep these permanently in situ.
If you ever need to medicate the tank, then you could use the carbon to help remove the medication after the treatment course. If you ever find you've developed a lot of algae, then the phosphate pads might come in useful to see if those help remove it.
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I can't find that filter with a description anywhere - it's not on Aqua One's website and there's no manual there either.
If the service pack is all that is inside the filter, I agree with fcmf that removing the carbon and phosphate pads and replacing them with plain sponge would improve the filter so you wouldn't need to replace the whole thing.
Any brand of filter sponge will do as long as it can be cut to the exact size of the carbon and phosphate pads. If you could find a coarse sponge and a fine sponge and put the coarse sponge first in the direction of water flow to catch the big bits, then the fine sponge last in the direction of water flow to catch the small bits that went through the other sponges, that would be the best arrangement.
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I keep a product on hand called Prime (made by Seachem)
Prime is the complete and concentrated conditioner for both fresh and saltwater. Prime removes chlorine, chloramine and detoxifies ammonia. Prime converts ammonia into a safe, non-toxic form that is readily removed by the tank's biofilter. Prime may be used during tank cycling to alleviate ammonia/ nitrite toxicity.
Is used a lot here in the states but you still have to do the water changes to get the toxins out of the water but this should save the fish in the mean time.
Have any of you used this before?
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Prime is widely available all over the world.
It is useful during cycling, but since Seachem won't say what's in it I prefer not to use it in cycled tanks. There are other water conditioners which also detoxify ammonia, though only Prime claims to detoxify nitrite