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Hi guys, Just started a new tank up, about a month ago. Now I am getting 1ppm of ammonia, after doing 2 water changes, nitrites are showing 0ppm, and nitrates are around 8ppm, over the last 2 water changes, one 25% then one just now of 33%, the readings havent changed, there is no ammonia in the tap water. Its 160l, 4ft tank. Got 6 guppies in there. Seems strange to me that readings dont change with 2 water changes? especially ammonia, gravel cleaned as well, where I feed the guppies, any ideas? thanks.

I used to apathetic, now I just dont care!!!

When you do water changes do you add anything in addition to dechlorinator? Things that neutralise ammonia can give a false reading.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

I used ammo lock as a chlorinator remover, its all I had, I live in a smallish country town, and lfs didnt have any, but have some proper stuff, now, so perhaps do another water change?

I used to apathetic, now I just dont care!!!

Change the water again if you feel like you have to know, but I dont think its urgent. The reading you have now is of no concern. Well done getting the tank cycled!

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Hi,
Take a look at the container, Ammo Lock, short for
"Ammonia Lock" locks up the ammonia that is a part of the
compound Chloramine which the water treatment plant uses,
along with Chlorine, to kill off bacteria.
The container should say on it that with its use the
ammonia reading could be "elevated."

It changes the ammonia to a non-toxic form. However, your
test kit does not differentiate between the toxic, and
non-toxic forms of ammonia and just reads "total" ammonia
instead. With a tank that old, no Nitrite reading and
some value of Nitrate, the tank has cycled, and that
value of ammonia reading is, as Lindy said, of no concern.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks guys, at last its cycled. It has a PH of 7.4ish, this is what the tap water is, so wont bother trying to change it. I want it as a community aquarium. Love Clown Loaches, from yrs ago when I had a few tanks. Kids want Angels, of course, and some neon tetras, i would like a couple of Plecos for the bottom, would they suit this PH? If i remember correctly, I used to run Angels n CLs in nuetral or slighty acidic water? I know about the conditions in the wild, but wouldnt these be pretty useless by now? with the captive breeding for the last 1000s of generations? Thanks.

I used to apathetic, now I just dont care!!!

I used to have clown loaches and bristlenose plecs in high pH water (8.4) and they were fine. If they were wild caught fish they would definately not have liked that but as you say the majority of fish we get now have been captive bred for generations so they will be okay.
My only concern would be if they were in a lower pH at the shop they may be affected by the sudden change when they hit your tank. A very slow accilamtisation would be needed in that case.

Have fun with the fishies

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Thanks Lindy, I will take a my vial and solution to the shop haha, see what their PH is, I asked the girl, and she didnt have a clue!!! What sort of accilamtisation procedure would you recommend, I dont access to another tank either.

I used to apathetic, now I just dont care!!!

Well it does depend on what the difference of pH is, but if it was dramatically different I would use a container or bucket that has not been used for cleaning or had chemicals in it. When choosing think about whether you would drink water that has been in it.
Add the fish and the water it came in to the container and over the course of a couple of hours add tank water to the fish. When done net the fish out of the container and add to the tank.
Good luck!

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Hi,
I'd skip the neons as when the angel fish reach full size
and sometimes even before, the neons will become expensive
live food for the angels.
Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I missed the part about neons. I agree with Frank on that.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Thanks for the advice guys n gals. Got 8 Silver Dollars , and one Clown Loach that was left at shop, get him a few mates this friday when the fish order comes in.

I used to apathetic, now I just dont care!!!

Dont fill up too quick or you could end up experiencing ammonia spikes while the bacteria try to catch up with the new bioload. Feed sparingly and keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrite levels this week.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Will do, just checked them then, all good.

I used to apathetic, now I just dont care!!!

Guys, Just put a slighty cooked pea in, SDs touched it , then took off!!! lettuce leaf in there now, theyre not interested, any ideas? or another type of leafy plant for them?

I used to apathetic, now I just dont care!!!

what about some spinach? zucchini?

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Hi,
As far as the peas are concerned, once you "slightly cook"
the vegetable (called "Blanching" ) you take the pea and
"pop" it and drop just the meat of the pea into the tank
as the food and discard the skin of the pea.

As a caution, do not leave the vegetables in the tank
more than about 10 to 12 hours, better yet, remove
them when the fish show no interest in them.
If you leave the vegetables in the tank to sit they
will eventually, as with any other decaying food, start
to pollute the tank. Frequently foods like Zucchini
are left in the tank for periods up to 24 hours, and
then any remainder is removed. Generally the fish will
have gorged themselves on the zucchini and they are
not fed for a day or two later or, a water change later.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks for that, they did eat the lettuce after a while, now they like it, pea was blanched n peeled, might try it again, will try zucchini as well, thanks.

I used to apathetic, now I just dont care!!!